Zara must navigate shifting allegiances: she teams with a disillusioned European documentary photographer (Matteo), an ex-mercenary turned desert guide (Rashid), and a young local scientist (Leila) whose research into paleoclimates could change everything. The corporate antagonist, Viktor Kall, uses money, mercenaries, and advanced tracking drones to push deeper into outlawed territories, while a mysterious religious sect believes the subterranean site is a gateway to a prophetic apocalypse. As sandstorms swirl and technology fails, human passions — greed, lust, loyalty, and revenge — collide with the primeval intelligence of the landscape and the elephants who sense danger to their own ancestral paths.
The story follows two wealthy businessmen who travel to the North African desert to purchase a leather company. Once there, they are swept into a world of "exotic delights," including camel treks and traditional belly dancing.
), though it functions more as a thematic successor than a direct narrative sequel. Context and Production Directed by Joe D’Amato and written by Donna Dane
Released in 1998, the sequel takes the action from the jungle to the desert. In Italy, it is simply known as Sahara , but it has been retroactively titled La regina degli elefanti 2 - Sahara to link it to its predecessor. In Germany, it was marketed under the evocative title Sahara - Heiße Wüstennächte (Sahara - Hot Desert Nights). Joe D-Amato - Queen Of Elephants 2- Sahara -19...
No official theatrical release occurred. DVD-era boutique labels (like X-Cess in Germany or NoShame in the US, though they focused on earlier works) have largely ignored the late-period D'Amato catalog, making Queen of Elephants 2 a rare collector's item today.
Two businessmen travel to Morocco to acquire a leather company, only to be seduced by a series of "exotic delights". Unlike the first film, there are notably no elephants here; the focus shifts entirely to the desert heat and a solitary house in an oasis.
Reviewers often note the sharp contrast between the "natural" freedom of the jungle and the stuffy, depraved atmosphere of the Scottish mansion. While the low-budget nature is evident, D’Amato’s eye for lighting and location (often using Kenyan landscape inserts) gives it a higher-than-average production feel for the genre. Sahara (1998) Zara must navigate shifting allegiances: she teams with
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. Released shortly before his death in 1999, the movie is a follow-up to his 1997 production La regina degli elefanti The Elephant Queen Queen of Elephants
The "Queen of Elephants" films were produced in the late 1990s, a period when Italian erotica was directly competing with the rise of the internet and harder-edged content. D'Amato's films from this era often had the following characteristics: The story follows two wealthy businessmen who travel
. Released during the late-90s boom of high-budget Euro-adult cinema, the film stars top-tier industry icons Selen and Zenza Raggi , transporting audiences to Morocco for a tale of corporate acquisition intertwined with extreme carnal indulgence.
Exploring the Exotic Exploitation of Joe D'Amato: "Queen of Elephants Part 2 - Sahara" (1998)
For more on Joe D'Amato's career and his other films, you can explore his filmography on MUBI .
Given the partial information ("19..." likely refers to the late 1990s or early 2000s), the title suggests an adult/exploitation film directed by Joe D'Amato (real name Aristide Massaccesi), part of his Queen of Elephants series, with a setting in the Sahara desert.