Smart approach to it's subject, while being exploitative and downright sleazy, this one features six different stories, involving young girls, 13 up, lured into the sex trade. The first scene with a granny and a girl, who hitch a ride with a milkman, is a shocking start. The teen strips, where we almost of all of her, exposed. The milkman, accepting this sexual offer (sleaze) feels awkward doing it here, so he goes for the next best thing. This movie does open your eyes to the business, and goes about the subject realistically, where research had been done for the film. We see how these girls are used, degraded, cut. The sex here is just an added treat. Shocking elements to this film, involve a family who are part organizers of a racket. One girl invites her male and female pimp over to her families's house, to let em' talk it out, while she sits back, headphones on, as she listens to some music, going off into her own world. The attitudes towards the girl from her pimps are shocking, the female saying to the male while they watch the girl at work in a one way mirror, "She's nothing but a born whore." This sicko client (and there's many others featured in this movie) is playing student, and she's playing teacher. I'm not even gonna tell what one does with a small butter roll. We even go back to the first girl and the granny, hitching another ride, the teen girl again flashing her titties. Adult fans of exploitation cinema will love this one, while in hind side, it stands up as not a bad quality movie, where some pieces of s..t pimps buy it good at the end. The music from Ennio Morricone is great.
7 Reviews
Grubby, sordid, and exploitative--but also an honest treatment of its subject
lazarillo23 November 2009
I don't know if teenage prostitution was really that big of problem in Italy and Europe in the 1970's, but they sure made a lot of movies about it. Teen call girls rings were an important subplot in a lot of Italian gialli and police thrillers like "What Have They Done to Your Daughters?", "The Maniac Responsible", and "Suspected Death of a Minor". The subject was also occasionally treated in a more light-hearted and titillating fashion in the notorious German "schulmadchen-report" films. This movie,however, is more of a straightforward neo-realist/sleaze melodrama. It's not as well made as your average giallo or a police thriller, and it's not nearly as titillating (or as fun) as a "schulmachen-report" film. It should receive some kudos though for treating subject matter that is grubby, sordid, and depressing in real life in a manner that really is grubby, sordid, and depressing. Not to say that there isn't some attempt at exploitation and titillation--this is an Italian movie after all.
This movie is made up of a series of interwoven stories. A "mother" hitchhikes with her underage "daughter" and offers truckers and cabbies the girl's sexual services while the latter flashes her wares. In the longest and most touching story,a naive sixteen-year-old orphan comes to Milan to work in her cousin's sweatshop and is seduced into prostitution by a smooth-talking pimp who promises to marry her. In another, more preposterous story another teen is actually a virgin from a respectable family, but after she is tricked into taking off her clothes and photographed at a swinging party, she is blackmailed into becoming a pro, "pleasing" her male clients in ways that don't technically compromise her virginity (only the Italians would come up with something like this). Another girl takes up prostitution to rebel against her father, who she finds out is himself patronizing teen hookers her age. Another girl is a man-hating lesbian--this story is either about how Italian society's prejudice toward women and gays results in alienation and negative lifestyle choices, or it is just a sorry excuse for some hot teenage lesbian action--I'm not exactly sure. There's a very sad ending though.
But, for better and worse, this is NOT a very erotic movie. It certainly doesn't glamorize teen prostitutes or their brutal pimps and perverted clients. There's plenty of nudity, and even some hardcore inserts, but the good thing about Italian sleaze (unlike say French "art films") is that the real actresses were always over eighteen at least. Still, these particular actresses definitely LOOK pretty young (especially compared to voluptuous Italian beauties like Gloria Guida who unconvincingly played "underage" streetwalkers in the comedies like "Blue Jeans"),and this really adds to the aura of sleaze. Nevertheless, I think this movie is far more likely to evoke depression or disgust than anything else. It is definitely too exploitative and graphic to ever make it as a primetime TV movie-of-the-week and it's not exactly fun to watch, but it is an honest treatment of its subject matter.
This movie is made up of a series of interwoven stories. A "mother" hitchhikes with her underage "daughter" and offers truckers and cabbies the girl's sexual services while the latter flashes her wares. In the longest and most touching story,a naive sixteen-year-old orphan comes to Milan to work in her cousin's sweatshop and is seduced into prostitution by a smooth-talking pimp who promises to marry her. In another, more preposterous story another teen is actually a virgin from a respectable family, but after she is tricked into taking off her clothes and photographed at a swinging party, she is blackmailed into becoming a pro, "pleasing" her male clients in ways that don't technically compromise her virginity (only the Italians would come up with something like this). Another girl takes up prostitution to rebel against her father, who she finds out is himself patronizing teen hookers her age. Another girl is a man-hating lesbian--this story is either about how Italian society's prejudice toward women and gays results in alienation and negative lifestyle choices, or it is just a sorry excuse for some hot teenage lesbian action--I'm not exactly sure. There's a very sad ending though.
