Director – Bruno Mattei (Zombies: The Beginning, Rats: Nights of Terror)
Starring – Laura Gemser (Black Emanuelle, Deep Blood), Gabriele Tinti (The Mysterious Island, Cut and Run), and Maria Romano (Thor the Conquerer, Women’s Prison Massacre)
Release Date – 1988
Rating – 3.5/5
Blu Release – 3/5
There is several exploitation trends that left their marks on movie history. We had our standard exploitation films before the sub-genres took over like nunsploitation, hixploitation, Blaxploitation, women in prison, Canuxploitation, biker, and naziploitation. With that being said, I can find something fun to watch in all the sub-genres but I do have to admit that the women in prison films are among my least favorite. I have crossed paths with several that were fun but when compared to the other sub-genres I find this one to be the most boring with the exception of the Italian cannibal flicks.
Sometime ago Severin Films released the 1988 Bruno Mattei directed Black Emanuelle film Violence in a Women’s Prison on blu. I dig most of Mattei’s films and I like a majority of the Emanuelle films that I have seen so I couldn’t wait to see how this one went. Thanks Severin for sending this one my way to check out.
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows journalist Emanuelle (Gemser) who goes undercover in a women’s prison to report on the corruption, neglect and abuse the prisoners go through on a daily basis. She is subjected to horrendous torture, sexual advancements from the prisoners, as well as, the guards, and unbearable living conditions. When the guards and warden discover who she is they try to cover their tracks by poisoning her but an inmate turned doctor helps her escape her hell so she can report on the injustices she suffered and so many before her had endured.**Spoiler Alert**
Black Emanuelle is a series that wanted to submerge itself so deep into exploitation that it touched in almost every sub-genre at least once. My favorite of the series is the sexploitation films but this installment is up there. It was highly entertaining but did lack one key element.
The acting in this one is solid and the same quality that you get in the other films. Some of the characters were more entertaining than the others. I wouldn’t say this was a reflection of the cast more than the writing but there was definitely different characters that stole the scene.
The story for this one does add in different scenarios but at the end of the day we get another sexually driven women in prison flick with the same basic premise. The journalist under cover is something a little different but the guards sexually abusing and torturing prisoners is nothing new in cinema especially by 1988.
Finally, if you want blood this one has it but if you want some gore you will want to look elsewhere. The effects we get are minimal but work very well with the story but they don’t really stand out. The film is more intended to be sexy and sleazy instead of bloody. Overall, Violence in a Women’s Prison is one of the more violent Black Emanuelle films but with one major flaw…Emanuelle is not in this one as much as the other films! Regardless, it is still fun and this release from Severin should be added to any fan’s collection.
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