Prison-A-Go-Go : Release Year - 2003 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Overall Rating : 3 1/2 /10 Directed By : Barak Epstein Rhonda Shear (USA's Up All Night) Mary Woronov (The Devil's Rejects) Lloyd Kaufman (President of Troma Ent.) Supplied By : Shock-O-Rama Cinema Film Reviewed By : Rick Blalock -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLOT After her sister is kidnapped, a beautiful young woman must infiltrate a maximum security, all-women prison in the Philippines in order to save her sibling and other female guinea pigs from horrifying genetic experimentation carried out by a mad doctor. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE REVIEW Prison-A-Go-Go, well i've been wanting to see this film ever since I heard of this. I heard that this was a throwback to the old women in prison movies such as "Switchblade Sisters" and "Black Mama, White Mama" starring Sid Haig and Pam Grier. This in fact is quite reminiscent of those, but not as fulfilling and not as satisfying. This film is about a young woman, whom is named Callista, she is kidnapped by an evil scientist, who's assistants cart off to a secluded prison in the Philippines for some reckless experiments. It is now up to Callista's sister Janie to rescue, her but in order to do so, she must commit a crime worthy enough of jail time. This in itself is a great part in the movie it was funny to see Janie ponder her actions as what to do, as it ends up Janie gets jail time for killing the local bum. Janie now off to prison, this is where the rest of the story picks up as we meet our share of crazy individuals. By far the funniest person in the group is "Breezy" played by Tina Parker, she just so happens to smuggle objects into the prison by stuffing them in her ass, at one time she just so happened to produce a can of beans! We also have "Cross Eye" whom affectionately sleeps with her pet porcupine. But the main focal point(besides Janie) comes in the voluptuous form of "Jackpot" played by the still-ever-so-sexy Rhonda Shear! I have been a fan of Rhonda's for many many years and you just don't know how enthused I was to see this woman again! Here in Prison-A-Go-Go, her character Jackpot sports what appears to be a New York/Jersey accent, in which she really nails here. Despite being the one to look at in the film she also shows her comedic side, which I have not seen since her old days on the comedy scene, this woman is funny I will tell you that... We also have an appearance by the "King of weird" himself Lloyd Kaufman(and that's a good weird) Kaufman, will be forever known as the king of oddball, his comedic performances are unlike any other you will ever come across...his lines are often, un-written and unscripted, much like the films that his company Troma produce. This man is just too damn funny. As you might have guessed it, I am praising the cast and their work. The means of my rating are not a matter of the cast, it is among other things that ruin it. Number one, the filmmakers had landed a deal with a rather big soft drink company, who pulled out at the last minute. Every time the can of the said product would appear on screen, they would blur it out. This doesn't sound bad right? Of course not, but what happens is that they cut to Director Barak Epstein explaining why the can is blurred and that they have a new sponsor. This could have waited it really ruined the film, having to stop the film's momentum just to reveal a worthless piece of information, that no one cares about, that could've easily been a part of the special features. In the early women and prison movies, the shower scenes were a huge part...that being said the director after each shower scene adds a timer as to when the next shower scene will occur in the bottom right of the screen. This is an utterly ridiculous idea, this is obviously meant for the sex crazed teenage male and not the educated movie buff. In my opinion as a professional trying to review a film it was distraction, and should've had an option to remove it. Also what makes it worse is that within the 5 or so shower scenes that do happen, NONE of them are worth waiting for! If you are going to have that many shower scenes, please make it something you'd want to see. If you are a fan of Rhonda and you are expecting to see her "goodness" you will be forever disappointed, On that note, i'll add that I am also disappointed in this film. As a fan of cinema exploitation, I expected a lot more out of PAGOGO...instead we get a toned down, half-hearted adaptation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GORE METER 2/10 Some blood here and there, but nothing major, The film relied on the shower scenes that do absolutely nothing for the film. . -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MUSICAL SCORE 2/10 Not much of one but what it did have was some lame rap music as well as some rock -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPECIAL FEATURES RATING 6/10 The features, seem to be the best part of PAGOGO we have behind the scenes and audition footage, also an interview with Epstein, but the best part art taped Q&As with Roger Corman and Mary Woronov, both at the SHOCK-A-GO-GO film festival. Roger Corman, is highly respected and I see why, the man in full of film making knowledge and he knows just how to use it. Mary Woronov answers questions regarding her long and illustrious career with great insight and detail....I know I learned some things... And as always the dvd contains the massive trailer vault EI Cinema is known for, with such films as "Sinful" and "Chantal" in which I cannot wait to see! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE FILM This film is fun, you have to give it credit for that. But if you are expecting a movie the caliber of "Black Mama, White Mama" you will be disappointed, as that film has what all this film is lacking. The good thing is, is that this film was shot in Dallas TX and that the director is a Dallas native. If you are a fan of Rhonda Shear, or Mary Woronov, i'd recommend Prison-A-Go-Go, other than that I wouldn't make it a necessity to see. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STILLS