The Alcove

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

As softcore films go, this offering by Joe D'Amato manages to give even less motivation to its characters, less substance to the plot, and less direction to the actors than the normal one-dimensional, plotless wonders with sex as a focal point. The story starts with a fascist bringing home Zelba (Laura Gemser), an Abyssinian slave, from his tour of duty in Africa. After he tires of Zelba, she is handed over to his wife (Lilli Carati) which causes a rift between the wife and her lesbian lover. The scorned lover is raped one day, and in a rage she plots her revenge by setting fire to Zelba and burning her to death. For some reason, she had no visible grudge against her rapist. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Mono
• Encoding: NTSC
• Screen: Color, Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Features:
  • Talking dirty with Joe D'Amato
  • Interview with director Joe D'Amato
  • Theatrical trailer

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Director:

  Joe D'Amato

• Screenwriter:

  Ugo Moretti

• Book Author:

  Judith Wexley

• Cinematographer:

  Federico Slonisko

• Composer (Music Score):

  Manuel De Sica

• Editor:

  Francesco Martino

• Production Supervisor:

  Helen Handris

REVIEW:

• This is early 1980's softcore effort is a surprisingly artsy and low-key effort for legendary Italian sleazemeister Joe D-Amato. In fact, L'Alcova kind of plays like a sexploitation-flick version of Teorema, with a story that revolves around an outsider sparking all sorts of sex- and class-related infighting within a wealthy home. Of course, it's nowhere as artful as that film - and much more interested in softcore sex scenes - but this ambition gives the film's typical bump-and-grind hijinx an added kick. In terms of acting, the male actors tend towards blandness but the women carry the overheated narrative's weight without a problem. Laura Gemser is the obvious scene stealer, playing against type as a manipulative seductress with a cruel streak, but Lilli Carati also registers strongly as the nymphomaniacal lady of the house and Annie Belle adds extra heat as the mercenary house assistant. On the downside, the script has a hurried finale that leaves some loose ends hanging and D'Amato's direction shows more interest in the sex than it does the drama that should be fueling it. That said, L'Alcova's mix of skin and unexpected ambition makes it an interesting little curio for Euro-trash fans. ~ Donald Guarisco, Rovi