LOVE CAMP (1981) ****

Love Camp is one of Laura Gemser’s best movies, which is really saying something.  Although she looks breathtaking as usual, much of the credit has to go to Christian Anders, who was a one-man wrecking crew on this flick.   He stars, wrote, produced, directed, performed the music, and even sings the theme song, “Love, Love, Love”.  As far as theme songs from Laura Gemser films go, it’s no “Run, Cheetah, Run”, but it’s a decent little toe-tapper.  There are also two other numbers that have to be seen to be believed.  I guess what I’m getting at here is, this is the best rock n’ roll Kung Fu sex cult fake Emanuelle musical of all time.

Anders plays Dorian, who recruits new members for his love cult by singing “Love, Love, Love” on a beach, putting leis around young girls’ necks, and kissing them on the cheek.  Patricia (Simone Brahmann) is a Senator’s daughter who quickly falls under Dorian’s spell.  Dorian’s goddess is “The Divine One” (the one and only Laura Gemser) who wants to bring Patricia into the fold and steal all her money so she can set up a new, expanded sex cult.  

You see, the place is in financial straits, and in order to fund their operations, Dorian keeps a few girls in a makeshift bordello where customers give “donations” to the cult in exchange for sex.  Meanwhile, inside the walls of the camp, cult members play Ring Around the Rosie naked, paint nude figure models, hold rock concerts, and even practice karate!  Gemser’s real-life husband Gabrielle Tinti is the police inspector working undercover as a cult member who’s trying to bust Gemser and shut the place down.

We all know Gemser is one of the screen’s greatest sex goddesses, but in Love Camp she actually gets to play one.  I especially loved the scene when a couple announces they're monogamous, and the irate Gemser has them whipped!  Later on, when she feels she has failed her God, she even whips herself!  That’s dedication!  Another thing that makes her an ideal goddess is that whenever one of her followers wants to make love to her, she readily plops down and lets them go to town!  Man, give me some of that old-time religion!  That’s not even mentioning the great final scene when she literally goes out with a bang!

Even if Love Camp was nothing more than wall-to-wall fucking and non-stop scenes of Gemser getting naked (which is exactly what it is), it would still be enormously entertaining.  The thing that elevates the film into the ranks of the greatest fake Emanuelle movies of all time is the kitchen sink approach.  The inclusion of the then ripped-from-the-headlines Jim Jones plotline is just macabre enough to give the picture an extra dimension of sleaze.  Then, there are the full-on rock n’ roll numbers that are equal parts patented ridiculousness and flat-out awesomeness.  I guarantee your jaw will drop more than a few times while watching this one.

What I’m getting at is, this is yet another gem from Gemser.  Any Gemser fan worth their salt will want to check it out immediately.  If you’ve never heard of Gemser or seen a fake Emanuelle movie, I highly recommend Love Camp.  It just might change your religion.

AKA:  Divine Emanuelle.  AKA:  Love Cult.  AKA:  Divine Emanuelle:  Love Cult.  AKA:  Death Goddess of the Love Camp.