According to Variety’s Lauren Zima, Sylvester Stallone‘s softcore (awww) film ‘The Party at Kitty and Stud’s’ – retitled ‘Italian Stallion’ by Bryanston Distributors after Stallone made it big – was auctioned on eBay (?) earlier this month, selling for $412,100. Obviously someone used PowerSnipe – look at that extra 100 bucks!

And what did the lucky buyer get for bundle of spondoolicks? The original 35mm negatives and worldwide rights. So that means they can’t even WATCH it without getting it printed. HURRAH.

The film – now officially called ‘Italian Stallion’ has become mucho legendaro because – SHUSH! – hardcore footage has been added. Who’s salami gets the most closeups?

Stallone himself said in a Playboy interview in 1978 that he made 200 clams for his two days of work on the film (so that’s like, erm, $50 for half a day?). After ‘Rocky’ was a hit, the porn folks tried to get him to buy the film for $100K to protect his career  – because back then, doing porn was considered a bad thing. Now you can be Lawrence Fishburne‘s daughter and make a whole career of it.

Weirdly, ‘Italian Stallion’ had a theatrical release in 1976 and 2007. 2007? And I missed it?

Like many great art treasures – Russia’s great Amber Room springs to mind – the negatives of ‘Italian Stallion’ were missing for many years. But now that Sly is 64, looking better than ever, they reappear. Funny that.

It ain’t over til the fat guy sells.