3 reviews
Luca Damiano's X-rated take on Hamlet is a bold, entertaining, and undeniably erotic interpretation of Shakespeare's classic tragedy. 'Hamlet: For the Love of Ophelia' adds a layer of sexual intrigue to the original plot, offering a unique and memorable viewing experience.
Damiano's version follows the familiar structure of Hamlet, centering on the titular character's quest for revenge against his uncle, Claudius. However, the film veers into explicit territory, with Hamlet's emotional turmoil manifesting in steamy encounters that provide a literal interpretation of the character's passions.
The film attempts to retain the wit and meter of Shakespeare's writing, resulting in some interesting and creative dialogue. While the delivery of these lines might be questionable, they add a layer of humor and a sense of Shakespearean flair to the proceedings.
'Hamlet: For the Love of Ophelia' is visually stunning, with lavish sets and costumes that evoke the Elizabethan era. The film is well-lit and artfully composed, adding a sense of elegance to the explicit content.
The performances are enthusiastic, if not always genuine in their passion. The actors seem more focused on pantomiming arousal than actually experiencing it, and at times, the male performers struggle to maintain the necessary physical prowess for their roles.
One particularly memorable scene features Jacqueline Wild, who portrays a sultry, seductive Ophelia. In this scene, Ophelia teases Hamlet, played by Franco Lo Cascio, with a slow, sensual dance, running her hands over her body and biting her lip as she approaches him. As she straddles him, her hips gyrating, she whispers erotic nothings in his ear, driving him wild with desire. The scene is a feast for the senses, with Wild's uninhibited performance stealing the show.
Damiano takes creative liberties with the original plot, most notably in the climax of the film. In this version, Claudius first kills Gertrude, then Ophelia, and finally, Hamlet, with the latter two killing each other simultaneously. It's a bloodbath that differs significantly from Shakespeare's original, but it adds to the dramatic and chaotic nature of the film.
'Hamlet: For the Love of Ophelia' is a unique and ambitious adult film. While it may not satisfy those seeking more traditional erotic fare, it offers a creative and entertaining twist on a classic.
So, if you're in the mood for something a little different, grab your copy of Shakespeare's Hamlet and prepare for a wild ride that blends tragedy, humor, and eroticism in a way that only Luca Damiano can deliver.
Damiano's version follows the familiar structure of Hamlet, centering on the titular character's quest for revenge against his uncle, Claudius. However, the film veers into explicit territory, with Hamlet's emotional turmoil manifesting in steamy encounters that provide a literal interpretation of the character's passions.
The film attempts to retain the wit and meter of Shakespeare's writing, resulting in some interesting and creative dialogue. While the delivery of these lines might be questionable, they add a layer of humor and a sense of Shakespearean flair to the proceedings.
'Hamlet: For the Love of Ophelia' is visually stunning, with lavish sets and costumes that evoke the Elizabethan era. The film is well-lit and artfully composed, adding a sense of elegance to the explicit content.
The performances are enthusiastic, if not always genuine in their passion. The actors seem more focused on pantomiming arousal than actually experiencing it, and at times, the male performers struggle to maintain the necessary physical prowess for their roles.
One particularly memorable scene features Jacqueline Wild, who portrays a sultry, seductive Ophelia. In this scene, Ophelia teases Hamlet, played by Franco Lo Cascio, with a slow, sensual dance, running her hands over her body and biting her lip as she approaches him. As she straddles him, her hips gyrating, she whispers erotic nothings in his ear, driving him wild with desire. The scene is a feast for the senses, with Wild's uninhibited performance stealing the show.
Damiano takes creative liberties with the original plot, most notably in the climax of the film. In this version, Claudius first kills Gertrude, then Ophelia, and finally, Hamlet, with the latter two killing each other simultaneously. It's a bloodbath that differs significantly from Shakespeare's original, but it adds to the dramatic and chaotic nature of the film.
'Hamlet: For the Love of Ophelia' is a unique and ambitious adult film. While it may not satisfy those seeking more traditional erotic fare, it offers a creative and entertaining twist on a classic.
