Emanuelle Among the Headshrinkers: Trash or Treasure?

Okay, so I finally bit the bullet and watched "Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals." I know, I know, it's got that reputation, and yeah, it mostly lives up to it. It's definitely not Citizen Kane, but you guys know I always try to find something redeemable. The plot, if you can call it that, is basically Emanuelle (because, you know, why not?) goes looking for cannibals in the Amazon. Think of it as 'Apocalypse Now' but with way more boobs and questionable ethical choices. Seriously, the 'documentary' feel they're going for clashes HARD with the exploitation elements. It's... jarring. There's this one scene where they stumble upon a tribe doing... stuff. Let's just say it involves ritualistic practices I'd rather not describe in detail, and the camera lingers a little too long for my taste. It's exploitative, no doubt. But…and this is a big but…there’s also something weirdly compelling about the location shooting. The Amazon looks genuinely terrifying and beautiful. And the soundtrack, while cheesy synth, has this hypnotic quality that kinda sucks you in. It's like a fever dream. Makes me think of when I first saw 'Cannibal Holocaust' way back when, just a completely different and more amateurish vibe. Don't get me wrong, it's trash. Glorious, sleazy trash. But if you're into exploitation cinema and have a strong stomach (and maybe a sense of irony), it's...an experience. Just don't go expecting anything resembling high art, capische? I mostly watched it because I remembered the VHS box art from when I was a kid in the video store... definitely lived up to its lurid promise in that department, at least. So, is it good? No. Is it interesting? Kinda. Would I recommend it? Only to people who already know what they're getting into, and even then, with a HUGE caveat. Think of it as a cinematic train wreck. You know you shouldn't look, but you can't help yourself. And seriously, who even directed this thing? Apparently, it's 'Joe D'Amato' but that looks like a pseudonym more than a real name!