Frivolous Lola (4K UHD Review)

Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
Review Date: Sep 20, 2024
Format: 4K Ultra HD

Director

Tinto Brass

Release Date(s)

1998 (May 7, 2024)

Studio(s)

Cardinal Pictures/CRC/Production Group/PFC 2000/California Film (Cult Epics)

Film/Program Grade: N/A
Video Grade: A
Audio Grade: A+
Extras Grade: A-

Review

One of the last films in Tinto Brass’ so-called “golden” era was 1998’s Monella, known primarily as Frivolous Lola today. The 1990s had proven very fruitful for the director, with his classic line up of titles including Paprika, All Ladies Do It, P.O. Box Tinto Brass, and Frivolous Lola, released in 1991, 1992, 1995, and 1998 respectively. Today these films further illustrate that he continues to reign as one of the all-time masters of Italian erotic comedies, a title that few would qualify for, but that he’s nonetheless deserving of.

In Frivolous Lola, Tinto Brass explores the idea of a free spirit, Lola (Anna Ammirati), a sort of chaotic whirlwind of young sexual desire, and her willingness to forgo conventional norms for her own sake. In other words, she’s not particularly in a rush to get married and settle down, which is what everybody around her is expecting. She’s unsure of what direction she wants her life to take, but she’s filled with curiosity and desire for the things around her, including her pseudo-boyfriend Masetto (Max Parodi). She’s also intrigued by her stepfather André (Patrick Mower), who may or may not be her actual father, which only her mother Zaira (Serena Grandi) seems to know for sure, but continues to keep it secret. This creates confusion between Lola and André, as Lola, still a virgin, is conflicted internally with whom she wishes to give herself over to.

If it isn’t already apparent, Lola is a complicated character and finds herself in, or creates for herself, complicated situations, all from an innocent young person’s point of view. She’s very free with her body, much to the shock of the women in her village, but always at the admiration of the men. Her personality is made up of aspects of Tinto Brass’ niece Lulu, and certain autobiographical facets of co-writer Barbara Alberti as a teenager. As usual, the film is filled to the brim with nudity as Lola walks an open path with her body. Bare bottoms, Tinto Brass’ trademark, are on full display, along with everything else. The comedy comes from the situations at hand and how over the top they can be, but always with real-life truths to support it. Eroticism, from the spoken to the unspoken, is all there. It’s a very sexy film, not just because of the nudity, but because of the humor and the sweetness of its characters and how things eventually play out.

Many accused Tinto Brass during this era of being nothing more than a perverted exploiter of women. One might argue that many of those people failed to grasp that, if you pay attention to the finer aspects of his films, that he loves and respects women of all ages. He allows them to speak their minds and doesn’t treat them as mere objects. The intensity of their hyper-charged personalities and sexualities feels organic to who they are as characters. Lola dominates everywhere she goes and nobody takes charge of her. Everybody’s looking at her as she lights up the room when she walks in, but nobody stands above her. She’s in charge, but in an open and affable way. In truth, this intense unconventionality in Brass’s films, which are meant to titillate and amuse, is difficult for some to take in. Frivolous Lola is many things, but standardized exploitation is not one of them.

Frivolous Lola was shot by cinematographer Massimo Di Venanzo on 35mm film, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Cult Epics brings the film to Ultra HD for the first time in its “Uncut and Uncensored Director’s Cut” from a 4K restoration of the original camera negative, graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10, and presented on a triple-layered BD-100 disc. It’s yet another highly organic presentation with outstanding clarity and bitrates that sit mostly between 80 to 100Mbps, usually hovering around the uppermost registers. Medium refined grain is present with only mild speckling and stray thin scratches here and there, obviously cleaned up during the restoration. One minor bit of damage is visible during an early scene, but it’s so brief, lasting no more than a single frame, that many might miss it. It also features gorgeous color, fully enriched by the HDR grade, with excellent contrast and deep blacks. It’s a beautiful presentation from end to end.

Audio is included on four tracks: English and Italian 2.0 stereo and 5.1 in DTS-HD Master Audio, with optional subtitles in English SDH. The film was released in Dolby SR, which both tracks take full advantage of. The performances on the English tracks are very poor, so sticking with the Italian options is the preferable way to view the film. The Italian tracks are also mixed a bit wider than the English track, but both offer good surround support for Pino Donaggio’s score and the wonderful music selection, including tracks from Glenn Miller, Gene Vincent, and the catchy opening and closing song Mona Monella, sung by none other than Anna Ammirati herself.

Frivolous Lola on 4K Ultra HD sits in a black Amaray case alongside a 1080p Blu-ray containing the film and additional extras. Also included are four lobby card reproductions and a 20-page booklet containing the essay A Committed Brat: The Career of Anna Ammirati by Eugenio Ercolani and Domenico Monetti. The double-sided insert features the Italian home video poster artwork with the title Frivolous Lola on the front, and the original Italian theatrical artwork with the title Monella on the rear. Everything is housed in a slipcover featuring the German theatrical poster artwork for the film. The following extras are included on each disc:

DISC ONE (UHD)

Audio Commentary with Eugenio Ercolani and Nathaniel Thompson
Tinto Brass Trailers:
- Frivolous Lola (Monella) Italian Trailer (UHD – 2:17)
- All Ladies Do It English Trailer (UHD – 3:21)

DISC TWO (BD)

Audio Commentary with Eugenio Ercolani and Nathaniel Thompson
Interview with Tinto Brass (2004) (Upscaled SD – 25:51)
Still Photo Gallery (HD – 20 in all – 1:40)
Tinto Brass Trailers:
- Frivolous Lola (Monella) Italian Trailer (HD – 2:17)
- All Ladies Do It English Trailer (HD – 3:21)
- Paprika Italian Trailer (HD – 1:11)
- P.O. Box Tinto Brass Italian Trailer (HD – 1:05)
- Istintobrass Italian Trailer (HD – 4:13)

In the new audio commentary with filmmaker and documentarian Eugenio Ercolani and film historian Nathaniel Thompson, they discuss Tinto Brass’ career up to this point and compare the film to other films of this period and how difficult it was for many years to see it uncut, while also highlighting many of its key players, and its use of comedy and eroticism. Next is a 2004 interview with Tinto Brass, covering various topics, including the film’s title, dealing with its distribution, working with writer Barbara Alberti, basing the character of Lola on aspects of his niece, discovering and testing Anna Ammirati, the look of his films, creating and cutting to music, his varyious influences, feministic attacks on him and his work, the idea of seeking repentance, his critics, the struggle of getting his films to be shown theatrically in Europe, the ambiguity of the ending, his own marriage, and the origins and meanings of his last name. The Still Photo Gallery contains 20 behind-the-scenes and promotional images. Last is a set of trailers for other Tinto Brass films, including this one. All of these bonus materials are worth your time, but it’s a shame that Anna Ammirati could not have participated in them somehow.

Like all Tinto Brass films, one’s reception to Frivolous Lola will certainly depend upon their own open-mindedness. It’s not something you put on for simple, light entertainment value, and one’s initial reaction to something that mixes constant nudity and sex with humor and underlying messages may not be to everyone’s taste. It’s challenging cinema, but if that sounds like your cup of tea, Frivolous Lola on 4K UHD is certainly the way to go with a gorgeous presentation and an informative set of bonus materials.

- Tim Salmons

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