L'enfer du plaisir

Sadomania (1981)

*** (out of 4)

Jess Franco put his hands in many genres but there's no question that he was the king of the WIP genre. His women-in-prison films are some of the most outrageous out there and this here might very well be the most offensive, which means it's a must-see for fans of the genre. The story is pretty simple as newlyweds Olga (Uta Koepke) and Michael are making out on some private property, which belongs to a local prison. The evil warden (Ajita Wilson) orders Olga to be held behind bars where she realizes all the lesbianism, torture and other evils going on. SADOMANIA is, simply put, a sick, deprived and downright outrageous film and all of this makes it one of the best of its type. If you're looking for a soft and easy R-rated prison drama then this here certainly isn't that. This film is perverted on just about every letter and I honestly don't think five-seconds goes by without some woman being nude. The film has pretty much wall-to-wall nudity as all of the women in prison are forced to be naked and even the prison warden and her guards are always in the nude. Those wanting flesh are going to get plenty of it here. There's also some rather fun violence including a "game" where women must run through a swamp to try avoid getting shot. The only problem are some fake looking alligators who are very hungry. The film even goes as far as to have a prostitution ring, white slavery and most notorious of all is a dog who likes to have sex with the girls. Yes, SADOMANIA is pretty much the sleazy exploitation trash that makes the genre work so well when it gets everything right. Sure, the performances aren't the greatest, although Wilson has her certain charm in full force. The film actually looks a lot more professional than the previous ones done by Franco and this includes good cinematography, great lighting and very good editing. Another major plus is that it seems the budget allowed for a lot more naked ladies because these films usually have a limited number of girls but this one here has dozens available. Again, if you're going to be easily offended or are afraid of the genre then it's best to stay away. Those wanting to see one of the best WIP films out there should jump right in.

Filmed on an exploitation level this sleazy flick is a typical Jess Franco-film and everyone should know what that means: a nearly not existing plot, lots of nudity and some misogynist violence. This film is banned in the United Kingdom, but it´s really questionable in how far "Sadomania" is still an exciter compared to today´s standard: there is a girl having hinted sex with a dog, trade with female human slaves, lesbian sex and some S/M-role playing, but it´s full of unconscious humor and bad acting. The most memorable part comes from Ajita Wilson, a transexual, who became a porn star in the 1970s and plays the role of the sadistic prison leader. Nevertheless "Sadomania" is worth to be seen - assumed that you like this kind of film: it´s entertaining from beginning till the end and definitely the right stuff for your next trash movie video party! Jess Franco´s masterpiece "Vampyros Lesbos" however is still unequaled!!!

I can't help thinking that this is Franco's 'hamage' to the Marquis de Sade's "One Thousand Days of Sodom". People (in this case women) abducted to serve as slaves to a privileged elite? Check. Kinky sex? Check. Torture including whipping? Check. Victims chosen at random to be killed? Check.

Thank goodness Franco didn't go the whole hog and introduce cinema audiences to the delights of coprology (and indeed coprophagy), another perversion that crops up repeatedly in de Sade's tediously long and disgusting saga.

I rather hoped that this film would fall into the 'so bad it's good' category. But even the acres of naked flesh and numerous sexual encounters didn't make up for the dismal dialogue, dreadful acting, elusive plot and - just to put the tin hat on it - dubbing AND English sub-titles (a belt and braces approach missing from the women's costumes). The Alsation gave a very professional performance though.

Of course I could be wrong about the de Sade angle. After all, I failed to realise that the actor playing the head warden at the 'prison' was a trans-sexual. I must pay more attention to the size of people's hands in future.

According to another reviewer, the film was banned in the UK. Well it clearly isn't any more, though I fancy that the nipple-needling scene was cut to satisfy the censors. On the DVD I watched, it was only clearly visible on the Spanish trailer (which, in case you're wondering, I watched to compare it with the English one).

The DVD also features an interview with Jess Franco, though you'll need better Spanish than mine to understand it. Unless I'm much mistaken it's neither dubbed nor sub-titled. And it points out that the person sodomising the character played by Franco is Ajita Wilson disguised using a moustache. Kind of ironic, given that (s)he had had the requisite appendage surgically removed.

OK, no one will confuse this with Citizen Kane but you've got to love a movie where the women are always topless. There are a few catfights and some kinky sex as well. On the other hand I hope they didn't overpay the guy who wrote the dialogue. Here's a prime example. After one of the captive girls dies:

"This is terrible. It reminds me of the day Zenobia died" "A relative?" "No, my favorite cow." I guess they saved some money on the script and blew it on great special effects like that plastic crocodile. I will say that it took me three sittings to make it through this fine work of art, never a good sign. I guess that's what happens after a while when everything looks the same. I hope the folks waiting to rent it next didn't get too impatient. Don't worry folks, it's on it's way.

In Spain, a newlywed couple parks their car in a deserted land to make love and they trespass a private property. They are taken to a women's prison and the husband Michael (Ángel Caballero) is released by the warden Magda (Ajita Wilson) while his wife Olga (Uta Koepke) is arrested and forced to hard labor. Soon she befriends Kanita (Andrea Guzon) and Tara (Ursula Buchfellner) and she learns that the women in the prison are submitted to sexual abuse to satisfy the sadistic and lesbian warden and the impotent Governor Mendonza (Robert Foster) and his bisexual wife Luwa (Gina Janssen). Meanwhile her husband returns to the prison with a friend expecting to rescue Olga while Kanita and Tara are sold to a brothel.

"Sadomania - Hölle der Lust" is a soft-porn with a ridiculous and absurd story of sexual violence. Michael's friend is murdered and forgotten by the plot. Olga never dresses a shirt after rescued by her husband. But who cares? This sleazy and outrageous exploitation shows one of the greatest number of naked women, including the 20 year-old German Ursula Buchfellner, who was the Playmate of the Month and centerfold of October 1979. The warden is performed by the transsexual Ajita Wilson. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "Sadomania"