Emanuelle in Bangkok (1976)
"Emanuelle nera: Orient reportage" (original title)

Emmanuelle is sent to Bangkok on a journalism assignment. While there, she embarks on her own exploration of the secrets of sensual pleasure. While learning much, she also reveals several secrets of her own.

Director:

Joe D'Amato

Writers:

Ottavio Alessi (story), Maria Pia Fusco (screenplay),

Stars:

Laura Gemser, Gabriele Tinti, Ely Galleani

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Laura Gemser	...	Emanuelle
Gabriele Tinti	...	Roberto
Ely Galleani	...	Frances
Ivan Rassimov	...	Prince Sanit
Venantino Venantini	...	David
Giacomo Rossi-Stuart	...	Jimmy
Koike Mahoco	...	Gee
Fausto Di Bella
Gaby Bourgois
Chris Avram	...	Thomas Quizet
Attilio Duse
Debra Berger	...	Debra

Storyline

Journalist Emanuelle travels to the Orient to interview a close relative of a King, but comes too close to uncovering official secrets for the state's liking. Her hotel room is ransacked and her passport stolen, leaving her stranded and at the mercy of a brutal gang of rapists, employed by the government. Her only hope of escape are her powers of seduction.

---

Plot Keywords:

interview | journalist | two women in a bath tub | pubic hair | ping pong ball | 

---

Taglines:

She's Hotter Than Ever

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

November 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Emanuelle in Bangkok

Filming Locations:

Bangkok, Thailand

Company Credits

Production Co:

Flaminia Produzioni Cinematografiche, Kristal Film, San Nicola Produzione Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Telecolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the English print opening credits, Venantino Venantini's surname is misspelled 'Venantim'.

---

Connections

Referenced in Berlinguer: I Love You (1977)

---

Soundtracks

"Like a Sailing Ship"
Written by Nico Fidenco
Performed by Silky Sound Singers

User Reviews

Almost Silly Fun

The first thing that struck me about EMANUELLE IN BANGKOK was Nico Fidenco's music score, a whistling, happy, bumbling little ditty that would be right at home on a YouTube video compilation of Tourette's Guy clips. Or maybe a toothpaste commercial, its stuck in my head now and fortunately for my sanity, its not bad. I'd whistle it for you if I could, and can't help but wonder if that's Alessandro Alessandroni doing his trademark thing there. He's the guy whistling on the old spaghetti western soundtracks, proof once again that while often derivative the Italians managed to create some new forms. The movies may often be cheap & boring, but they almost always have great musical scores.

I would paint this one into the same category. It looks pretty much like Joe D'amato took a sprawling vacation with some of his favorite stock players (Laura Gemser, her husband Gabrielle Tinti), a couple of Italian genre cinema leading males he maybe owed a favor to (Ivan Rassimov & my hero Giacomo Rossi-Stuart) and a few sexy Euro body babes with no problems with nudity, group groping and the occasional half naked lesbian make-out with Ms. Gemser (Ely Galleani, Debra Berger, Gaby Bourgois). He brought along a camera, maybe a mistress to hold the scripts while somebody made sure there was enough light, and went about their touristy ways while filming a scene or two here & there as they traveled about.

Two scenes sort of spoil the fun, first another barbaric episode of Italian filmmakers using animal violence to fill some screen time, then an inexplicable sequence where Ms. Gemser is sexually assaulted by a mob of greaseballs who make a point to humiliate her while getting their jollies off. Inexplicable because afterward she seems quite at ease with herself and chats pleasantly with her attackers as if they had just met at a diner. Then again its all just a silly phallocentric fantasy really, about guys with unlimited means traveling exotic lands in the company of attractive women in their 20s whom they have random sex with, often playing erotic group games for grown ups & swapping partners, though the version I saw was strictly a softcore engagement. The most arousing display being a scene where the girls all get up, strip down to their panties and dance like a harem for an Arabian prince.

Or something like that, to tell the truth I was hardly paying attention to the story and frankly couldn't care less. Like a spaghetti western you watch stuff like this for the individual moments rather than the cumulative effect, and most of it passed quite pleasantly with the occasional raised eyebrow. Like the scene were Emanuelle entertains a crowd in a private club by dripping hot candle wax all over her magnificent, nude body. For all we know and given the way Joe D'amato worked, the whole film might have been just an excuse to put that up on the screen. It may not pass as entertainment for some, but for those two minutes this movie was the only thing I was thinking about.

4/10