I watched WOMEN IN FURY for the first time last night and enjoyed it quite a bit. Next, I'll probably watch ESCAPE FROM WOMEN'S PRISON. I have a shortened version of that (on a double feature tape with SWEET SUGAR), but it will do for now. Like many of you, I'm looking forward to Blue Underground's forthcoming 99 WOMEN disc. (To be honest, though, I think I'd buy ANY film that had Luciana Paluzzi, Rosalba Neri, Maria Rohm, Maria Perschy, Herbet Lom and Mercedes McCambridge. Whew, what a cast!) I'm sure I've seen other Euro WIP films, but I'm drawing a bit of a blank at the moment. What are some of your faves? And at the other end of the scale, what are some of the worst?

I was blown away by Escape From Women's Prison when I saw it, as part of the Sweet Sugar tape. A DVD release was announced a couple of years ago, but it never materialized. I believe the company's DVD line was discontinued, if memory serves me right. I can only hope that a company like BU or Synapse (hint hint, Mr. May Jr.) has an interest in it.

Another favourite of mine is Violence in a Women's Prison: Mattei sleaze and Laura Gemser make it irresistable.

I have only seen one Euro WIP flick, but it was quite an experience. It was Jess Franco's SADOMANIA and I can't imagine a film featuring more nude flesh than that one.

I don't like this genre. But Jess Franco did some good WIPs:

99 WOMAN is a serious and beautifully shot film. If you are interested in Euro-trash definitely avoid this one (I mean .... avoid the director's cut, since I cannot fancy what a mess the X-Rated version will be).

LOS AMANTES DE LA ISLA DEL DIABLO (1972) is a very good film in which Jess still takes the genre seriously, but more on the melodramatic side. It will be released on DVD by X-Rated Kult and Image.

MUJERES ACORRALADAS (1983) doesn't belong to the exploitation category, either, but I recommend it to pure Franco fans only. It's an interesting, fascinating movie, but minimalistic and shot with an ultralow budget.

DES DIAMANTS POUR L'ENFER (1975) – known in US as WOMEN BEHIND BARS – is a personal favourite, but it's a kind of false WIP. It's more a spy-movie with some surrealistic prison scenes. It should be released by X-Rated, too.

BARBED WIRE DOLLS and GRETA, like all the Franco WIP produced by Dietrich are actually trash-movies, but very involving. The first is a masterpiece of improvisation, the second is more stylish and extreme.

In my view, the other Franco-Dietrich WIP – LOVE CAMP and WOMEN IN CELLBLOCK 9 – are just silly. I know that the second has his fans, but the first seemed to me one of the worst Franco ever.

With SADOMANIA Franco gives a humurous interpretation of the WIP genre, in his comic-books style. He doesn't take the subject seriously anymore. The BU DVD (after being replaced for the notorious problems) looks terrific, but in order to really appreciate this film one should see it in Spanish.

I can think of one and it's Irwin Dietrich's ISLAND WOMEN- a film that could easily have been made by Franco himself. The women in this never get dressed and the plot is just an excuse for the film to display naked flesh and softcore sex- which occasionaly borders on hardcore. Lahaie is undoubtedly the best thing in the movie.

In fact, it's surprising how much Dietrich imitates Franco. But it doesn't work.