6 Schwedinnen hinter Gittern (1980, dir: Ann Perry) Illusions UNLTD Blu-Ray Review

 Candide Royalle (Ultra Flesh) stars as Lolita Wanamaker, a young and attractive woman recently sentenced to a few years in prison. She immediately makes a good first impression. Neither the prison guards or her fellow inmates can't take their hands off her. The inmates are a close-knit group who go by the name of 'The Beavers'. When they aren't getting it on with each other, they're having their own fun with the prison staff. Seems like it's more of a holiday camp than a prison right? Wrong! You see, the girls have to live in squalid conditions and they've had enough! They do what all disgruntled prisoners usually do and sign a petition? Unfortunately for them, Warden Blowhard, played by Ian McGregor (Undercovers) is a tight-fisted and selfish chap. When he isn't being an arrogant prick, he's getting some extra service off his lovely secretary Miss Cole, played by Lisa De Leeuw (Center Spread Girls). After having a small riot, the inmates get a chance to have their voices heard properly, by having a baseball match with the prison guards who call themselves 'The Dicks'. Will the girls get their own way? Will the warden have a change of heart? You'll have to find out for yourself!

Overall, 6 Schwedinnen hinter Gittern (known to most as Ballgame) is light-hearted Women in Prison flick with a simple premise. Aside from some of the talent on show, this is a pretty uneventful film. The comedy is hokey and feels dated for even for when the film was produced. The likes of Candid Royalle, Herschel Savage (Debbie Does Dallas) and Tawny Pearl (Taboo) are really the only memorable aspects of the film. Not even the sex really held my interest. That being said, this film does have quite possibly the hottest training montage sequences I have seen in a long time (combining squat exercises with face sitting is something I want to see more!). I do also have to give props to the selection of library music used throughout. There are some fun and genuinely great songs for those who like that sort of thing (I certainly do!). Yeah, in terms of a Women in Prison film, it doesn't really deliver. As a piece of pornography, it's pretty hit and miss. Aside from the typical lesbian scenes, you may find yourself fast forwarding a few times. The film could have been trimmed down about 10 minutes to make it a 60 minute feature. Some may appreciate the film more than I did and I certainly know a lot of people who will love this.

Unfortunately, the Blu-ray transfer isn't fantastic. The picture is quite grainy and doesn't actually look like it's a Blu-Ray you are watching. To go with that, the English language track (the version I watched) is very muddy in places and a buzzing sound can be heard quite a lot throughout. That being said, the film also comes with a much superior German language track and English subtitles so that's not a problem. This is however a much better presentation than the Caballero disc so get rid of that one and buy this if you want to see this film. In terms of special features you get a trailer for the film, a photo gallery and a selection of other trailers (some great viewing there). Overall, it's a pretty standard release, but definitely worth looking in to if you are a fan of the genre. Just take in to account that you may be better off buying the DVD version of the film. Either way, hats off to Illusions UNTLD for presenting this film in an affordable way.

6 Schwedinnen hinter Gittern is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from Illusions UNLTD.

Vinegar Syndrome Review: Bijou (1972)

BIJOU 

(dir. Wakefield Poole, 1972)

On his way home after a long day at work, a construction worker (Ronnie Shark) witness a young woman (Cassandra Hart) being hit by a car. Of course, being the gentleman that he his, our brave hero is there to help a lending hand. Well, I should say thieving hand. He steals the young woman’s purse and makes it back to his apartment. Obviously shaken by what he has just witnessed, he decides to get a load off (no pun intended) his mind and have a little bit of rub and tug to the music of Led Zeppelin (you know, mood music), he takes it in to the shower but starts to get images in his head of the woman and abruptly stops (fair play). He notices a flyer for a club called Bijou in the woman’s purse and decides to hit the place up to help take his mind off things. When he arrives all is not as it seems and things get a little strange from here on in.

Bijou is the follow up to the hugely successful Boys in the Sand. This time however, we have something more of a hallucinogenic acid trip. What we witness within the Bijou nightclub is a series of highly erotic and often surreal sexual acts. It’s not for everyone, not just for the fact that this is a gay porn film. If you don’t like experimental film, you will most certainly not like this at all. Wakefield’s use of both contemporary and classical music is once again second to none, no matter what your sexual preference or opinions on the sexual content, you can’t deny that Poole is a true artist and visionary. The sets are simple, essentially blacked out spaces (Poole’s own apartment) with minimal use of theatre style lighting, but work brilliantly for what you are seeing unfold on the screen. His use of mirrors and smoke machine certainly add to the affect. In my honest opinion, this is a very tough film to review. From a simple viewpoint, this is a great example of the underground and experimental cinema of the time. However, if you look more closely after repeat viewings, there is a lot that can be potentially dissected, especially in terms of the “psychosexual puzzle” as stated within the synopsis of the DVD. One thing is for certain, this is definitely a film (as Poole himself intended) that will affect people in different ways.

Just like Vinegar Syndrome’s release of Boys in the Sand, you get a healthy amount of special features. There is an audio commentary and video introduction with Wakefield Poole. As well as a vintage interview with himself and an interview with author Linda Williams. Not only that, but you get original audition footage and of course, a trailer. Do I really need to tell you how much of a good job this release is? It’s safe to say that Vinegar Syndrome’s restoration is once again top notch and the overall package is a great thing. If you are a fan of Wakefield’s work or this film in general, you must go out and buy it. If you’re looking for an interesting experience no matter what your tastes or sexual preferences, this is also a release worth owning.

You can read my review for Vinegar Syndrome's release of Boys in the Sand here. Bijou is available to buy directly from Vinegar Syndrome here as well as your favourite online retailers.

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