WOMEN’S PRISON MASSACRE (unrated)

Directed by Bruno Mattei (as Gilbert Roussel)
Written by Claudio Fragasso & Olivier Lefait
Cinematography by Henry Frogers (as Henry Froger)
Music by:Luigi Ceccarelli
Cast: Laura Gemser, Gabriele Tinti, Usula Flores, Maria Romano, Antonella Giacomini, Raul Cabrera

1983/89 mins/Color/Mono
1.78:1 anamorphic/English/Italy/NTSC Region 1

Review from EI/ Retro Shock-O-Rama

Emmanuelle (Laura Gemser), a reporter, is framed for drug possession by a dirty politician, and she ends up in a women’s prison run by a beautiful but sadistic warden (Lorraine De Selle). She views and is victim to much cruelty and torture from the guards and mega-bitch and fellow inmate, Albina (Usula Flores). But, shit only goes form bad to worse, when four vicious psychos, led by a sick-o known as “Crazy Boy” Henderson (Gabriele Tinti), on their way to death row, manage to take-over the prison and hold them all as their hostages.

Sleaze master Bruno (SS GIRLS, RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR) Mattei’s WIP (women in prison) film ranks as one of the most violent of all these films. Shot a year after his own VIOLENCE IN A WOMEN’S PRISON, which features the same cast, this one is, at least to me, is the better of the two. Some critics may disagree, but I ultimately prefer this film. Though, I wholeheartedly recommend VIOLENCE, as well. WOMEN’S PRISON MASSACRE (also known as EMANUELLE ESCAPES HELL and BLADE VIOLENT) is entertaining, exciting, and down right nasty. It moves at a fast pace and leads up to an action packed climax.

The movie is played seriously and is really only hurt by the bad dubbing. It is also a literal greatest hits of sleaze and exploitation. There is a lot of beautiful naked flesh, including full-frontal female nudity and a nice little lesbian tease scene. My favorite women in the film were De Salle (who plays a different warden in VIOLENCE) and the two girls who play Emmanuelle’s friends (who participate in the aforementioned scene of Sapphic love). The lovely Ms. Gemser, who played the so called “black” Emmanuelle many times, looks great like always, but her fans should be warned that she does bare her skin in this one.

But, it is in the violence department that this film really shines. Released earlier by Retro Shock-O-Rama in a butchered R-cut, this unrated version features multiple rape and torture as well as, throat slashing, gory squibs, the single, most painful use of a razor-blade ever, but, despite some other mayhem, the definitive splatter moment of the film occurs during a brutal and utterly gruesome game of Russian Roulette.

E.I/ Retro Seduction Cinema let’s WOMEN’S PRISON MASSACRE out of the cage in it’s unrated form for the first time ever, in the US. The DVD is presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio and is enhanced for 16x9 TVs. The image leaves something to be desired, though, as it has lots of pops and cracks on it. The color is, overall, too soft and white-washed. A few scenes with brighter lighting tend to look better, but overall the picture quality needs improvement. The mono sound, though, is loud, crisp, and clear.

Aside from the film’s own trailer, there are no real extras on the disc, itself. It also features trailers for other Retro Shock-O-Rama releases, those being: SLIME CITY and SATAN’S BLACK WEDDING/ CRIMINALLY INSANE. There is also well written linear notes by film historian 42nd Street Pete, included as a booklet in the disc (sadly, though, there is no chapter listing). Although, you should hold off on reading it, until after seeing the film, as it reveals way too much of what occurs in the movie. The keep-case has a cool cover, and the disc, broken up into ten chapters, has a static menu. But, said menu has movement inside each shot of the chapters.

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Review by Giovanni Deldio. All Right Reserved. 2007. ©

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