Tanya's Island (1980)

A female model faces off against an ape on a tropical island.

Director:

Alfred Sole

Writer:

Pierre Brousseau

Stars:

Vanity, Richard Sargent, Mariette Lévesque

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Vanity	...	Tanya (as D.D. Winters)
Richard Sargent	...	Lobo
Mariette Lévesque	...	Kelly
Don McLeod	...	Blue (as Don McCloud)
Donny Burns	...	Blue's Voice (voice)

Storyline

A female model faces off against an ape on a tropical island.

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Plot Keywords:

island | model | two word title | violence | interracial relationship | 

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Taglines:

If you loved EMMANUELLE ... You'll go APE with D.D. Winters on ... Tanya's Island

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 December 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hikyû no Tania

Filming Locations:

Puerto Rico

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 1,400,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC), International Film Exchange--Fred Baker

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Did You Know?

Connections

References Rocky II (1979)

User Reviews

a classic for a few reasons

This flick would never been hunted down by the exploitation buffs if Vanity wasn't involved. The story of Vanity is really sad.

Born Denise Matthews she was discovered by Prince who wanted to form a slutty band called The Hookers. They would dress like hookers. In 1982 when attending the American Music Awards Prince noticed Denise. They immediately went to the dressing room and Prince dated her and renamed the band Vanity 6 were she had the leading vocals. Nasty Girls being their signature it also became the signature of Denise now called Vanity. Her bed-hopping became notorious being shagged by Adam Ant, Billy Idol but among all Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue. Being a bit of a slut she also discovered heroin. She was seen in a few flicks, but towards the end of the eighties she was past and gone. She became depressed and a crack addict. Now and then she was seen in crap flicks or series. From 1994 she really was a drug-fiend only thinking about suicide, she even became deaf and blind. Rehab was on the way. After leaving the hospital she found out she was resurrected as a new born Christian. Nowadays she's a preacher woman and is back as Denise Matthews and doesn't want to be involved anymore with Vanity.

Here in Tanya's Island we see Denise just before she was discovered by Prince. But acting wasn't her thing, she only did what she was the best, walking around naked. She walks a lot naked here and even allowed close-ups of her pubic hair. The flick itself is something strange. Tanya (Vanity) goes to a deserted island with her lover but she falls in love with a...monkey. Naturally her lover wants her back but hings aren't that easy. There is really not that much story here.

On the other hand, not only Vanity attracts exploitation buffs but the director was notorious too. Alfred Sole directed 4 flicks one among them called Communion or Alice Sweet Alice (1976), a classic in the horror genre. Before that he directed the rare seen Deep Sleep (1972), a porn made in the golden age of porn.

Don't think that you will see another gem like Communion, this is pure exploitation on the sleazy side with gratuitous nudity.

Just one thing for the geeks, Rob Bottin and Rick Baker were involved in make-up effects. Next two flicks were The Howling (1981) and The Thing (1982) for Bottin, Baker also went to The Howling as consultant, next two flicks were The Funhouse (1981) and An American Werewolf In London (1981)

Gore 0/5 Nudity 2,5/5 Effects 2/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5