I feel that the 1962 film "House of Women" is really the last of the classic women's prison movies. It's the last one to have a strong story with great performances, with everything else since then basically soft pornography. There had been a lot of cheap films on that subject, and they are basically just trashy remnants of what Hollywood used to produce with films like "Caged" and "Women's Prison". I doubt that Turner Classic Movies would do a themed night and include many of the films made after "House of Women", outside of one or two of those featuring Pam Grier.
Like the classic women's prison films of the thirties on up to "House of Women", this deals with a newbie at the institution (Judy Brown), this one set in the Philippines as work farm. Evil matron Christiane Schmidtmer and head guard Kathryn Loder torture those they have sexual fantasies over, with some of those resulting in death. When the prisoners have had enough, they decide to make an escape attempt, and the matron is taken hostage along with doctor Jack Davis and Sid Haig and Jerry Franks, two local delivery men who trade goods for sex with the prisoners.
A poor man's Barbara Steele, Kathryn Loder is a campy hoot, delightfully bad. Leading lady Brown and the other prisoners are totally outshined by Grier who would go on to be leading in these exploitation films, including two more women's prison films. The film is very violent with hints of sadistic lesbian practices, mainly out of obsession with power rather than romantic feelings from women to women. In fact, those who then and mentally decline lesbian overtones are treated as outcasts in this, and often subjected to torturous rituals, with Loder utilizing cobras as part of her fun and games.
The few men in the film are presented as weak and easy to manipulate, and the male doctor seems effete in his dealings with the prisoners. One of the female prisoners has Haig rape another woman against both their wills at gunpoint. Not so much campy as just shocking, and even though it's not realistic, it's not bad. It's just not one that I usually recommend or watch more than once.
Like the classic women's prison films of the thirties on up to "House of Women", this deals with a newbie at the institution (Judy Brown), this one set in the Philippines as work farm. Evil matron Christiane Schmidtmer and head guard Kathryn Loder torture those they have sexual fantasies over, with some of those resulting in death. When the prisoners have had enough, they decide to make an escape attempt, and the matron is taken hostage along with doctor Jack Davis and Sid Haig and Jerry Franks, two local delivery men who trade goods for sex with the prisoners.
A poor man's Barbara Steele, Kathryn Loder is a campy hoot, delightfully bad. Leading lady Brown and the other prisoners are totally outshined by Grier who would go on to be leading in these exploitation films, including two more women's prison films. The film is very violent with hints of sadistic lesbian practices, mainly out of obsession with power rather than romantic feelings from women to women. In fact, those who then and mentally decline lesbian overtones are treated as outcasts in this, and often subjected to torturous rituals, with Loder utilizing cobras as part of her fun and games.
The few men in the film are presented as weak and easy to manipulate, and the male doctor seems effete in his dealings with the prisoners. One of the female prisoners has Haig rape another woman against both their wills at gunpoint. Not so much campy as just shocking, and even though it's not realistic, it's not bad. It's just not one that I usually recommend or watch more than once.