Cinema of Incongruity: Joe D’Amato’s (Queen of Elephants 2)
If you have spent any time in the dusty corners of 90s Italian exploitation, the name Joe D’Amato
(Aristide Massaccesi) is as familiar as a recurring dream. By 1998, the man who gave us the visceral dread of Antropophagus
had shifted focus to high-production adult features, often blending exotic locations with bizarre narrative choices. www.imdb.com His 1998 film —frequently marketed as Queen of Elephants 2
—is a prime example of this era: a movie that is technically a sequel but shares almost no DNA with its predecessor. The Plot (Or Lack Thereof)
Despite the "Queen of Elephants" branding on DVD releases, there isn't a single elephant to be found in
. Instead, the story follows two wealthy businessmen who travel to Morocco under the guise of buying a leather company. What follows is a series of "exotic delights" as they navigate the local culture—or at least D’Amato’s very specific, eroticized version of it. Production Notes & Cast
Shot in 1998 with a runtime of 92 minutes, the film features a cast that was essentially the "who’s who" of late-90s adult cinema: baike.baidu.com Sahara (Video 1998)
The keywords in your report match a set of hardcore adult films directed by D'Amato: Queen of the Elephants : A film starring Selen, released in 1996.
: Another collaboration between Joe D'Amato and Selen from the same period (late 1996–1999). Production Context
: Joe D'Amato (using one of his various pseudonyms or his real name, Aristide Massaccesi). Lead Performer joe damato queen of elephants 2 sahara 19
(Luce Caponegro), who was a recurring lead in D'Amato's high-budget "glossy" adult features of the late 90s.
: These films were part of D'Amato's "late hardcore period," where he focused on exotic locations (Africa, deserts) and high production values compared to standard adult films. about these films, such as the full alternate titles
The search terms refer to Sahara (1998), an erotic film directed by Joe D'Amato (Aristide Massaccesi). While sometimes marketed on DVD as "Queen of Elephants Part 2: Sahara," the film is not a narrative sequel to the original 1997 production, La regina degli elefanti (Queen of Elephants). Movie Context and Production
Director: Directed by the prolific Italian cult filmmaker Joe D'Amato under his standard pseudonym.
Marketing & Connection: Despite the "Queen of Elephants 2" title used for some English-language releases, the film contains no elephants and features cast members (like Selen and Zenza Raggi) playing entirely different roles than in the first film.
Plot: The story follows two wealthy businessmen who travel to Morocco to purchase a leather company and encounter various erotic experiences during their trip. Filming Location: Production took place in Tunisia. "Queen of Elephants" (1997) vs. "Sahara" (1998)
The two films are often grouped together because they were produced by the same team and featured the same core cast members. Joe D'Amato – Director - MUBI
The cinematic legacy of Aristide Massaccesi , better known as Joe D'Amato
, is defined by an unparalleled prolificacy that spanned horror, erotica, and exotic adventures. Among his later works, Queen of Elephants (1997) and
(1998) stand as distinct examples of his "travelogue" style, where adult narratives were woven into expansive natural landscapes. The Wild Majesty: Queen of Elephants (1997) Directed under his primary pseudonym, Queen of Elephants Cinema of Incongruity: Joe D’Amato’s (Queen of Elephants
(originally La regina degli elefanti) is an exotic erotic adventure that reimagines the "jungle girl" trope.
Plot Synopsis: The story follows a young woman who grew up wild among elephants in Africa. Upon being discovered by relatives, she is "rescued" and brought back to the aristocratic world of Scotland, where she struggles to adapt to the constraints of civilization while longing for her jungle home.
Production & Style: Filmed largely in Kenya, the production utilized real African landscapes and trained elephants. Critics often note the film's "leisurely pace," which prioritizes capturing local flora and fauna alongside its adult sequences. Key Cast: Selen: Stars as Jenny Mallory, the wild titular character. Deborah Valentine: Plays the role of Esther.
Frank Gun & Zenza Raggi: Featured in prominent roles as Frankie and John. The Desert Epics: Sahara (1998)
Continuing his trend of high-budget adult productions set in striking locations, D’Amato released
in 1998. This film is frequently grouped with his other late-period works like The Hyena and Outlaws, which moved away from the claustrophobic sets of early Italian erotica toward expansive, sun-drenched settings. Joe D'Amato – Director - MUBI
Unpacking the Legacy of Joe D’Amato: From "Queen of Elephants" to "Sahara" (1998)
In the final years of his prolific career, Italian filmmaker Joe D’Amato (born Aristide Massaccesi) returned to the exotic-adventure genre that had defined much of his early work. Among the most discussed entries from this late-90s era are the loosely connected films Queen of Elephants (1997) and its spiritual successor, often marketed as Queen of Elephants Part 2: Sahara (1998).
While many film historians associate D’Amato with cult horror classics like Anthropophagus or the Black Emanuelle series, these late-career titles showcase his ability to blend travelogue-style cinematography with erotic drama on a micro-budget. The Evolution of the "Queen of Elephants" Titles
The original 1997 film, La regina degli elefanti (The Queen of Elephants), stars Italian adult film icon Selen as a young woman raised in the wild who is "rescued" and brought back to the aristocratic world of Scotland. The film is noted for its incongruous mix of Kenyan landscape inserts and Victorian-style costumes, a hallmark of D'Amato's resourcefulness. Part 6: How to Watch (or Find) This
By 1998, D'Amato released Sahara, which was retitled for various international DVD markets as Queen of Elephants Part 2: Sahara. Despite the branding, the film is not a direct narrative sequel: Joe D'Amato - MUBI
As of this writing, "Queen of Elephants 2" (Sahara 19 edition) has no public release. However, here is what we know:
Your best bet to see Damato’s work is to seek out his earlier film (available on small VOD platforms), donate to the Mara Elephant Project, and follow Damato’s social media—he occasionally announces private online screenings for donors.
Director: Joe D’Amato (Aristide Massaccesi) Release Year: 1991 Genre: Adventure / Adult (Erotic) Starring: Missy (Miss Africa), Jadene, Dolly, Nikita, Hogen, Nico
This film is part of D’Amato’s later period, where he transitioned away from horror (such as Beyond the Darkness and Anthropophagus) and action-exploitation to focus almost exclusively on high-budget adult films. It is notable for being one of the few adult films of that era shot on 35mm film in a genuine exotic location.
The film is a loose erotic homage to adventure serials, bearing a strong resemblance to Sheena or Tarzan.
The story follows a young, beautiful white woman (played by Missy) who was raised in the African wilderness after her parents died in a plane crash. Known as the "Queen of Elephants" (or "Miss Africa"), she lives in harmony with nature, communicating with animals and protecting the savannah from poachers.
The narrative typically involves:
To understand the "sequel," we have to look at the original. Released in 1997, Queen of Elephants (Italian: La regina degli elefanti) was D’Amato’s attempt to capitalize on the mainstream success of films like The Gods Must Be Crazy and the romanticism of African adventures. It starred the striking Malù (Marilù Tolo) as a woman raised in the wild, creating a softcore adventure that was a step up in production value from D’Amato’s "one-day wonders" (films shot in a single day).
The film was a modest success in the late-night cable and VHS markets. Naturally, distributors wanted a sequel.