Jane Schaffer Movies
In this exploitative women's prison drama, the "birds" in "the big bird cage" are, clearly, women. With the help of an outside revolutionary, the girls of at a rural prison stage an escape attempt. They have little to lose, as the prison is a site of incredible decadence and brutality. Only two of the covey of beautiful young women prisoners survive the attempt. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- 1971
- R
Jack Hill directed this alternately brutal and campy look at desperate women behind bars. An American named Collier (Judy Brown) has been convicted of murder in the Philippines and is sentenced to a grim women's prison in the jungle, where a mysterious German woman, Miss Deitrich (Christiane Schmidtmer), is the warden, and her head guard, sadistic Lucian (Katheryn Loder), keeps her charges in line through intimidation and violence. Collier shares a cell with tough-talking bisexual prostitute Grear (Pam Grier), hard-boiled political prisoner Bodine (Pat Woodell), thick-skinned but good-humored Alcott (Roberta Collins), drug-addicted Harrad (Brooke Mills), and tight-lipped Ferina (Gina Stuart). Bodine's boyfriend is the leader of an underground revolutionary faction, and when she learns he and his comrades are in danger, she begins to plot an escape for herself and her cellmates, with travelling peddlers Harry (Sid Haig) and Fred (Jerry Frank) becoming her unwitting collaborators. Meanwhile, Lucian is stepping up her torture of the prisoners at the behest of a mysterious masked stranger, and Collier is determined to find out who is behind the systematic brutality. The Big Doll House was the first "Women In Prison" exploitation epic produced for Roger Corman's New World Pictures; it was a big hit on the dive-in and grind house circuit, and spawned dozens of imitations (which are still being produced today). By the way, that's Pam Grier singing the theme song! ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1970
At least Angels Die Hard strives to be something different. The usual motorcyle bums are in attendance, but this time they're the heroes rather than the antagonists. The storyline, concerning a mine cave-in in a small community, bears traces of the 1931 German film Kammeradschaft. Though on the outs with the community, the bikers prove to be heroes as they aid in the rescue of the trapped miners. But don't be lulled into thinking that Angels Die Hard is family fare: it still carries an R rating. The familiar faces dotting the film's cast include R. G. Armstrong, William Smith (what would a biker flick be without William Smith?) and Dan "Grizzly Adams" Haggerty. Filmed in 1970, Angels Die Hard was not given a general release until 1984. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, William Smith, (more)
Rating Systems
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