Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion

This sleazy, unrepentant and youthfully stylish landmark is a good start for an odyssey into the weird world of Japanese exploitation. With crude satire, it assaults the traditional values of Japanese society like the structures of civic duty and patriarchal power while simultaneously exploiting the hell out of every frame. Truly a film to insult everyones political sensibility. At the center of this unscrupulous feast stands the quietly fierce presence of a genre icon Meiko Kaji.

This is at its best when it just drops any sense of reality and becomes disgusting pop art nonsense, it’s also at its best when there are boobies lol

Women-in-prison shenanigans. The best shenanigans. Well, not best. But boy, those ladies sure do love ripping each others' clothes off. (Also gets a few extra points for some crazy and stylish out-of-nowhere stuff)

There's plenty of violence and nudity to satisfy those who crave such things, but I think exploitation is mainly for hipster college kids. As a revenge film, it's fairly satisfying. It's also a Seijun Suzuki-style romp, and here is where it shows the most promise. Ito doesn't do it with the same reckless abandon that Suzuki does, but there's enough creative flourish to keep it interesting.

Exactly what you could want from an exploitation flick. It's gritty, dirty, violent, and full of nudity. But this one is also not afraid to flaunt full fledged genre movie features from neon drenched scenery, to psychedelic fever dream sequences, and a classic revenge story. It is both arty and grindhouse at the same time, this one was exactly the kind of thing I watch movies for.

A Japanese WIP sploitation flick, recommended to me by Criticker? And woa, it's actually pretty good given the premise! Unoriginal story and typical sadism, but genuine bad-ass moments and I loved that dream-like flashback scene.

Through some very creative solutions Ito turns this WiP movie into something special. He infuses the movie with surreal and theatrical touches, especially in the decor and lighting (f.e. the flashback with the revolting decor) which makes this a very bold debut. Meiko Kaji is female anger against the patriarchy reincarnated, few a more beautiful fierce stare, she's righfully became a (cult) icon.

Top badass moment? The attempted escape at the start. As we know, women in movies always get caught when they’re running away from something because they fall over, but this time one decides to suddenly have the world's heaviest period instead. Never has Aunt Flo had such poor timing. At least we find out that the prison meals must be very nutritious, as they was no sign of anaemia; I've not seen anything like that since I last opened a tin of red gloss. No cats, chainsaws or decapitations.

It doesn't rise above its genre trappings so expect pure exploitation without any real social criticism to back it up. There's a lot of ripped off clothing, camera zoom-ins on tits, and men laughing while they abuse chicks that are barely wearing anything. It lags initially, but once the prison revolt kicks in it gets a lot more watchable. Ends on a high note.

Loud and unrepentant, #701 is true Japanese political exploitation - walking a very, very fine line between the anger of the political avant-garde and mainstream pinky rapey violence (that's a thing). Its female-centric savagery has rarely been matched - which is why it is justifiably a classic.

Very good film, even if it ventures a bit too much into exploitation territory at times. Interesting use of some typical crime tropes. Even though most of the scenes are very clearly fake, the rawness of the style makes it believable and effective in creating tension. The final 10 minutes are the high point, a departure from the rest of the film, but also perfectly appropriate.

Doesn't have a very original story and not the fastest pace either, but it's entertaining. Has some fun killings too, and that shower scene is pretty badass

What Shunya ITO created with Sasori is definitively one of the best wip-flicks out there. Combining sleazy exploitation - including all needed elements from group showers to lesbian sex encounters to rape - and avantgarde-resque installments mostly using colour and theatre settings this is a bit more than the usual misogynic sleaze fest. Featuring the unique Meiko KAJI turning the damsel in distress-character into a dangerous damsel that kicks arse this is only topped by the second installment.

This is much better than I remember from my first watch. Total stylistic overdose, compelling, original - even after the horde of imitation - and even beautiful, poetic in a way. The camera work and editing are rough, but the unconventional approach to both is totally successful. It really is a classic.

This movie has a lot going for it in terms of style and coolness but is still firmly rooted in the exploitation genre, making it somewhat of a conflicted viewing experience for me.

Unrelentingly vicious but also super stylish.

That style is intoxicating.

ass n titties all around, ass n titties all a bound, glad this film, frank had found, i JO to this film all through town.

An incredibly bad ass movie with awesome violence, nudity, and artistic style.

pure awesomeness beyond comprehension

"Exploitation" cinema is something I have basically zero familiarity with. I thought this was pretty entertaining and intriguing, and I'm eager to learn more about the motivations behind the making of such films, beyond the obvious titillation and revenge wish fulfillment.

Stylish pinky violence with more to show for itself than your average exploitation flick.

Meiko Kaji plays Sasori, a woman falsely imprisoned after being betrayed and framed by a former lover and his gang. Sasori is not just tough, she's incredibly bright and determined, and after enduring the standard WIP trials (including a very sexy lesbian scene with an undercover cop posing as a fellow prisoner), Sasori actually escapes the prison and exacts bloody revenge on all the men who put her there. A classic that spawned several sequels.

Host ratings: 60 / 71 / 97. (Top 5) Podcast review link: https://rydeorwrong.podcaster.de/rydeorwrong/folge-050-joerns-5-lieblingsfilme-zwei-jahre-podcast/

Is this Xena?