Caged Fury

My review was written in March 1990 after watching the movie on RCA/Columbia video cassettes.

The first of Menahem Golan's 21st Century pics to go direct-to-video, "Caged Fury" is a haphazardly slapped together but entertaining throwback to the women in prison genre of the early 1970s. It's unrelated to a 1984 Filipino-made release of the same name.

Pic is set in the underbelly of L. A., where unscrupulous Jack Carter and Beano prey upon young girls like Utah-born Roxanna Michaels who heat to lotus land to become actresses. She goes to an audition, the videotape of which is used by Carter & Beano to frame her for a jail sentence.

It turns out to be a fke prison, run by entertainingly exortic domiatrix "warden" Ty Randolph (in the film's most impressive role). This is a front for white slavery and it takes Michaels' older sister Elena Sahagun and pals Erik Estrada and Richie Barathy to save the heroine and expose the scam.

Fast-paced pic is virtually a catalog of genre cliches, but suffers from poor editing. Several brief scenes seem placed out of order and the finale is loaded with contradictions.

Cast does a good job, particularly Michaels as the heroine and karate expert Barathy kicking every heavy in sight. Porn star Ron Jeremy, previously featured in Golan's "52 Pick-Up", pops up as a prison guard and the film opens memorably with statuesque porn star Kascha (billed here as Alison LePriol) crawling around in her lace undies trying to escape from stir.

This has got to be one of the funniest films of all time; featuring the most underrated action hero ever to grace the silver screen. For those of you who have yet to watch this masterpiece, Dirk Ramsey is the MAN! He is far superior to Spiderman; his intellect makes Batman look like a dunce, while his strength, even Superman would struggle against the might that is Ramsey. And did I mention that he oozes sex appeal? Throw in sleazy Eric Estrada as his side-kick Victor, and you have all the ingredients for one hell of a viewing. Also, all the 'ladies' on offer apart from Cat and Tracey Collins, are porn stars in real life, you've gotta love this film.

...or cry 'till you laugh. One or the other. It's a terrible film, but you've got to be made of stone not to enjoy this. There is line drawn in the sand of the desert where all bad films dwell. It separates those films that are just bad from those that are so appallingly terrible they just have to be seen. The word tacky doesn't do this justice. you absolutely have to see this film. Get a couple of mates around and watch it with plenty of alcohol on standby. I promise you you'll enjoy it.

Plus, Dirk Ramsey? There's never been an action hero like him before. There never will be again. He should have his own theme tune.

When I popped "Caged Fury" into my VCR, I had no idea what to expect because I didn't have the VHS sleeve, so I thought I might be in for a kind of kick boxing movie... and I wasn't so far off. Let me explain. The film revolves around two sisters who get sent to this women's prison unjustifiably. Granted, lots of eye candy, but most of the scenes with any kind of nudity we're due to sexual harrasement and such... not much fun. Our hero is the top of the cake though. It's not explained how he is so talented at fighting, but he looked like a professional kickboxer! It was hilarious! There is no motive either for him to put his life on the line to save these two girls. Very bad though, but fun for a late night romp.

CAGED FURY is about Kat (Roxanna Michaels) who leaves home to seek her fortune as an actress in Hollywood. A series of disastrous events land her in the slammer. This, in spite of Erik Estrada's intervention on her behalf, by using his kung fu skills on a biker gang!

Now, stripped of her street clothes and her dignity, Kat must learn to survive among her fellow inmates in their skimpy uniforms. Let the rampant nudity begin.

Of course, the prison guards are all graduates of the Marquis De Sade's school of intense charm. Dear lord! One of them is Ron Jeremy! At the top is the Warden, a demonic dominatrix with an eeevil eye for the ladies.

Can Erik Estrada, Kat's sister, and a Carlos Santana lookalike locate Kat before it's too late?

Truly, this is why cinema was invented...