So, if you're in the mood for something a little different, grab your copy of Shakespeare's Hamlet and prepare for a wild ride that blends tragedy, humor, and eroticism in a way that only Luca Damiano can deliver.
- MajesticMane
- Jun 24, 2024
- Permalink
For porn fans, the phrase "they don't make 'em like they used to" usually refers to the classic hardcore era of roughly the mid-'70s to the early '80s. But Luca Damiano's X HAMLET from 1995 truly fits that description - a lavishly filmed, all-star send-up of Shakespeare that is fun to watch.
In the version on Tip Top DVD in the U.S., tone is set with the theme song, "To f**k or not to f**k" (Damiano pointlessly reprises the song for his 2-part DECAMERON TALES film), a catchy rhythm number, and after the movie ends the cast segues into dancing to it (some via pixillation), also amusing. For the original UK English-dubbed release by Sarah Young Communications only classical music is used, and significantly this 2-part version (reissued on separate DVDs in Blighty in 2013) runs 35 minutes longer with extra scenes, compared to the U.S. edition.
What Damiano has done is to take oh-so-familiar scenes from "Hamlet" and use them as fodder for slapstick comedy & vulgar dialog mixed with XXX sex. I once took a college course at CWRU about film adaptations of Shakespeare plays, in which the issues and difficulties of transferring to the cinema medium were examined. Oddly enough Damiano succeeds where others (including even the celebrated Kenneth Branagh, perhaps more comfortable helming pulp movies ranging from DEAD AGAIN to THOR) have failed. That's because he throws out the rule book and is freed by not having to be "faithful" to the source.
Christoph Clark stars as the melancholy Dane, and with proper puddin' bowl haircut and convincing costuming he is up to the task, his XXX prowess a given. The castle locations are spectacular, and pop up in several other Damiano films made around this time.
Sarah Young as Ophelia remains one of my favorite feature roles for this fabulous British porn icon of vignette video fame. Filmmaker Mario Bianchi brought out the best of her (LUCRETIA, NIKITA), but Sarah's youthful beauty, vivaciousness, and anything-goes attitude serve the part well.
Draghixa steals the show as a lusty Gertrude, and a virtual who's who of European porn stars of the era, from Roberto Malone (excellent choice for Claudius) to Valentino have smaller roles. Rocco Siffredi appears anachronistically as himself (!), admired as a stud by Hamlet's ghost-dad (played by the director, Damiano), seen humping his classic TARZAN X co-star Rosa Caracciola in a quickie cameo.
The famous scene of the players, who reveal the plot in the final act, is very well done by Damiano, and in the spirit, rather than to the letter, of Elizabethan times, the entire ensemble steps out of character in the finale to break the 4th wall and salute the (porn) audience out there watching the movie. It's a wonderfully theatrical moment in a surprisingly upbeat porn opus.
To set the record straight, the dimwitted previous IMDb reviewer credits the direction and cinematography of this movie to Joe D'Amato (he's a fan who gives Joe credit for innumerable pictures he didn't make), both of which are untrue. Luca and his d.p. from his classic SNOW WHITE AND 7 DWARFS Renato Doria made the movie, while D'Amato is credited as 2nd unit director and also has fun playing Polonius. Several classic Mario Bianchi films, including LUCRETIA BORGIA, have the cinematographer listed as René Dorin, quite likely but not proved to be a pseudonym for the talented Doria.
In the version on Tip Top DVD in the U.S., tone is set with the theme song, "To f**k or not to f**k" (Damiano pointlessly reprises the song for his 2-part DECAMERON TALES film), a catchy rhythm number, and after the movie ends the cast segues into dancing to it (some via pixillation), also amusing. For the original UK English-dubbed release by Sarah Young Communications only classical music is used, and significantly this 2-part version (reissued on separate DVDs in Blighty in 2013) runs 35 minutes longer with extra scenes, compared to the U.S. edition.
