Emanuelle and the White Slave Trade

Although it is still somewhat obscure, this is one of my favorite of the "Black Emanuelle" series. Some films like "Emanuelle in America" and "Emanuelle Around the World" are a little too sleazy, while others like the original "Black Emanuelle" are not quite sleazy enough, but this film is juuust right.

While hanging around Africa for some reason, intrepid reporter/photographer "Emanuelle" (Laura Gemser) stumbles across a white slavery operation (OK, so it doesn't exactly make sense to have a WHITE slavery operation in Africa where hardly anyone is white, but oh well). After hiding and taking lots of photos of naked, barely legal girls being paraded back and forth in front of potential "buyers", "Emanuelle" has a run-in with the vicious male transvestite who's running the operation. His rather confused sexual orientation doesn't stop him from raping her, but later they team up. There's some pretty graphic violence and another unpleasant gang-rape scene, but it's hard to take any of this too seriously when "Emanuelle" herself obviously doesn't (She eventually makes her way back across the Atlantic on a filthy trawler by agreeing to gang-bang the entire crusty, old crew).

Most of the serious sleaze is relegated to the second half of the movie, but the first half is much more sexy. "Emanuelle" teams up with a friend, played by very pretty Italian actress Ely Galeani (who was also in "Emanuelle in Bangkok") to get a scoop on a con artist hiding in the dark continent. Of course, they get the story, first by "doing" him and his friend and then by both "doing" him in a three-way scene while they all smoke strange drugs out of a hookah (god, I love the socially irresponsible 70's!). Galeani's character also has an interesting way of "paying" her African auto mechanic in an interracial sex scene that takes place in a lube pit while "Emanuelle" watches and pleasures herself (this scene was kind of borrowed from the first "Black Emanuelle", but director Joe D'Amato manages to improve on it). I also actually kind of liked the cheesy Euro-disco title song "Run, Cheetah, Run", which they play during all the hottest sex scenes with Galeani and Gemser, and which will have many viewers drooling like Pavlov's dogs whenever they hear it by the time the movie ends. Recommended.

Ever-intrepid investigative reporter Emanuelle (Laura Gemser) is currently in Africa, having tracked down an elusive American gangster (Venantino Venantini). It doesn't take that long for him to succumb to her charms (and those of her friend Susan (Ely Galleani)), and he agrees to an interview. But the tale doesn't end there. Emanuelle becomes intrigued by another American character, Francis Harley (Gabriele Tinti) whom she spies while on this current assignment, and she learns that he's involved in the white slave trade. Back in America, she gets into his good graces, and begins working as a prostitute in a bordello run by Madame Claude (Gota Gobert). But she could really be risking her neck if the Madame and others find out that she's actually a journalist.

"Emanuelle and the White Slave Trade" is overall an engaging example of this kind of soft-core entertainment. The story is enjoyable, but undeniably the attraction for most viewers will be the very generous doses of sex and nudity. (Emanuelle always seems to be up for a roll in the hay.) It's quite good in its first half, as it's just as much a travelogue as it is an exploitation film. Director Joe D'Amato also photographed the film, and the sights & sounds of Africa are impressive to take in. The story gets more conventional in the second half, but the striking Gemser proves to be always easy to watch. Worth noting is the films' sense of humor: Susan likes to take her Range Rover to the mechanic not to get it inspected, but rather to get it on with the mechanic (James Sampson). An in-drag male character, Stefan (Nicola D'Eramo), manages to kick some ass while wearing a wig and dress. Also, the final moments are really priceless.

An eclectic soundtrack composed by Nico Fidenco, and a decent supporting cast including Tinti, Venantini, Galleani, Pierre Marfurt as a prince, and Bryan Rostron as Emanuelles' photographer boyfriend are also among the films' virtues.

Generally regarded as a better entry in D'Amatos' "Black Emanuelle" series, this is a fun viewing for aficionados of trash cinema.

Seven out of 10.

This is a quite enjoyable little flick, though not as ingenious as Emanuelle and the last Cannibals. Unfortunately, it does not offer the same levels of gore and violence but somewhat compensates this shortcoming by excessive amounts of soft-core and an even more terrific sound-track by the same composer. The "safari"-scenes and the fight in the bowling-alley are unforgettable. Recommended to all fans of 70's sleaze but perhaps not to the general audience.

Emanuelle and the White Slave Trade (1978)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Reporter Emanuelle (Laura Gemser) is doing a story on the white slave trade and tracks everything to a gangster living in Africa. Not happy stopping there, Emanuelle comes back to America and begins working undercover. This is probably the best of the D'Amato/Gemser Emanuelle movies but that's not saying too much. Unlike the other films in the series this one here at least manages to be entertaining without having to have a woman jerk off a horse as was seen in Emanuelle in America. This film here has a pretty interesting story and it moves along without too many boring spots. Needless to say there's a lot of sex scenes with Gemser taking on various men and women and these here are without a doubt the best scenes. D'Amato makes most of these very erotic, which is another thing missing from others in the series. I wouldn't say Gemser gives a good performance but she is comfortable in the role and you can't complain about seeing her naked throughout the film. The scenes in Africa are well shot and it's nice seeing some of the wildlife. Some of the American scenes were lifted from Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals but this just adds to some of the cheap fun. Original title: Via della prostituzione, La.

"La via della prostituzione" (1978), directed by the infamous Joe D'Amato, is a film that attempts to delve into the grimy world of prostitution, but unfortunately, it falls short of delivering a truly impactful or insightful narrative. Despite its provocative title and premise, the film struggles to rise above the exploitative nature of its genre, resulting in a somewhat lackluster viewing experience.

The film follows the story of Emanuelle, a journalist who goes undercover as a prostitute to expose a high-class sex ring. The plot, while intriguing, is marred by a lack of depth and character development. Emanuelle, played by Laura Gemser, is a compelling lead, but the script fails to provide her with the substance needed to truly bring her character to life.

D'Amato's direction is competent, but it lacks the finesse needed to elevate the material. The film's pacing is uneven, with scenes often dragging on for too long, only to be followed by abrupt transitions that leave the audience feeling disoriented. The cinematography, while occasionally striking, is largely unremarkable, failing to capture the gritty realism that the film's subject matter demands.

One of the film's few redeeming qualities is its score, composed by Nico Fidenco. The music, a blend of sultry jazz and haunting melodies, effectively captures the film's seedy atmosphere and provides a much-needed layer of depth to the proceedings.

However, the film's treatment of its subject matter leaves much to be desired. Rather than providing a nuanced exploration of prostitution and its societal implications, "La via della prostituzione" often resorts to gratuitous nudity and sexual content, which feels exploitative and undermines the film's potential for meaningful commentary.

In conclusion, "La via della prostituzione" is a film that, while not without its moments, ultimately fails to live up to its potential. With a weak script, uneven direction, and a tendency to exploit its subject matter, the film is a disappointing entry in the exploitation genre. It's not a complete waste of time, but there are certainly better films out there that tackle similar themes with more depth and sensitivity.💔🌃