What's in a Name
Is it "Emanuelle" or "Emmanuelle"? The extra "m" makes the difference. In the Laura Gemser series, the female protagonist has only one "m" in her name, while in the French series that initiated the Emmanuelle craze, the female has two "m"s. This French series began in 1974 with EMMANUELLE, with Sylvia Kristel in the title role. EMMANUELLE made over 300 million dollars in worldwide grosses and spawned theatrical sequels and television cable features. Italian cinema, ever on the lookout to take advantage of a genre success, rushed out their own similar films with Laura Gemser, beginning with BLACK EMANUELLE in 1975. Naturally, the Italians made the bolder and more dangerous films, embracing sweat-inducing taboo in several entries.
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