Marylin

For some reason overshadowed by over-publicized folk like Joe D'Amato and Jess Franco, Luca D'Amiano reigns in my book as a maestro of quality Europorn. MARYLIN is one of his final films, well-made though uninspired compared to earlier classics.

Part of the problem is shooting on video - automatically inferior to the lavish 35mm productions that made his career heat up. Story is about Marilyn Monroe, with German XXX superstar Kelly Trump doing a decent job of suggesting her beauty and glamor. Action begins in NYC in 1946 (Norma Jean Baker time), Trump is having anal sex with a big-dicked guy right in the opening scene, so there is no misleading the audience as to what we're watching. Second scene is also an anal excursion.

Movie takes a U-turn with two heroes hiding out in an all-girl band -following the plot of Monroe's hit movie SOME LIKE IT HOT by Billy Wilder. As if that weren't enough, almost immediately an in-joke is dropped on us as they start to sing "One, Two, Three", in reference to another Wilder hit.

Kelly is the singer with the band, and the rest of MARYLIN is a parody of the beloved Jack Lemmon/Tony Curtis movie. The feature boasts attractive hotel sets and costumes, but without Wilder's skills and humor, it is really only about the sex. Happy ending for Trump after she receives a facial is par for the course.

Film was surprisingly subtitled for U.S. DVD distribution, not to be classy but just out of cheapness - dubbing costs money.