But, for better and worse, this is NOT a very erotic movie. It certainly doesn't glamorize teen prostitutes or their brutal pimps and perverted clients. There's plenty of nudity, and even some hardcore inserts, but the good thing about Italian sleaze (unlike say French "art films") is that the real actresses were always over eighteen at least. Still, these particular actresses definitely LOOK pretty young (especially compared to voluptuous Italian beauties like Gloria Guida who unconvincingly played "underage" streetwalkers in the comedies like "Blue Jeans"),and this really adds to the aura of sleaze. Nevertheless, I think this movie is far more likely to evoke depression or disgust than anything else. It is definitely too exploitative and graphic to ever make it as a primetime TV movie-of-the-week and it's not exactly fun to watch, but it is an honest treatment of its subject matter.
Grim and gritty slice-of-life drama
Leofwine_draca15 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
THE TEENAGE PROSTITUTION RACKET is a grim and gritty slice-of-life exploitation drama from Italy. The subject of the film can be well guessed by the title: it mixes together different sub-plots involving young teenage girls who end up becoming prostitutes due to problems in their lives. Inevitably, a lot of the time is spent on distasteful bedroom sequences, and the director doesn't shy away from showing his young-looking actresses in the nude, so it's all pretty disturbing. The film lacks the pace and involvement of one of the similar Italian crime thrillers of the era, and the lack of a central storyline hurts it. Things only really pick up at the violent climax.
L'inferno a Milano
andrabem27 July 2008
After reading some of the comments you may think that "Storie di vita e malavita" (The teenage prostitution racket) is just another of these sexploitation films with some social comments thrown in, just to make it look good. I don't think so.
"Storie di vita e malavita" tells the stories of teenage girls attracted into prostitution. Once inside, they can't leave. If they try to run away, this can lead to beating, mutilation and even death... And the film has a documentary feel - It was shot around 1975 in Milan and many different stories are told. We see the stories from the girls' point of view. We see them from the beginning - coming from poor backgrounds, or middle-class ones, or arriving in Milan and looking for a job. Poverty, ignorance, a repressive education and even hunger may lead them to the "teenage prostitution racket". But there's no organized "teenage prostitution racket" - different gangs and groups exploit this type of business - some very violent, others less so.
The film doesn't slip into moralizing and finger-wagging (like a Hollywood movie would certainly do) and avoids the cold and "objective" look that a very politically-correct film would offer. "Storie di vita e malavita" is a passionate film, but it's not melodramatic, it doesn't pass any judgement, and while it titillates the viewer, it may also make him feel very angry about the situation described!
"Storie di vita e malavita" is ruthlessly realistic and engrossing, the characters feel real and have emotional depth - it is an example of how a controverted subject should be tackled.
"Storie di vita e malavita" tells the stories of teenage girls attracted into prostitution. Once inside, they can't leave. If they try to run away, this can lead to beating, mutilation and even death... And the film has a documentary feel - It was shot around 1975 in Milan and many different stories are told. We see the stories from the girls' point of view. We see them from the beginning - coming from poor backgrounds, or middle-class ones, or arriving in Milan and looking for a job. Poverty, ignorance, a repressive education and even hunger may lead them to the "teenage prostitution racket". But there's no organized "teenage prostitution racket" - different gangs and groups exploit this type of business - some very violent, others less so.
The film doesn't slip into moralizing and finger-wagging (like a Hollywood movie would certainly do) and avoids the cold and "objective" look that a very politically-correct film would offer. "Storie di vita e malavita" is a passionate film, but it's not melodramatic, it doesn't pass any judgement, and while it titillates the viewer, it may also make him feel very angry about the situation described!
"Storie di vita e malavita" is ruthlessly realistic and engrossing, the characters feel real and have emotional depth - it is an example of how a controverted subject should be tackled.
