Porno Holocaust

Wow. I felt like I needed to shower off after watching this one, but maybe there were other reasons that I will leave to your imagination. I felt used and abused after wacking, I mean watching this film. Hairy chests, thick mustaches, and well, hairy everything describes this porn/horror movie, but hey, it was 1981, you can't call it "porn" in the 70s and 80s without the hair.

As a horror flick, this bites. But as a piece of exploitation/porn from Italy's rich cinematic history- it definitely has a place in my library. The copy I have is in Italian with English subtitles. I wish it had the really poorly dubbed English, I think it would have added to the sleaziness factor that already existed. The only white guy who gets laid in the movie is "Mark Shannon"- he is the moustache wearing, hairy chested piece of machismo who really does try and give a performance every time he "steps up to bat". This was at the end of an era where porn producers were actually trying to make something artistic. Nothing like panning the camera from a tropical backdrop to a hairy man having "doggie-style" sex with a woman. I can't help but laugh.

This is one of those movies that I pray my future wife and kids never find.

Purportedly made back to back with 'Erotic Nights of the Living Dead' with the same cast and setting but for certain this one does not have Laura Gemser. Much derided by all I rather like this movie. Sure enough the storyline and dialogue are codswallop, but this is so beautifully filmed in such a marvellous setting and I actually like the hardcore. I find it at once naturalistic and exotic, and that doesn't just mean there is a black girl and some limp penises! I find the numerous and varied sex scenes very believable, even if two are set upon a tree trunk at the edge of the ocean with the waves constantly splashing around. The creature does not deign to appear until half hour before the end and is, it has to be said, a disappointment. Still, in the time remaining he manages to kill off all but two of the expedition and in the case of the girls having sex with them first (or afterwards in at least one case!) and this film is not as slow as some maintain. Moreover there are some fine moments of sexploitation, not least the lady scientist and her urge for two 'natives', and the glorious finale when the two survivors speed off in their boat, gaze back at the island they have escaped from, and find there is still time for one last act of copulation.

I've heard a lot about Porno Holocaust and its twin film Erotic Nights Of The Living Dead. Both films are interchangeable and were filmed at the same time on the same location with the same actors changing clothes for each film (and taking them off). If you are expecting the D'Amato genius displayed in films like Buio Omega or Death Smiles on Murder, you won't find it here. Nonetheless this film has a charm that exploitation fans will not be able to resist. Where else will you see hardcore sex mixed with a zombie/monster and his enormous penis that strangles and chokes women to death? Only from D'Amato. There is some amount of gore in which many of the men are bludgeoned to death. The film is set on a beautiful tropical island. As far as I know there is no subtitled version, so if you don't speak Italian you wont know what is going on...but who cares right? In all honesty, Gore fans will probably fast forward through the hardcore sex. And if anyone is actually watching this for the sex only, will for sure be offended instantly. I can just imagine modern day porn fans tracing back through D'Amato's output and coming across this atrocity! Out of the two I find Erotic Nights Of The Living Dead far superior. But, don't bother watching either if they are cut. Porno Holocaust is extremely low budget as expected. Even the monster looks no where as good as George Eastman's character in Anthropophagus. The film is worth watching for laughs and to complete your D'Amato film quest.

Porno Holocaust (1980)

1/2 (out of 4)

Joe D'Amato's notorious porn/gore flick about a zombie with a very large "member" who chokes women to death with it. Um....yeah. I watched this film once a few years ago and hated it but I watched it in Italian without any subs so I gave it another try with subs but they didn't help. Needless to say this is a very disgusting film that really doesn't have anything going for it. The idea is an interesting one but the 110 minute running time really kills this. D'Amato could be a great director but this here wasn't one of his high points. The follow up Erotic Nights of the Living Dead is better.

Porno Holocaust is a film that practically dares viewers to look away, blending the sun-drenched beauty of an isolated tropical island with a grimy, almost surreal atmosphere that never quite lets you settle in comfortably. The setting is undeniably striking; the lush greenery and sparkling coastline offer a sense of escapism that is quickly undercut by the film's relentless and often jarring content. D'Amato, who also handled the cinematography, captures the island with a certain rawness, letting the natural light and unpolished camera work create a sense of voyeurism that fits the film's exploitative nature. Yet, this approach also exposes the production's limitations: scenes often feel repetitive, the camera lingers without purpose, and the editing lacks the tension or rhythm that could have elevated the film beyond its shock value.

The atmosphere is a peculiar mix of sleaze and absurdity. There are moments when the film achieves a kind of bizarre, almost hypnotic mood, especially during sequences where the line between horror and eroticism blurs. However, these moments are fleeting. More often, the film's attempts at suspense or terror fall flat, with the horror elements feeling tacked on rather than integral. The monster, a mutated figure born from nuclear fallout, is more laughable than menacing, and any sense of dread is quickly diluted by the film's frequent and explicit detours into hardcore territory. The soundtrack, while occasionally atmospheric, does little to enhance the mood or build tension.

Acting is not the film's strong suit, and most of the cast seem more invested in the physical demands of their roles than in delivering convincing performances. Mark Shannon, as Captain O'Day, stands out if only for his commitment to the absurdity around him, sporting a mustache and sunglasses that give him a certain retro charm. The female leads, including Dirce Funari and Annj Goren, give spirited if uneven performances, often appearing to enjoy themselves in spite of the material's limitations. Still, dialogue is stilted, character motivations are thin, and any attempts at emotional depth are quickly swept aside in favor of the next explicit set piece. The cast's enthusiasm is occasionally infectious, but it rarely translates into genuine engagement or believability.