If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Liberated and uninhibited photojournalist Emanuelle (the ever-delicious Laura Gemser in peak yummy form) once again finds herself in considerable peril and enjoys her usual array of torrid carnal encounters while posing undercover in a prostitution ring that traffics in white slavery. Director Joe D'Amato, who also co-wrote the cheerfully raunchy script with Romano Scandariato, relates the eventful story at a brisk pace, maintains a blithely sleazy tone throughout, and captures the merry spirit of the 70's sexual revolution in the carefree pre-AIDS era of safe sex with total strangers. Naturally, D'Amato not only loads this picture with oodles of scrumptious bare female skin and sizzling soft-core couplings, but also covers the satisfying sensuous bases by including a wide variety bawdy pleasures that include straight copulation, lesbianism, masturbation, an especially hot'n'steamy threesome, and even a couple of (off-screen) gang bangs for good sordid measure. The sturdy cast of familiar solid pro Italian exploitation faces keeps the movie humming: The luscious Ely Galleani as Emanuelle's lusty'n'loyal gal pal Susan Towers, Gabriele Tinti as slimy flesh-peddler Francis Harley, Venantino Venantina as secretive businessman Giorgio Rivetti, and Pierre Marfurt as the dashing Prince Arausani. Special kudos are in order for Nicola D'Eramo as creepy transvestite Stefan, whose unexpected kung-fu fight set piece in a bowling alley provides a definite wacky highlight. The exotic globe-trotting locations add an impressive sense of scope. D'Amato's glossy cinematography makes neat and invigorating use of a constantly moving camera. Nico Fidenco's funky-throbbing score hits the get-down groovy spot (the catchy thumping disco theme song "Run, Cheetah, Run" is a real hoot!). An immensely fun drive-in flick.

The Black Emanuelle series has some gems; but overall it's very hit and miss, and unfortunately Emanuelle and the White Slave Trade is one of the misses. The plot once against focuses on Emanuelle as she heads out to get an interview with some Italian criminal; but by chance actually happens upon someone that is into the white slave trade, and decides to investigate that instead. The film is directed by Joe D'Amato so as you would expect, there's plenty of sleaze and sex scenes; but actually this entry is somewhat more tame than some of the other Emanuelle flicks. The film actually appears to be going for a more softcore erotic feel; and although to be honest I generally prefer that to the hardcore style that most of these films feature; there's not enough in this film to really hold it together and the result is, unfortunately, rather boring. There are a few standout scenes, however; one that sees Emanuelle and another woman in the shower is worth mentioning, but you can get all this stuff in other, better, films. As always, the film stars the lovely Laura Gemser and once again she's very nice to look at and is definitely the best thing about the film. Overall, however, this is a rather dull entry in the series and thus is not recommended to anyone except hardcore Emanuelle fans!

Emanuelle and the White Slave Trade (1978) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Reporter Emanuelle (Laura Gemser) is doing a story on the white slave trade and tracks everything to a gangster living in Africa. Not happy stopping there, Emanuelle comes back to America and begins working undercover. This is probably the best of the D'Amato/Gemser Emanuelle movies but that's not saying too much. Unlike the other films in the series this one here at least manages to be entertaining without having to have a woman jerk off a horse as was seen in Emanuelle in America. This film here has a pretty interesting story and it moves along without too many boring spots. Needless to say there's a lot of sex scenes with Gemser taking on various men and women and these here are without a doubt the best scenes. D'Amato makes most of these very erotic, which is another thing missing from others in the series. I wouldn't say Gemser gives a good performance but she is comfortable in the role and you can't complain about seeing her naked throughout the film. The scenes in Africa are well shot and it's nice seeing some of the wildlife. Some of the American scenes were lifted from Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals but this just adds to some of the cheap fun. Original title: Via della prostituzione, La.

This is a quite enjoyable little flick, though not as ingenious as Emanuelle and the last Cannibals. Unfortunately, it does not offer the same levels of gore and violence but somewhat compensates this shortcoming by excessive amounts of soft-core and an even more terrific sound-track by the same composer. The "safari"-scenes and the fight in the bowling-alley are unforgettable. Recommended to all fans of 70's sleaze but perhaps not to the general audience.