Black Emanuelle Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Black Emanuelle Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman August 30, 2023

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Severin's The Sensual World of Black Emanuelle release.

Kier-la Janisse gave film fans one of the most outstanding boxed sets of the last few years with All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror, a late 2021 release that ended up making my Best of 2022 list. Janisse is back now with another gigantic boxed set, one that's even bigger than the folk horror compendium, and one that may appeal to a certain niche audience who may not have been especially interested in that earlier set. Those who may remember the rating system of days of yore will probably recall the "M" designation, which meant "for mature audiences only", and if I may be permitted an orthographic joke that is admittedly a bit arcane, some might argue that Emanuelle gave up one of her "m"'s in favor of three x's, at least with regard to some cuts of the many Black Emanuelle films. For those not conversant with the history of this perceived franchise, and who may be scratching their heads at my "joke" (what else is new?), Black Emanuelle was a pretty blatant attempt to cash in on Emmanuelle, and in order to avoid any potential legal hassles one of those original "m"'s in the title character's name got dropped. Furthermore, as supplements on many of the discs included in this set offer, there were hardcore XXX inserts (in more ways than one) that at least some of the Black Emanuelle productions offered. Joke explained, hopefully. Perhaps even more comedically than my fitful attempt at humor, the Black Emanuelle series ended up offering many more films than its perceived progenitor, and 24 of them (with additional cuts) are aggregated in this at times overwhelming collection. This is a collection where the quality of the films may be highly debatable, though it's salient to note that the supplements both overtly reference and are in and of themselves examples of perhaps unexpected critical scrutiny this franchise has engendered, and anyone interested in this kind of bizarre franchise mash up of what might be called porno, mondo and gonzo will most likely find this an amazing set to dive into.

As much as Laura Gemser's filmography, and perhaps especially her Black Emanuelle outings, are associated with Joe D'Amato, it's perhaps interesting to note that this first film offering Black Emanuelle in its title was the handiwork of "Bitto" Albertini. That said, many of the tropes that D'Amato and other directors coming to the series would employ are firmly on display here, including the globe trotting gallivanting of crusading (?) photojournalist Emanuelle (Laura Gemser), who has a rather busy side "career" bedding virtually everyone with whom she comes into contact (that's a bit of a joking exaggeration, but maybe by not as much as you might think).

Anyone looking for much in the way of plot dynamics or "character arcs" had best keep looking, but the film's African locations are utilized beautifully, and Gemser is a surprisingly sunny, "good vibes" emitting star, in or out of her clothes.

Black Emanuelle Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Black Emanuelle is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Severin's almost overwhelming book The Black Emanuelle Bible included with this set offers a brief description of the transfer, as follows:

Source: 2K scan from StudioCanal with additional restoration and color work by Severin Films.

While there are noticeable variances at play with regard to some of the location work versus the more controllable studio set scenes, this is an often quite nice looking presentation, with a vivid palette and some commendable detail levels. Fine detail on items like clothes (whether or not they're on the floor) and especially some of what might be called the "ethnic" African items on display is often excellent, at least in brighter lit environments. Some of the outdoor location work can look just a tad anemic, or at least dusty, when compared to some of the indoor material. Minor signs of age related wear and tear can be spotted. Grain resolves naturally, though encounters some spikes, again at times related to what I assume was second unit work out in the "field".

Black Emanuelle Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As with many of the films in this set, Black Emanuelle features DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono mixes in either English or Italian. Toggling between the two reveals that the Italian can be noticeably brighter on the high end as well as generally louder overall. Both tracks deliver dialogue, effects and Nico Fidenco's funky score without any major issues. Optional English subtitles are available.

Black Emanuelle Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• XXX Inserts (HD; 8:21)


• Audio Commentary with Film Programmer Jazmyne Moreno


• Exoticizing Blackness and Erotic Sovereignty in Black Emanuelle (HD; 33:20) is a title worthy of a Master's Thesis for an engaging interview with Adult Film Historian Mireille Miller-Young.


• I Am Your Black Queen (HD; 11:12) is an audio interview with actress Laura Gemser. This plays to lots of stills.


• The Reluctant Icon (HD; 19:55) is a nicely produced tribute to Laura Gemser.


• Black Emanuelle's Groove (HD; 13:54) is an interview with composer Nico Fidenco. Subtitled in English.


• Trailer (HD; 5:25)

Black Emanuelle Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Unappreciated masterpiece? Probably not, but Black Emanuelle is still notable for being the first "official" film in the series, at least when designated by that title, and it's often surprisingly fun and even funny at times. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements very enjoyable. At least for the Black Emanuelle initiated, Recommended.