Caged Heat

Rating:
Summary: It delivers the goods despite a quirky pace.
Review: CAGED HEAT begins with the character of Wilson (Erica Gavin, BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS) being ambushed with two male cohorts in crime by three really stupid policemen. This of course leads to her incarceration in a women's prison where you are apparently allowed to wear the same dress in which you were arrested (this should serve as a lesson to guys not to wear a dress when committing a crime). Others characters in this prison include a strict, wheelchair bound warden (Barbara Steele) a sadistic yet laughable doctor, and a mouthy badgirl (Juanita Brown) among others. During her stay Wilson will strip, get in a fight, get shock treatment, shower, break out of prison, rob a bank, and, the unthinkable, break back into prison. CAGED HEAT begins well enough with a stark contrast in both the direction and level of humor. Unfortunately it loses both after about twenty minutes as it tries to develop a more serious side. When this transformation in story and direction takes place the pace of the movie slows. Although there is a logical progression of continuity in its domino effect storyline, it is at times disjointed making the pace and story erratic. CAGED HEAT is a low budget effort where its budget at times shows through like the seams in a leisure suit. It does have the bonus of a southern fried soundtrack and some good humor here and there which help to lift it when the pace does not. Despite its pace and disjointed story, it is still entertaining for its 79 minute runtime and delivers quite a bit of nudity and other fare we look for in 'women in prison' flicks.--Bob

Rating:
Summary: Demme's first film is a feminist women's prison scream!
Review: Demme's first film a fun B-grade women's prison flick with a feminist twist. Erica Gavin and Rainbeaux Smith are two of the inmates at the prison who are in on a plot to overtake the prison and its sadistic warren, played by Barbara Steele. Features trashy dialogue, tacky '70s fashions and music by John Cale. END

Rating:
Summary: Good to the last drop
Review: Do you like women's prison movies? Do you like shower scenes of women's prison movies? This is your movie. Also, do you like completely nude solitary confinement scenes in women's prison movies? Then this has two scenes. Plot, women in prison, psycho prison doctor, women escape during farm labor, they break back in to release their friends, shower scenes... all natural torpedos.

Rating:
Summary: wow
Review: I was delighted to see more than one shower scene. All natural. Different body types. You will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing and fundamental cult film !
Review: Jonathan Demme made an intriguing movie around a women prison where he focused all his attention about the complex world of the human behavior , and its most intimate concerns .
That prison is a devastating metaphor of the real world : a microcosmos itself which reflect all the miseries , ambitions and distorted angles of the reality and its fellow perversions .
You notice the close relation between this work and other emblematic film of the sixties such Shock corridor was . The deep image of the world in those convulsive years where the anarchy , the uncertainness and the hopeless as always have accompanied the people in decisive historical turning points .
The state of insanity in many prisons all around the world has been subject of study and complex analysis . Since the exterted power on the prisioners have shown also the satiety the perversity which accompain too the Status Q and who , thanks the special profile they represent their unknown physical or mind facts exerted on the people are very often covered with the ancient pretexts such as *in the name of the science* and other exquisite language modalities .
This film was filmed one year before One flew over the cuckoo's nest and somehow is engaged with a new world which emerged with new challenges and discoveries which literally shocked the world in that age .
In this sense the jump to freedom must be seen as expression of liberation and catharsis in the purest sense of the term.
The best proof this issue is far from being resolved is the fact the german emblematic film The experiment (see my review) which deals about related concerns , won the prize as best European film in 2001 .
Watch this film of a young (in that ages) but promising director Jonathan Demme , who proved with The silent of the lambs and Filadelfia what are the subjects that integrate his fundamental concerns .


Rating:
Summary: Best of the series anyway.
Review: Let's go easy and be fair: "Caged Heat" deserved its rank as the best of the women-in-prison series that marked the glory days of drive-in movies. Although Jonathan Demme's directorial debut was not a real success, it gave us a chance to enjoy the glamour of so many beautiful girls while showing their skin off and on did try their best to act as well: Erica Gavin (the famous vixen in "Vixen!"), Roberta Collins (Pam Grier's co-star in such previous WIP flicks as "Women In Cages", "The Big Bird Cage", "The Big Doll House"), Rainbeaux Smith (aka Cheryl Smith in "Slumber Party '57"), Juanita Brown (Pam Grier's co-star in "Foxy Brown") etc... What else can we ask for??? I'm glad to watch "Caged Heat" again, now on DVD so I can go to any "hot" chapter any time. Too bad "Vixen!" hasn't been released on DVD yet, but if you like this one I would recommend all the above mentioned WIP hits of the '70s. They aren't as good as "Caged Heat" but still worth checking out for their own flavors.

Rating:
Summary: Caged Heat is Dead Beat
Review: This film is a classic. There are a lot of women in prison films out there, but this one takes the cake. Most films of this type do not contain any real substance aside from violence and nudity. However, not only does this movie have violence and nudity (lots of nudity)but it has real meaning. The story is about the power of friendship. All of the women in prison have done horrible things to get there, but now that they're in a situation where they are faced with extreme punishment they have to stick together in order to survive. It's a masterpiece! Own it....and if you really like it be sure to check out THE BIG BIRD CAGE.

Rating:
Summary: AWESOME
Review: This film is a classic. There are a lot of women in prison films out there, but this one takes the cake. Most films of this type do not contain any real substance aside from violence and nudity. However, not only does this movie have violence and nudity (lots of nudity)but it has real meaning. The story is about the power of friendship. All of the women in prison have done horrible things to get there, but now that they're in a situation where they are faced with extreme punishment they have to stick together in order to survive. It's a masterpiece! Own it....and if you really like it be sure to check out THE BIG BIRD CAGE.

Rating:
Summary: Caged Heat is Dead Beat
Review: This movie was a big dissapointment. Lame acting, lame script and 70's chicks with bad acting skills. Not a very good "Women In Prison" film....there are better one like "Reform School Girls"....the band Caged Heat is way better than the movie...pass it up and get a life!