An early Roger Corman produced WIP film featuring Pam Grier and Roberta Collins. Much of the tropes we're used to in WIP flicks are here - not necessarily originating here, but definitely solidifying them in the genre playbook strictly followed for years to come.
CHARACTERS
- Collier (Judith Brown)
- Lucian (Kathryn Loder), guard
- Ferina (Gina Stuart), prisoner
- Harrad (Brooke Mills), prisoner
- Alcott (Roberta Collins), prisoner
- Bodine (Pat Woodell), prisoner
- Miss Dietrich (Christiane Schmidtmer), warden
- Harry (Sid Haig)
- Fred (Jerry Franks)
RATING: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ 5/10
REVIEW: You can't deny this is one of the most well-made WIP films of the seventies; truly a solid film, and became a template for the tidal wave of WIP films to come. However, let's not pretend WIP exist for any other reason than its exploitative elements - and this honestly didn't have much of that. Indeed, I was a little surprised by the sparsity of T&A in this film. I've heard reviewers comment on just the opposite, impressed with the amount of skin in this film.... those reviewers are clearly not fluent in WIP films. [Supposedly, there was a pretty graphic lesbian scene in this film, but it was cut. I don't know who the two participants were.]
SYNOPSIS
Collier (Judith Brown) is sentenced to 99 years, having been found guilty of killing her husband. Collier is inspected. Prison medic Dr Phillips (Jack Davis) appears to be the only staff at this prison without a sadistic bent. The sadistic guard Lucian (Kathryn Loder). Collier meets her cellmate Alcott (Roberta Collins). Bodine (Pat Woodell), who's supposed to be the toughest girl in the penitentiary. Ferina (Gina Stuart), Harrad (Brooke Mills), a heroin addict, and, of course, Grear (Pam Grier).
Miss Dietrich (Christiane Schmidtmer) is the warden. Harrad does heroine and dances around like a nutcase. Harry (Sid Haig) and Fred (Jerry Franks) are allowed access to the prisoners to distribute their produce. [I believe this is the first time Haig and Grier appeared together on film; the start of a beautiful collaboration.] Bodine is put in the cage. The girls are helpless and can just watch. Bodine is whipped by Lucian while Dietrich watches. Harrad takes a shower. Alcott is tortured. The girls are getting fed up with their constant mistreatment plan their escape.
Grear and Alcott get into a fight. The battle turns into a mud wrestling match. Collier is stripped, tied up and has snakes dangling over her. Grear is killed by addict Harrad; the remaining three girls begin their escape, thanks to assistance from Harry and Fred. They subdue Lucian and save Collier. They make Fred and Harry drive them out to the jungle. They take the guys' clothes and escape into the jungle. They're confronted by Dietrich's men who open fire at her command. All hell breaks loose.Collier is the lone survivor, and hitchhikes her way to freedom... or so she thinks. (The driver is played by director Jack Hill) THE END
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