Woodyanders Review of Escape from Hell

Escape from Hell (1980)

A prime putrid piece of deliciously rancid sleaze

[8/10 · 14 July 2009]

The lovely female inmates incarcerated at a remote prison camp located in a tropical rain forest are severely mistreated by the brutal staff. Several convicts who include the sassy Zaira (statuequse stunner Ajita Wilson), feisty new fish Vivienne (fetching Cristina Lay), and tough top con Katie (luscious Cintia Lodetti) enlist the assistance of the boozy, yet humane Dr. Farrell (well played by the always reliable Anthony Steffen) to break out of this unbearable hellhole. Director/co-writer Edoardo Mulargia goes out of his way to really deliver the graphic'n'greasy goods in a very stark and unflinching manner: we've got excessive leering nudity, raunchy semi-pornographic sex, an eye-popping miles of naked distaff flesh group shower scene, torture, whipping, no-holds-barred catfights, savage rape, forced sodomy, and, naturally, sizzling hot lesbianism. After the girls escape, they face such horrible perils as snakes, leeches, and quicksand. Better still, the potently rendered fetid, sweaty and uncomfortable atmosphere and harsh, gritty, nihilistic tone give this picture an extra mean and jolting in-your-face edge. The villains are a memorably nasty bunch: Luciano Pigozzi as the cruel, pitiless neat freak warden, Serafino Profumo as sadistic guard Martinez, and Yael Forti as cocky trustee inmate guard Marika. Of course, this flick overall sizes up as a thoroughly base, disgusting and morally reprehensible serving of pure repulsive trash. In other word, it's the absolute scuzzy bomb, baby!