Berlin, 1939: the high class brothel (the word ''Salon'' was deliberately chosen to bring up to mind the simultaneous scandal-success of ''Salò'') of madam Kitty (Thulin: of Swedish origin, same as Bergman) is exploited by the Nazis as an operation center, where the peripatetics are replaced by real Nationalsocialist (Nazi) girls, despite their inexperience in sexual matters. Soon, however, their faith in to the party fades away, while their commitment to new job grows, and love blossoms amid utter perversion. Brass co-screenplays with Ennio De Concini and Maria Pia Fusco a true story, and he brings up a very thorough look-porn movie (actress Senatore is "committed" to a living bare nano-human torso) with which he satirizes Hitler and his followers and, cunningly amused and ironic, celebrates sex as liberating and vital, not yet reduced to sex-caricature as in his future movies, though the style here anticipates them (i.e., use of mirrors and women bidet in particular). With the kitsch and melancholy of Visconti (favorite actor Berger and the orgy scene of the CADUTA DEGLI DEI/The Damned), much influenced by the scandals of that time (IL PORTIERE DI NOTTE/The Night Porter, Pasolini) and by risquè old glories (Dietrich of L'ANGELO AZZURRO/The Blue Angel), SALON KITTY had the demerit of opening the trend of Italian nazi erotic films. A quite high level production (no less than Ken Adam décor, music by Fiorenzo Carpi conducted by Bruno Nicolai, editing by the same Brass, production management of Carla Cipriani, the opulent and a descendant of a noble Venetian family and former inseparable wife and manager of our –Italian- Tinto). Small part for Salvatore Baccaro, already "beast in heat" before the movie of the same name. The Ann Savoy, a beautiful English, is incredibly similar to the current model Laetitia Casta, but far more generous in doing shows of her charms. The homosexual Berger, former Visconti's pupil-lover, plays the part of a perverted and impotent nazi hierarch and he has no problem performing nude-look. by Roberto Donati (english edit by Intermezzo Media) |
