Paprika

Italian filmmaker Tinto Brass's name has become synonymous with bawdy cinematic sex since the mid-1970s, when he leapt from the avant-garde to borderline hardcore with Salon Kitty and actual hardcore with the big-budget Caligula. Subsequent years saw Brass become a full-fledged skin auteur, albeit one with style. Paprika, a 1991 adaptation of John Cleland's 1748 erotic novel Fanny Hill, shifts the original story from 18th-century England to post-WWII Italy, following a young woman (Debora Caprioglio) whose temporary job working as a prostitute unexpectedly becomes a lifelong profession. Given the name “Paprika” by the madam at her first brothel, she learns the ways of the trade while travelling from brothel to bordello across the country and, eventually, the world. Paprika is a bombastic sex comedy, over-the-top and cartoonish, as are the film's characters—who are loud, garish, and proud of their sexuality (with the Italian filmmaker's penchant for prosthetic penises). Brass wraps the soft-focus action in colorful, exquisitely framed shot sequences and set-pieces (imagine Federico Fellini directing porn), but underneath the sexy spectacle lies a harsh social critique. Paprika sees firsthand the degradation, misogyny, violence, and misfortune that accompanies her profession, directly from pimps and johns, and indirectly from the church and government. It's a dangerous life, but Paprika manages to rise above the fray to harness and use her talents to her advantage, giving the film an oddly affirming message. Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a lobby card video gallery. Recommended for collections with classic erotica. (P. Morehart)