Violence in a Women's Prison (Severin Films Blu Ray Review)

Is Violence in a Women’s Prison a Hidden Treasure or Dumpster Fire?

Blu Ray Distributed by Severin Films

In an over-the-top career filled with cannibals, zombies, nuns and Nazis, only EuroSleaze maestro Bruno Mattei (THE OTHER HELL, SHOCKING DARK) – along with frequent collaborators/co-writers Claudio Fragasso and Rossella Drudi (TROLL 2, ZOMBIE 3 and 4) – could take the BLACK EMANUELLE series to such insane depths of depravity: When Emanuelle (the legendary Laura Gemser) goes undercover in a penitentiary, she will endure a nightmare of sadistic guards, voracious lesbians, rat attacks, feces fights and enough graphic mayhem for a dozen women-in-prison trash epics. Gabriele Tinti (EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS), Lorraine De Selle (CANNIBAL FEROX) and Franca Stoppi (BEYOND THE DARKNESS) co-star in this “classic of exploitation” (Yell Magazine) – also known as CAGED WOMEN and EMANUELLE IN PRISON – now featuring a 2k scan from an uncensored inter-positive.

Trashmen Rubbish Round Table

Jamie

So not knowing this was one of the later Black Emanuelle films, I thought Violence in a Women’s Prison was a bore. It was more like “Shoving” in a Women’s Prison. I expected something more sleazier from Mr. Mattei and while this barely touched upon Emanuelle being in a prison on an secret expose about prison violence, there is barely any action. In fact, I found it kind of forgettable as I have the old Media Blasters DVD and watching it again with you guys I only remembered two moments (the rats and the “torture”). I remembered more from Women’s Prison Massacre, the film Mattei made after he made Violence using the same actors / sets.

Travis

Not the worst “women in prison” entry but certainly not the best.

Jimbo

I’m definitely the voice that knows the least about Emanuelle, Black Emanuelle, Laura Gemser, etc.

So I can speak purely from an outsider perspective. And as such, I find the mystery behind the making of the film much more intriguing than the film itself. It’s hard for me to recommend especially considering that the same actors, wearing the same uniforms, being shot on the same sets, made a very different prison movie (Women’s Prison Massacre) that appears to actually contain a plot.

There is no plot in Violence. It’s mostly just a series of erotic or gruesome vignettes that don’t lead to anything or tie together. Basically it’s just a bunch of women in prison. The people running the place are sadists. There’s no development or escalation of this conflict. Things kind of happen… Things kind of get resolved… Roll credits.

Jamie

Yeah I couldn’t agree more. While I didn’t dislike Violence it did commit the greatest sin that any movie can do: being boring. Maybe coming off Shocking Dark, I was thinking this Mattei film was going to deliver but sadly, no. That film was fun and while women in prison films can be dark and unpleasant they can still be fun and entertaining (Reform School Girls and any of the Roger Corman WIP flicks).

Craig

Well, as, I guess, the resident Emmanuelle scholar, I should chime in. A few of the films do end up being kind of loosely joined vignettes with Emmanuelle traveling the globe following scoops and such. Emmanuelle in America and Emmanuelle Around The World are both like that. So this film kind of feels like that in a way. The other films are globe trotting sex adventures so it works, at least for me.

Jimbo

However, even though I’m not a fan, as someone who appreciates how certain films fit into history, I do see the value for someone who enjoys collecting Laura Gemser and Italian sleaze. The blu-ray fulfills a larger collection of films. But it’s not entertaining enough to be considered the one to watch first. This was my first Emanuelle movie (official or unofficial) and if I weren’t such a movie nut, I’d be hard pressed to go back for more.

Travis

Oh, don’t give up on Emmanuelle del Negro yet. There are some Gemser entries that really bring the sleaze and make Violence look like the fairly tame entry it is.

Craig

Nobody was trotting anywhere in this so it just feels stifling and kind of boring. But it seems like they were trying to go for that kind of structure, just focusing on a different character rather than changing locations. I don’t know, maybe I’m reading too much into it.

Jamie

I too admit that some of the Emanuelle films kind of drag and get boring. I like all the locations Emanuelle goes to and more of the violent / action moments – kind of reminds me of an X rated female James Bond. I also do like seeing her naked 70’s body.

Jimbo

At a minimum, Violence introduced me to Women’s Prison Massacre (which happens to be on Amazon Prime). So I’ll definitely find time to take in that flick with the added curiosity of comparing/contrasting Violence. Unfortunately it appears Shout Factory currently hold the right to Women’s Prison Massacre (in the form of a bare bones blu-ray) keeping fans from a decent Severin produced double-feature…

Jamie

How were the special features and transfer on Severin’s release?

Travis

Some damage and grain, but that’s being pretty nitpicky for a cheap-o production.

There is a roughly half hour interview with Claudio Fragasso, Rossella Drudi (screenwriter), and their cat who crashes the interview. It’s not focused solely on this movie. It covers how they met, their career together, and how they got screwed out of a lot of credit and money over the years. They mention shooting this and Women’s Prison Massacre (which they refer to as Blade Violent) at the same time. Claudio claims he directed Massacre, although to date Mattei gets official credit. Who knows for sure, but Massacre certainly is the more violent and better take on a Gemser WIP. There is also a 2-3 minute old clip of Mattei talking about shooting both of these simultaneously. He also calls Massacre, “Blade Violent“.

The last extra is a freeze frame of the US poster (with the title Caged Women) with a blatant radio spot for the movie being played. While I’m not against including radio spots, call it that instead of a “trailer”. So not a ton of bonus on this, which the disc really needed to make up for the lackluster film.

Jimbo

I might be willing to give it a higher rating except there appears to be a better prison movie with all the same people. I say skip this one and watch the other.

Jamie

I did find some entertainment to Violence in a Women’s Prison as the rat sequence where Emanuelle realizes her jail cell was infested with rats made my skin crawl. And I always find solace in seeing full frontal female nudity especially back in the heyday of brillo-pad pubes.

Travis

I think it had a good amount of bare flesh which is required for a WIP movie. It is lacking a bit when it comes to the “Violence” implied in the title. There is a lot of beating with obvious prop batons, the rat attach which hints at Mattei’s much better movie Rats, but nothing that bloody and certainly not gory. That is probably the biggest sin committed here.

Travis:	(2.0 / 5)
Jimbo:	(1.0 / 5)
Craig:	(2.0 / 5)
Jamie:	(2.0 / 5)
Average:	(1.8 / 5)

[amazon_link asins=’B07BN7Q2D7,B0030U1THU’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’trashmenamaz-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d9334d46-b635-11e8-9dd9-fb6c3bf4d3fa’]

Special Features

Brawl In Women’s Block: Interview With Co-Director/Co-Writer Claudio Fragasso and Co-Writer Rossella Drudi
Archive Interview With Director Bruno Mattei
Radio Spot