I'm not one who separates between art and exploitation, Texas Chainsaw can be said to be both and it's high on my list of favorites. I buy into Cannibal Holocaust's raw power in a big way. I also look out for films about sex, in my view good film works on pretty much the same standards as sex. Like film, good sex is internal, there can be as in any film, roles, a story, attractive presentation, but the real spark is when you lose the superficial walls of who you think you have to be and there are only valleys of vibrant now.This is all from the outside. It isn't about sex so much as delusion and power dynamics, a Lord of the Flies offshoot notoriously banned in a score of countries for its frank depictions of pubescent sex. But does it matter? Power lies not in what the story is about but how it penetrates. This is sloppy, panting without passion. Meandering through nature as poetry. Worse, it's pretentious — instead of showing her being raped, a snake crawling on the girl, symbolic of spoiled purity. Later she falls down a rabbit hole.It is art. All art exploits the curiosity of looking, nothing more to it. It's what you draw our eyes to that matters.

OK, I have mixed feelings but I still gave it a 10. I gave it a 10 because the scenery and story was strong and hooks you easily. My mixed feelings come from the facts behind the actors- The movie was released 5/6/77. Eva was 11 yrs, i month old when it was RELEASED. Laura was 12 yr, 1 month. The boy was over 18. How can an 18 yr old boy/man legally have sex with a girl under 12 and one that was probably under 12 when the movie was being made? Ddi anyone else figure out their ages? Amazing. But still worth a look even if you get the edited version. Even some scary parts. Not bad for an old 70's flick!!I also have a 12 yr old daughter so I guess I am biased on my opinion there.

I really don't know how to judge MALADOLESCENZA. Of course there is huge controversy surrounding the material shown, and for good reason. The relatively explicit sexualization of underage actors is going to be a point of contention for many viewers. Being a hard-line anti-child pornography advocate myself, it's hard to dismiss the explicit nudity and sexuality portrayed in this film. But as someone that takes a strong stance against child-exploitation - do I consider this film kiddie-porn? I have to honestly say no. Does it cross the line of "good taste"? Yes. Is there any "artistic-merit" in this film? Again, yes. I haven't been this torn by a film in a long time...Note that I saw the film with no subtitles or dubs, so I may have missed a bit in translation, but the basic storyline concerns a young boy and girl who begin "coming into their own" against the backdrop of an adultless forest. After their first sexual encounter, another young girl enters the picture that is a bit of a control-freak and the boy and the "new-girl" begin tormenting the "old-girl" by hurting her feelings in every way possible, while still pretending to be her friend...Personally, I can understand the controversy surrounding MALADOLESCENZA, but I can't honestly view the film as a piece of child pornography. I think that it's a harsh coming-of-age tale that deals with adolescent sexuality in an uncompromising and realistic (and even often beautiful) manner. I wasn't much older or more experienced than the actors in this film when I had my first sexual encounter - so I can relate to the film on a nostalgic level. Is it unnecessarily "graphic" - yes. I think that the same story could have been told with less nudity and sexualization, but it may not have had the same impact had those scenes been cut. I've seen many films that blur the lines between art and sleaze, and MALADOLESCENZA is one of the few that I truly found noteworthy. I think that along with the works of such directors as Larry (KIDS, KEN PARK) Clark - MALADOLESCENZA is a film that will probably be too harsh for "mainstream" viewing - but I still found it to be hauntingly beautiful yet strangely disturbing at the same time...8/10

A young boy named Fabrizio and girl Laura must psychically explore their budding sexuality.Things get complicated when arrogant Silvia enters the picture & our young hero is drawn to her and Laura now feels ignored.They begin playing cruel games and tormenting her.For instance,during a game of hide and seek Laura finds them lying naked beneath a tree and she is forced to view their love scene."Spielen wir Liebe" aka "Maladolescenza" has to be one of the most controversial films ever made.When it came out it was banned or heavily cut in many countries as child pornography.The film contains plenty of surprisingly graphic nudity provided by Martin Loeb,Eva Ionesco and Lara Wendel.Both girls were twelve years old at the time of making the movie.At least the sex scenes are quite tasteful and thankfully simulated,but I still think that the film-makers crossed the line.The film was actually banned in Germany on 28th of July 2006 due to its content,so DVD will be no longer available for public consumption.