Rating: 
Summary: Heavy on the Mania, Short on Sadism
Review: This film caught my interest when I watched the trailer on Blue Underground's Web site. But, alas, as so often happens, the trailer was better than the movie. "Sadomania" is overly long for what it is and much of it tends to drag. There are several eye-rolling moments to nudge you out of your stupor, however: A woman getting attacked by an obviously plastic alligator; prison uniforms of Daisy Dukes and boots--and nothing else; a governor's bushy fake mustache; toy guns, one of which even drips water when fired; and director Jess Franco in a small role as a swishy gay pimp. There are attempts to augment the movie's lack of sadism by offering plenty of sleaze, like the governor's wife (imagine a young Terri Garr in "The Ivana Trump Story") having sex with the prisoners to arouse her husband, then promptly selling them into white slavery (and after she tearfully told her husband she wants to have his baby!). But between the laughable dialog (the guards actually say, "Halt! Who goes there?") and sloppy production values, such trashy plot twists just add to "Sadomania"'s silliness.The prison's warden is played by transexual actress Ajita Wilson, who, aside from its laughable campy moments, may be the only other reason to see "Sadomania". Wilson's an exotic beauty and definitely dominates the scenes she's in, but Ilsa she's not. In an interview included on this DVD Franco says Wilson wasn't comfortable with her character's brutality and you can tell. Given her career in hard- and soft-core porn, it's not surprising she seems more at home in her sexier moments, like seducing a prisoner's skinny husband. Franco can't be entirely dismissed as a talentless hack, yet he makes so many decisions that make him appear so. Fans of his other movies may wonder what--and if--he was thinking with "Sadomania." The DVD's extras--an interview with Franco, Spanish and English trailers, a bio of the late Ajita Wilson--almost make it worth three stars. Too bad "Sadomania"'s three-star extras can't make up for the two-star movie.
Rating:
Summary: Fast forward review
Review: This movie comes with a lot of hype but very little substance. We start with a newlywed couple who drive onto private property. The man is let go, but the woman is thrown in a women's prison. A prison where guards and prisoners all go topless. A tyrannical and sadistic warden watches over all. But the warden and the prison seem to be around solely for the benefit of the Governor and his wife as they take advantage of the availability of the female captives. Throw in a little slavery, prostitution, and the return of the new husband bent on rescuing his bride and you pretty much have the whole film. Nudity, depraved sex, and violence are in almost every single scene. But there is little or no feeling of connection in the movie. The warden's wife is trying to have his baby but some of the methods are suspect. The warden becomes a simpering ditz in the end. Too many of the characters look alike and cause confusion. This is a good movie if you want to look at topless women, but if you want story or any real drama, this is one to avoid.
Rating:
Summary: Put me to sleep nine times
Review: This movie comes with a lot of hype but very little substance. We start with a newlywed couple who drive onto private property. The man is let go, but the woman is thrown in a women's prison. A prison where guards and prisoners all go topless. A tyrannical and sadistic warden watches over all. But the warden and the prison seem to be around solely for the benefit of the Governor and his wife as they take advantage of the availability of the female captives. Throw in a little slavery, prostitution, and the return of the new husband bent on rescuing his bride and you pretty much have the whole film. Nudity, depraved sex, and violence are in almost every single scene. But there is little or no feeling of connection in the movie. The warden's wife is trying to have his baby but some of the methods are suspect. The warden becomes a simpering ditz in the end. Too many of the characters look alike and cause confusion. This is a good movie if you want to look at topless women, but if you want story or any real drama, this is one to avoid.
Rating: 
Summary: BUY SOMETHING ELSE!
Review: This movie was a major disappointment. The plot is awful. The dialogue stinks. The camera-work is amateurish, even by b-movie sleaze standards. It's poorly lit. The acting is terrible, and most of the actresses are in fact ugly slags. There is a lot of nudity, but don't expect to be aroused by it. The people who made this did not put much effort into it at all and it shows. I guess they figured that nudity + perversion was a big enough selling point, and that they could lazily toss the rest of the movie together in a slapdash manner. Unfortunately, this movie does not even excel on the nudity and perversion front, except for perhaps the odd fellow who has a thing for trannies. In other words, this movie has no redeeming value, and even the onanist should look elsewhere. For something in a similar vein and from the same era, but that is actually enjoyable, I'd recommend something from the Something Weird catalogue instead.
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