What Damiano has done is to take oh-so-familiar scenes from "Hamlet" and use them as fodder for slapstick comedy & vulgar dialog mixed with XXX sex. I once took a college course at CWRU about film adaptations of Shakespeare plays, in which the issues and difficulties of transferring to the cinema medium were examined. Oddly enough Damiano succeeds where others (including even the celebrated Kenneth Branagh, perhaps more comfortable helming pulp movies ranging from DEAD AGAIN to THOR) have failed. That's because he throws out the rule book and is freed by not having to be "faithful" to the source.
Christoph Clark stars as the melancholy Dane, and with proper puddin' bowl haircut and convincing costuming he is up to the task, his XXX prowess a given. The castle locations are spectacular, and pop up in several other Damiano films made around this time.
Sarah Young as Ophelia remains one of my favorite feature roles for this fabulous British porn icon of vignette video fame. Filmmaker Mario Bianchi brought out the best of her (LUCRETIA, NIKITA), but Sarah's youthful beauty, vivaciousness, and anything-goes attitude serve the part well.
Draghixa steals the show as a lusty Gertrude, and a virtual who's who of European porn stars of the era, from Roberto Malone (excellent choice for Claudius) to Valentino have smaller roles. Rocco Siffredi appears anachronistically as himself (!), admired as a stud by Hamlet's ghost-dad (played by the director, Damiano), seen humping his classic TARZAN X co-star Rosa Caracciola in a quickie cameo.
The famous scene of the players, who reveal the plot in the final act, is very well done by Damiano, and in the spirit, rather than to the letter, of Elizabethan times, the entire ensemble steps out of character in the finale to break the 4th wall and salute the (porn) audience out there watching the movie. It's a wonderfully theatrical moment in a surprisingly upbeat porn opus.
To set the record straight, the dimwitted previous IMDb reviewer credits the direction and cinematography of this movie to Joe D'Amato (he's a fan who gives Joe credit for innumerable pictures he didn't make), both of which are untrue. Luca and his d.p. from his classic SNOW WHITE AND 7 DWARFS Renato Doria made the movie, while D'Amato is credited as 2nd unit director and also has fun playing Polonius. Several classic Mario Bianchi films, including LUCRETIA BORGIA, have the cinematographer listed as René Dorin, quite likely but not proved to be a pseudonym for the talented Doria.
Hamlet (1997)
* 1/2 (out of 4)
If you happen to accidentally rent this expecting Olivier it won't take long for you to hit the eject button. This "version" of the classic Shakespeare play is actually just another set up for yet another hardcore movie by D'Amato. Here, the question is "to screw or not to screw", which is haunting the young Hamlet who gets advice from his naughty mother as well as the ghost of his dead father who was known for his sexual acts. OK, obviously only fans of D'Amato are going to view this film so they're going to know what they're getting into. The actual "story" here is fairly funny as a spoof as D'Amato keeps the dialogue changing and while it's childish, in a sexual way, it still manages to be funny. The sex scenes really aren't all that sexy although I assume they're done well enough to where fans of porn wouldn't mind watching this. The cinematography, also by D'Amato, is the best thing which is often the case with his later day venture into these porn movies.
* 1/2 (out of 4)
If you happen to accidentally rent this expecting Olivier it won't take long for you to hit the eject button. This "version" of the classic Shakespeare play is actually just another set up for yet another hardcore movie by D'Amato. Here, the question is "to screw or not to screw", which is haunting the young Hamlet who gets advice from his naughty mother as well as the ghost of his dead father who was known for his sexual acts. OK, obviously only fans of D'Amato are going to view this film so they're going to know what they're getting into. The actual "story" here is fairly funny as a spoof as D'Amato keeps the dialogue changing and while it's childish, in a sexual way, it still manages to be funny. The sex scenes really aren't all that sexy although I assume they're done well enough to where fans of porn wouldn't mind watching this. The cinematography, also by D'Amato, is the best thing which is often the case with his later day venture into these porn movies.
- Michael_Elliott
- Jun 18, 2009
- Permalink