Have you ever wondered about the art that tempted audiences into theaters during Italy’s cinematic golden age? A gorgeous new book, Erotissimo: Italian Movie Posters, brings together the most stunning and provocative artwork from the world of Italian sex cinema for the first time. This limited-edition, 256-page hardcover is a feast for the eyes. I’m Reede Fox, and I’m running my eye over this incredible collection, which captures the sizzling energy of an entire genre through its masterful use of sexy advertising.
Erotissimo: When Movie Posters Were the Real Tease
The posters in Erotissimo weren’t your average film adverts, they were full-blown flirts. These weren’t just selling cinema; they were selling a fantasy. In one glance, they had to catch your eye, stir your imagination, and make you want more… all without giving the game away. They were the original tease, a kind of paper foreplay for the moviegoer.These designs mapped the entire sexual revolution. Each one reflected the fantasies, desires, and taboos of its time, proof that a good poster could make hearts race faster than the film itself.
A Nod to the Film That Started It All
The book takes its name from the 1969 French-Italian film Erotissimo, which nailed (pun intended) the mood of a changing era. The erotic story follows Annie – a frustrated housewife whose husband’s more interested in business meetings than her new lingerie. Surrounded by sexy adverts, gossiping girlfriends, and the pressures of being desirable, she decides to take matters into her own perfectly manicured hands.
It’s a witty, saucy snapshot of how society was wrestling with the new rules of love, lust, and liberation – themes that the posters themselves captured in every painted curve and come-hither glance.
The Italian Masters of Seduction
Italian poster artists like Enzo Sciotti, Renato Casaro, and Mario De Berardinis were basically magicians – if magicians painted bombshells instead of pulling rabbits out of hats. They could capture an entire film’s drama, sensuality, and humour in a single image.
And let’s be honest: these guys didn’t just draw women; they worshipped them. From shy ingénues to fiery vixens, every stroke of the brush told a story. They translated pure fantasy onto paper – sometimes cheeky, sometimes tender, but always impossibly sexy.
And in true Italian style, many of them didn’t even sign their work. When your art speaks that loudly, a signature feels unnecessary.
Sex, Cinema, and Cultural Shifts
These posters were visual proof that Europe was getting a lot more comfortable with sex. As erotic cinema boomed, the posters grew bolder, pushing boundaries while staying just this side of scandalous. The Erotissimo film captured that same tension. Annie’s hilarious attempts to win back her husband. posing like magazine pin-ups, buying racier clothes – mirrored the wider confusion of the time. Everyone wanted to be liberated, but no one quite knew what that meant.
In other words, Erotissimo and its posters were both cheeky mirrors reflecting society’s sexual awakening, commercialism, and midlife crises, all wrapped in gorgeous, glossy color.
Reede Fox’s Take: A Love Letter to Vintage Lust
As a long-time fan of sexy retro aesthetics, I can tell you this: Erotissimo the book is pure eye candy. It’s a stunning, oversized hardback filled with over 250 beautifully restored posters – the kind you’d want to frame and hang above your bed (or at least your home cinema). Each one celebrates women: mysterious, mischievous, and magnetic. It’s classy, sexy, and a little nostalgic — a reminder that seduction doesn’t always need to be explicit to be powerful.
Standout Posters That Still Sizzle
Some of the posters in Erotissimo are so rare, collectors would sell their souls (or at least their vinyl) to get hold of them. The ones for the Erotissimo film itself are especially iconic – playful, witty, and effortlessly erotic. Annie Girardot’s face alone tells you everything: temptation, curiosity, and just a hint of chaos. These posters were designed to be irresistible, and decades later, they still are.
Why Italian Erotic Posters Hit Different
Italian artists turned censorship into an art form. They couldn’t show everything, so they hinted – and somehow, that made it hotter. Every curve, every colour, every shadow suggested a story.
While Hollywood was still being coy, Italy leaned in – stylish, unapologetic, and just a little dangerous. That’s what makes these posters timeless. They weren’t just about selling a film; they were about selling a fantasy that still feels alive today.
So, whether you’re into art, history, or just really well-dressed desire, Erotissimo is more than a coffee table book – it’s a time capsule of cinematic seduction.
And if that’s got you in the mood for something a little more live, well… you know where to click:
Because some things are timeless, and a good tease never goes out of style. Reede Fox