Female Prisoner #701 Scorpion (Shunya Ito 1972)
The first in Ito's women in prison series comprising of four films all starring the excellent Meiko Kaji (who swordplay fans may recognize from Toshiya Fujita's cool
Lady Snowblood films). Subsequent entries in the series are as follows,
Female Convict Scorpion Jailhouse 41 (1972),
Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable (1973), and
Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701's Grudge Song (1973) directed by Yasuharu Hasebe. There was also a fifth installment made in 1976 called
New Female Prisoner Scorpion, but Ito refused to get involved after budget cuts, and Kaji was replaced in the lead role by Yumi Takigawa.
In the film Kaji plays Nami Matsushima (Matsu for short) nicknamed 'Sasori-Scorpion' by the authorities and her fellow inmates. She's a wronged woman who only ended up in prison after attempting to murder the crooked police detective and former lover (Sugimi played by Natsuyagi Isao) who betrayed her. Sugimi also had links to the Yakuza and wants Matsu dead in case she incriminates him; rest assured this kicks off bigstyle.
Let me just start by saying that if you like Japanese grindhouse cinema and haven't seen these you need to do so asap. Meiko Kaji is absolute dynamite in these films, saying little, but speaking volumes with her intensely subtle body language. I liked her in the two
Lady Snowblood films, but here she gives such an incredibly memorable performance as Scorpion that I was transfixed all the way through. This is full of your usual 'women's prison' exploitation ingredients, lesbian sex, nudity, violent catfights, gore and cruel torture scenes, but it's extremely well made with it. The photography is second to none and the entire supporting cast shine (particularly Rie Yokoyama as Katagiri a sadistic fellow inmate) ensuring nasty, sleazy fun all the way. Highly recommended.
Female Prisoner #701 Scorpion: Beast Stable (Shunya Ito 1973)
This one is much grimmer than the first with Scorpion now on the run in Tokyo after escaping from prison
*. The insane pre/opening credit sequence is a highlight as our ruthless heroine hacks off the arm of a persuing police detective (Kondo played by Mikio Narita) after he handcuffs himself to her. We then get Scorpion's haunting theme tune sung to us (by Kaji) over the credits whilst she runs through the Tokyo streets with the bloody arm still dangling.
The plot sees her hide out with a young prostitute and her mentally retarded brother (who regularly have incestuous sex together). It's there that Scorpion tries to start a new life, until a perverted neighbour recognizes her from a wanted poster and attempts sexual blackmail. A vengeance filled (one armed) detective Kondo is also still on her trail, and there's a score to settle with a local prostitution racket after they kill a pregnant woman and her baby.
Yep it's not exactly cheerful, but Meiko Kaji is still incredible in the lead, the moody lighting and photography superb, and the supporting characters (including an old prison rival who keeps Ravens in an aviary) uniquely colorful. Again highly recommended for those with a tolerance for this sort of thing, it's very violent and sleazy though, so don't say I didn't warn you.
* This is actually part three in the series, I haven't seen part two yet as for some reason it's not included in the R1 box set I have.