Review, Plot summary, and comments on Teenage Prostitution Racket
lordfaramir8212 March 2001
This movie is very rare and so this review is based on a multi-generation bootleg copy which I obtained from a site that deals in rare horror/sleaze films. When watching this I wasnt fully awake so I dont remember the all character names or the story after the first 30 minutes or so. any vague discriptions or fuzzyness on the story are not due to bad film making but from my lack of devoting the attention this film deserves. Velvet busts a girls cherry and she falls for him. Velvet proposes then BSes her and says he has to go home for 3 months because his father is sick and poor and stuff. He then hints that he wouldnt have to leave if she would do something but he kinda brushes it off like she wouldnt want to. She asks what and he says she could whore herself, but not so straight forward. Well she decided to and she gets stuck in the world of prostitution. About here I lost track of the characters names and most of the story because of my sleepiness but still found the movie quite entertaining. There are many whores through out the movie who age from 13-18 or so and I swear that the actresses couldnt be a day over 19, theres even one girl who still hasnt grown much pit hair. I wouldnt be suprised if some were underage. Well the first half of the movie has a fair amout of tits and bush but the second half has some hardcore scenes. A bj and penetration shots. Theres also lesbian strap on, we dont see actual penetration but it sure as hell isnt simulated. Theres also a lesbian rug munching scene but you cant see much due to all the hair. Keep in mind this is a 70's italian movie. All the girls are au natural. No shaving or even trimming. That goes for poon as well as pits. As for the video quality i would say its between good and fair. Its slightly fuzzy with a little crackling in the audio. There are 3 or so parts where the whole screen gets scrambled but it doesnt last to long so you dont miss anything important to the story. There is also apparently a scene which is cut short but what can you expect for such a rare film. That also does not interupt the story. It is Italian dubbed to English with greek, russian, or some balkans language subtitles that are in some parts way out of sync. I dont know which language the subtitles are but they look somewhat like what i listed. The dubbing decent, not like The Beyond is but it doesnt sound monotone like some shmucks reading a script. The voice pitches to change and you can tell emotion. I recommend this movie to anyone who likes 60s or 70s softcore porn and sleaze/sexploitation fans and anyone who likes their girls YOUNG. Being quite young myself and having more than my fair share of girls back in highschool, I can assure you these girls are truly young and not just wearing lots of makeup. If your looking for porno this isnt it. While there are a few hardcore scenes they dont make up the bulk of the movie. Ratings on a 1-10 scale 1 being impossible to understand or see and 10 being flawless Acting, Story, Fluidity: 8 Audio quality: 4 Video quality: 4 T&A: 7
PURE VINTAGE EXPLOITATION CINEMA!
doctorhumpp9 October 2002
Wall-to-wall sleaze mixed with halfassed social comments!
Barely legal/under age teen girls are lured into turning tricks by slimy pimps and smutty dykes in the most bizarre and hilarious ways. Some rich girl wants to rebel and goes to a party ("They play real cool music!") and then somebody shouts; "Party game! When I turn off the lights every girl must stripped naked!" and then lights are turned on again and suddenly men grabs the naked girls they want, and our rich girl is suddenly included in the infamous TEENAGE PROSTITUTION RACKET! A classick of Italian sexploitation cinema!
With an Ennio Morricone soundtrack!?!
Barely legal/under age teen girls are lured into turning tricks by slimy pimps and smutty dykes in the most bizarre and hilarious ways. Some rich girl wants to rebel and goes to a party ("They play real cool music!") and then somebody shouts; "Party game! When I turn off the lights every girl must stripped naked!" and then lights are turned on again and suddenly men grabs the naked girls they want, and our rich girl is suddenly included in the infamous TEENAGE PROSTITUTION RACKET! A classick of Italian sexploitation cinema!
With an Ennio Morricone soundtrack!?!
A stark and hard-hitting look at the world's oldest profession, Italian style
Woodyanders20 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Assorted adolescent girls from various different social backgrounds find themselves caught up in the prostitution racket in Milan, Italy. From the mother who pimps out her own underage daughter to the one poor gal who runs away from home after being impregnated by her father, the stories told herein are quite poignant and powerful.
Director/co-writer Carlo Lizzoni not only adroitly crafts and sustains an unflinchingly grim, grimy, and gritty tone, but also grounds the seedy episodic narrative in a plausibly seamy workaday world. Moreover, Lizzoni and co-writer Mino Giorda deserve extra praise for addressing the complex and ugly reality of the problem head on and obstinately refusing to tie anything up all nice and neat in a bow. The actresses who play the naïve, vulnerable, and often victimized girls are heartbreakingly convincing in their roles. Lamberto Caimi's no-frills cinematography adds a strong sense of documentary-like verisimilitude. Ennio Morricone's spare moody score likewise does the trick. A very tough and potent cinematic kick to the gut.
Director/co-writer Carlo Lizzoni not only adroitly crafts and sustains an unflinchingly grim, grimy, and gritty tone, but also grounds the seedy episodic narrative in a plausibly seamy workaday world. Moreover, Lizzoni and co-writer Mino Giorda deserve extra praise for addressing the complex and ugly reality of the problem head on and obstinately refusing to tie anything up all nice and neat in a bow. The actresses who play the naïve, vulnerable, and often victimized girls are heartbreakingly convincing in their roles. Lamberto Caimi's no-frills cinematography adds a strong sense of documentary-like verisimilitude. Ennio Morricone's spare moody score likewise does the trick. A very tough and potent cinematic kick to the gut.
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