The Pleasure Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

The Pleasure Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 18, 2024

Joe D'Amato's "The Pleasure" (1985) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with screenwriter Claudio Fragasso; new program with film historian Franco Grattarola; new visual essay by critic Mike Foster; new visuals essay by critic Pier Maria Bocchi; original trailer; and more. In English or Italian, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Some years ago, I attended a very limited theatrical screening of Mauro Bolognini’s The Venetian Woman (La Venexiana) and was astonished by how beautiful and elegant it turned out to be. Bolognini was a terrific director with a solid reputation in Italy, so a few ‘serious’ critics had bothered to see it, but its fate was entirely predictable. The Venetian Woman was instantly smeared as ‘soft porn’ and promptly forgotten. I went to see it because I knew right away that the ‘serious’ critics were wrong. I just did not know how wrong. How could Bolognini direct Laura Antonelli in a ‘soft porn’ film? (By the way, I detest this lazy yet incredibly harmful label with a burning passion. There are no ‘soft porn’ films. There are only clueless critics). When in 1998 Dangerous Beauty was released theatrically in the United States, I hoped that someone would produce a local DVD release of The Venetian Woman, but no one did.

In 2003, The Venetian Woman finally appeared on DVD, but in Italy, not in the United States. Even though it was not an English-friendly DVD release, I asked a friend to mail me a copy so that I could revisit it. The Venetian Woman looked quite good because it was given an anamorphic transfer, but this was not the film I had seen in the theater, where it was jaw-droppingly gorgeous. I still have this DVD release in my library and the other night, immediately after I finished viewing Joe D’Amato’s The Pleasure (Il Piacere), I pulled it out and stayed with it until the early morning hours. There are seemingly endless similarities between the two.

The Pleasure and The Venetian Woman come from the mid-1980s and are set in the same Italian city -- the iconic Venice. D’Amato spends less time exploring its canals and beautiful historic buildings than Bolognini, but the unmistakable ambience of the place is still easily felt in The Pleasure. Both films feature period material with lovely costumes and decor. Both films are flooded with gorgeous music that very quickly becomes an essential element of their identity. (The Venetian Woman was scored by the legendary maestro Ennio Morricone).

A casual encounter initiates the major developments in both films, though The Pleasure has a slightly more complicated story. In The Pleasure, the aging aristocrat Gerard Villeneuve (Gabriele Tinti) recalls the best days of his life after his lover (Andrea Guzon), a former courtesan, passes away. When the daughter (also Guzon) and son (Marco Mattioli) of his lover return home for the funeral, Uncle Gerard is shocked to discover that the daughter is an exact replica of the mother and determined to take her place. He successfully resists her, but when she secretly visits the brothel where her mother once made ends meet and loses her virginity, it becomes impossible for him to continue ignoring her. Meanwhile, Uncle Gerard’s maid (Lilli Carati) begins caring for the son, who is also a virgin but ready to become a man.

The Pleasure works well and looks good. However, it is a small film shot with a small budget, so its limitations are instantly recognizable. For example, there is not a lot of visual variety in it. It is not because D’Amato does not move the camera a lot, rather it is because he chooses (or is required) to do the minimum before transitioning to the next phase of the story. Also, despite claims to the contrary, The Pleasure is not a ‘soft porn’ film, it is an erotic film whose main goal is the creation of a specific atmosphere. This atmosphere materializes, but it is not as rich and seductive as it could have been had D’Amato been given a proper budget to work with.

The Venetian Woman is a better film precisely because it produces a superior, unforgettable erotic atmosphere. I am certain it was made with a bigger budget, but it was shot by a better director, too.

Laura Gemser, who was married to Tinti, has a small part in The Pleasure. Also, the beautiful Czech actress Dagmar Lassander, who appeared in several cult gialli, has a small part.

*88 Films' release presents two versions of The Pleasure: English Version, which is approximately 94 minutes long, and Italian Version, which is approximately 91 minutes long. Both versions have been recently restored.

The Pleasure Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Pleasure arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films.

The release presents two versions of The Pleasure: English Version, which is approximately 94 minutes long, and Italian Version, which is approximately 91 minutes long. Both versions have been recently restored. I viewed the English version.

The overall quality of the visuals is very good. There are only two areas where I felt that something isn't quite right. The first is in the beginning of the film, right before the crucial encounter, where something in the dynamic range of the visuals is off. An example can be seen here. The second is in the middle of the film, during the seduction performance in the cinema, where the projector light acquires a slightly odd green-ish color. However, I consider these minor issues because everything else looks either good or very good. Delineation and clarity could be superior, but I would not be surprised to learn that the current master was struck from an interpositive, which is why there are some minor fluctuations. Also, there are stylistic preferences that affect delineation and clarity. Depth is good. There are no stability issues. Color balance is pleasing. I suspect that primary blue could have been managed a little bit better, but I did not see any distracting anomalies to mention in our review. There are no traces of age-related imperfections. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release.

The Pleasure Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0 and Italian LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the Italian track.

I viewed the entire film with the English track. It features dubbing and in several areas clarity is uneven. This is a very common limitation on these types of dubbed tracks that were prepared in Italy, so I was not surprised. You will just have to turn up the volume a bit more than usual to get everything that is said. Dynamic contrasts are unimpressive. However, I thought that the light music score was very effective in enhancing the desired atmosphere.

The Pleasure Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Clyde on Joe - in this new program, screenwriter Claudio Fragasso explains how he came to appreciate genre films which he had previously despised, and met Joe D'Amato, with whom he worked on various films. Fragasso also discusses D'Amato's tricks when shooting explicit films and censorship practices in Italy during the 1970s and 1980s. Fragasso describes D'Amato as the Italian Roger Corman. The program was produced by Eugenio Ercolani. In Italian, with English subtitles. (16 min).

• The Pleasure of It All - in this new program, film historian Franco Grattarola discusses Joe D'Amato's constant desire to explore different genres, his relationship with erotic/adult films, and how his output was influenced by hugely successful erotic films like Tinto Brass' The Key. Also, there are some quite interesting comments about the evolution of Lilli Carati's career, as well as several other European stars that transitioned to the adult business. The program was produced by Eugenio Ercolani and Andrea Meroni. In Italian, with English subtitles. (30 min).

• Filmirage: Sex and/or Violence - in this new visual essay, critic Mike Foster discusses the output of Italian production company Filmirage, which specialized in over-the-top and erotic genre films, and its business relationship with Joe D'Amato and the evolution of his career. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• Budget Erotica - in this new visual essay, critic Pier Maria Bocchi discusses the rise and fall of the Italian erotic film, some of most successful and interesting films that emerged during the 1980s, and the stars and directors that made them. In English, not subtitled. (12 min).

• Italian Credits - presented here are vintage Italian credits for The Pleasure. With music. (3 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a restored original trailer for The Pleasure. With music. (3 min).

• Booklet - 12-page illustrated booklet featuring an essay by Francesco Massaccesi.

• Cover - reverisble cover with original Italian poster art for The Pleasure.

The Pleasure Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Italian directors produced the best erotic films, and some of the most beautiful ones emerged during the 1980s, when even the legendary maestro Ennio Morricone frequently could not resist scoring them. Before transitioning to the adult industry, Joe D'Amato shot numerous smaller erotic films, and I think that most of them are quite good. The Pleasure is one such small but good erotic film that can easily be promoted to a fan of Dangerous Beauty. 88 Films presents good recent restorations of two versions of The Pleasure, with a terrific selection of exclusive new bonus features. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.