My review was written in July 1986 after watching the movie at a Times Square screening room.
"Sex Appeal" is a farcical comedy let down by its script. Yet another opus about a young man trying anything to get laid, picture went into regional release in May but is best suited to the less demanding ancillary markets.
Filmmaker Chuck Vincent has remade his 1980 hardcore porn production "Fascination" (which was directed by Larry Revene, who returns as cinematographer this time) that starred Ron Jeremy as a Jewish kid consulting a how-to book on getting dates. This time around Louie Bonanno toplines as Tony Cannelloni, an Italian kid from New Jersey who buys the book "Sex Appeal" as a guide to sexual conquests. Key element of the strategy is to move out of his parents' home to a bachelor pad in Manhattan, where his landlord/neighbor Donald (Jeff Eagle a/k/a Jeffrey Hurst) eavesdrops and uses Tony's misadventures as the basis for writing a lucrative series of articles for Playhouse magazine about the New Jersey Casanova.
Film briefly moves into the territory of Billy Wilder's "The Apartment" as Tony's father and sister separately try to use his pad for their own secret trysts, but essentially it's a bedroom farce without enough laughs. Early scenes at home around the dinner table are particularly flat, in the vein of "Saturday Night Fever" ethnicity.
A supporting cast loaded with talent familiar from Adult films turns in good performances, particularly two actresses who also appeared in "Fascination": Merle Michaels, cute as a nonstop talker with a Judy Holliday accent, and Veronica Hart ("Fascination" was her screen debut), hilariously spoofing the false passion of erotic scenes as she squeals loudly and endlessly at the slightest touch. Lead actor Bonanno is not very interesting and his terrifically-built leading lady Tally Brittany (a/k/a Tally Chanel) is unfortunately consigned to a small role that is more tease than necessary.
Cast employs a variety of pseudonyms, real names and alternate stage names arising from each thesp's attitude to the demarcation between Adult and mainstream filmmaking. Fans will easily sort it all out by recognizing familiar faces.
