Exploitation films have become a favorite of mine in just the past few years now because it was a medium I never discovered until I was introduced first hand to them at an event called "eXfest". I've seen quite a few movies I would've never found had it not been for the Exhumed Films guys and Vinegar Syndrome who have taken it upon themselves to bring this genre to life by finding these films and releasing them onto DVD or Blu-Ray. This film I am reviewing today is from Vinegar Syndrome's library of films and is from a subgenre simply titled "women in prison" films. Now try to imagine some of the hottest women of the 70's thrown together in an ugly film about being imprisoned and having to fight back and trek through the jungle to escape their captors. This is that film and though its been done a few times and the story is similar to other films in the subgenre this film is in fact fairly entertaining and holds nothing back.
Who are the Muther's you ask?
Jeanne Bell, Jayne Kennedy, Rosanne Katon and Trina Parks play "Pirates" to say the least but whose gonna question a female pirate whose robbing people on the open seas in the 70's. I mean if I was being robbed by a hot female pirate she can easily take whatever she wants from me because its better than being robbed by today's version of a pirate all scraggly and scary looking. I do find something funny that tag line of the film has them calling the women of this film sea-savages. If you were to see these women they are from looking like sea-savages granted their crew members on the boat may look the part but these women are from looking like savages, whomever came up with this tag line must've been mad about this movie being made or something.
Now the film follows three Muther's (Jayne Kennedy, Jeanne Bell and Rosanne Katon) along with their rag tag group go on a search and rescue mission to find one of their own and save her from the grips of vicious white slavers. Along they way they do battle with rival pirates who try to move in on their territory and a climatic ocean battle that's nothing like a Michael Bay explosion ending but is fairly decent enough to make you go, "HELL YEAH!".
Director Cirio Santiago is a name that should stick out for fans of the exploitation genre or remotely even be discussed when a film like this is brought up because the fact that he's done films like Ebony, Ivory and Jade and TNT Jackson proves that he's been around in the genre well before this film and his work after this is no different. Sadly Santiago passed away in 2008 but his legacy lives on in the films he has left behind for us fans to discover. Trust me when I say I forgot about his work because its been years since I watched a film with his name under it and that being TNT Jackson. I for one have been searching high and low after today to find some more of Santiago's films to watch. After watching this film and its decent transfer from 35mm to DVD is pristine as it can be. This film may not be the greatest of the women in prison genre but its a nicely packed punch to the teeth or a swift kick to the balls that will make you feel like you watched a decent movie.
So this is where I would normally tell you to go out and see this movie but like I said this film is not the best nor is it a exploitation classic to say the least. But it does deserve a one time view if you can desire to want to see it or even own. Me personally I chose to own because I collect these films and it fits nicely in the film collection I have. But to me it doesn't rank up there with films like Bamboo House of Dolls or Women's Prison Massacre but it does fall in as a nice contemporary piece that should be seen and then shelved for a few years until someone you know asks what is this film and you break it out like a age bottle of wine and let its life breathe once again. So if you do want to own this film and see first hand what Santiago's vision truly looks like in an exploitation film then here's where you can find your copy.
reviewed by Bucky
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