Italian Stallion (Arrow) Review

Distributor: Arrow Edition Details: Standard DVD Movie Specs: Genres: Classic, Softcore, Feature Film Also known as: The Party at Kitty and Stud's, Randy, Bocky Run Time: 66 minutes Rated: X Release Year: 1970/1978 Director: Morton M. Lewis (as Morton Lewis) Written by: Morton M. Lewis (as Milton Lewis) Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Henrietta Holm, Jodi Van Prang, Nicholas Warren, Frank Micelli, Barbara Strom, Janet Banzet Voices: Gail Palmer Release Specs: Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Subtitles: none Video: Full Frame, 1.33:1 Video Format: NTSC Format: DVD Regional Code (for DVD/Blu-ray): 0 (All) Number of discs: 1

Had the 1969 shot film The Party at Kitty and Stud's not starred Sylvester Stallone it would probably be sitting forgotten in a vault by now or just be softcore scenes of nameless people on a compilation. However, it did star Sylvester Stallone and after his success with Rocky, someone noticed and pulled out the old film reels. Gail Palmer re-edited the film, dubbed in new dialog, and changed the name from the original The Party at Kitty and Stud's to The Italian Stallion.

The porn film that Sylvester Stallone did has become modern day mythos. There are even people who talk on the internet about having seen the non-existant hardcore edit of the film, which they haven't. The Party at Kitty and Stud's has always been a softcore film. Adult film producer Gail Palmer most likely started the long lived rumor when she wrote an introduction to the film that played theatrically with it when the re-edit was released in 1978 alluding to the fact the film had been hardcore and had been edited down for the theatrical release. The people who talk on the internet about having seen the hardcore edit are referring to a German version of the film titled Bocky, which includes hardcore inserts from Zebedy Colt's 1976 film White Fire.

So, all the rumors and mythology about the film aside, how is The Party at Kitty and Stud's? That is a question that can not be answered. From what I can tell, the only version of the film that has been available since at least 1978, is Gail Palmer's re-edit called The Italian Stallion. It is not clear how many alterations from the original film Gail Palmer did. What is clear is that the entire musical track has been replaced, with one designed to make people think of Rocky. What is also clear is that a voice-over for Kitty has been added by Gail Palmer. Many of her lines from within the film are new as well and dubbed in with the same voice used for the new voice over. When watching, it is rather clear which lines were original and which ones are the newer dubs, as Kitty's voice changes. The references to make the viewer think of Rocky extend to the new dubbed dialog scenes, especially when Kitty says the line, “Someday you'll be known as the Italian stallion.”

There are prints of The Party at Kitty and Stud's from prior to Gail Palmer mucking with the film that still exist (AVN was granted access to one for a piece they did on The Italian Stallion). Maybe one day the original softcore film can get released.

The movie that remains as The Italian Stallion is an incoherent mess. There is no plot of the movie to speak of at all. The basic set-up behind it is that Stud (Sylvester Stallone) throws a party at his and his girlfriend Kitty's (Henrietta Holm) NYC apartment. There seems to have been more, at some point in time, to the film. Morton Lewis shot an awful lot of exterior footage that seems to have no purpose. And there is some sort of mauled sub-plot about Stud seeing naked women where ever he goes. There are scenes of dialog that have been reduced to music and Kitty's new voice over now. While yes, there is some curiosity factor in seeing Sylvester Stallone in a softcore adult film, the film itself is so bad that it is hard to sit through. It would be interesting to know what Morton Lewis' original version was like and if there had been a coherent plot before Gail Palmer got her hands on the film and made all of her alterations.

Arrow has done a horrible job on this release. The film is presented in the full screen aspect ratio and is in horrible shape. The picture has horrible definition, rending some objects into amorphous blobs. The picture is murky and the colors are very muted, especially in some scenes. There is probably dirt and grain but it is not possible to make it out with the picture quality. The film is presented with a Dolby Digital 2.0 monaural track, which is fine for the presentation. Arrow hasn't included any extras on this release. Arrow has only included the 1978 re-edit of the film and not the 1970 version. If this is a film that you need to have, seek out the Cinema Epoch release which has a beautiful picture.

The infamous porn film that Sylvester Stallone starred in makes for great modern mythology and rumors but makes for horrible viewing. The film is an incoherent mess and is almost impossible to sit through. Arrow's presentation of the film is as bad is the film itself.

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