I came to this movie looking for some skewed inspiration away from the mainstream. Made in 1972, before the nasty "wimmin in prison" sub-genre of the late-70s and 80s, which were largely left to VHS audiences via cheap labels, this is primarily one of those "hell hath no fury" movies where a wronged woman fights back at her male antagonists (or all of male-kind, apparently).
Nami Matsushima (aka Matsu the Scorpion) is betrayed by her police detective lover and sent to prison after her failed attempt to kill him. There she is routinely, and ritually, humiliated, degraded, and tortured by everyone until the building pressure reaches crisis point and a riot erupts.
There's mild attempts at visual metaphors but the overall quality is spoiled by poor fight choreography, bad make-up effects, and awkward editing. It's an unpleasant film to look at, but not without atmosphere in a few scenes. Even the nudity fails to be titillating as the best parts are always hidden. Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion doesn't have enough ideas or story, and restrains itself when it threatens to spoil us with a gory, visceral pay-off, leaving the viewer constantly frustrated.
Worth a single viewing, but no classic. There's better schlock out there.
Nami Matsushima (aka Matsu the Scorpion) is betrayed by her police detective lover and sent to prison after her failed attempt to kill him. There she is routinely, and ritually, humiliated, degraded, and tortured by everyone until the building pressure reaches crisis point and a riot erupts.
There's mild attempts at visual metaphors but the overall quality is spoiled by poor fight choreography, bad make-up effects, and awkward editing. It's an unpleasant film to look at, but not without atmosphere in a few scenes. Even the nudity fails to be titillating as the best parts are always hidden. Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion doesn't have enough ideas or story, and restrains itself when it threatens to spoil us with a gory, visceral pay-off, leaving the viewer constantly frustrated.
Worth a single viewing, but no classic. There's better schlock out there.