Emmanuelle (1974 film)

Emmanuelle
Theatrical release poster (French)
Directed byJust Jaeckin
Screenplay byJean-Louis Richard[1]
Based onEmmanuelle
1967 novel
by Emmanuelle Arsan
Produced byYves Rousset-Rouard
Starring
CinematographyRichard Suzuki[2][3]
Robert Fraisse[4]
Edited byClaudine Bouché[4]
Music byPierre Bachelet
Production
companies
  • Trinacra Films[3]
  • Orphée Productions[1]
Distributed byParafrance Films
Release date
  • 26 June 1974 (1974-06-26) (Paris)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench
Box office8.9 million admissions (France)
$20.2 million (overseas)

Emmanuelle is a 1974 French erotic[2] drama film directed by Just Jaeckin.[5] It is the first installment in a series of French softcore pornography films based on the novel Emmanuelle by Emmanuelle Arsan. It stars Sylvia Kristel in the title role about a woman who takes a trip to Bangkok to enhance her sexual experience.

The film was former photographer Jaeckin's debut feature film and was shot on location in Thailand and in France between 1973 and 1974. It was received negatively by critics on its initial release and with a more mixed reception years later. On its initial release in France, it was one of the highest-grossing French films,[6] making it the first X-rated film released by the company. The film was popular in Europe, the United States, and Asia.

Emmanuelle spawned a film series with multiples sequels, including six theatrical films and seven made-for-television films, with Kristel reprising her role in eleven entries of the original series. It was followed by a sequel titled Emmanuelle 2 (1975), while a reboot of the series is scheduled to be released in 2024 in France.

The film was also the inspiration for several unrelated films and series, including the Italian series Black Emanuelle, or the American series Emmanuelle in Space, as well as many unofficial productions using the Emmanuelle name.

  1. ^ a b "Credits". BFI Film & Television Database. London: British Film Institute. Archived from the original on November 16, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Emmanuelle". tcm.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-25. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
  3. ^ a b "Emmanuelle (1974)". Archived from the original on April 8, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference bifi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Shanahan, Ed (25 September 2022). "Just Jaeckin, Whose 'Emmanuelle' Was a Scandalous Success, Dies at 82 - His first film, the story of a young woman's erotic adventures, was initially blocked by French censors but became a runaway hit". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  6. ^ "Soft Sell: Emmanuelle in America" (DVD feature). Lionsgate