Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS [4K Ultra HD Blu-ray]

One of the most infamous examples of the 1970s glut of sexy-Nazi movies is this gory, sleazy wallow in nauseating excess from director Don Edmonds. Busty Las Vegas showgirl Dyanne Thorne made her cult reputation in the title role as Ilsa, the sadistically depraved directress of Medical Camp 9. It is a memorable performance and was so popular that Thorne was resurrected in similar roles on three subsequent occasions. Despite its controversial themes, Ilsa, She-Wolf of the S.S. is much less of a death-camp movie than a mixture of women's prison thriller and escape film. No mention is ever made of gas chambers or crematoria and most of the portrayals of Nazi men seem to come straight from Hogan's Heroes (this film was made on the sets of that series). In this light, Edmonds' hybrid of gore, sex, and action is far less offensive than it might have been, and Thorne's over-the-top villainess actually makes it somewhat endearing. Although this film isn't the best in the series, and is not for the faint of heart, it has much to recommend it for genre devotees. The makeup effects by Joe Blasco are quite realistic for the time, Thorne's performance is impressively evil, and Richard Kennedy is a hoot as the jovial, piggish General. Jonah Royston's screenplay certainly doesn't skimp on exploitation elements, but it also has enough clever plot touches to satisfy those looking for a real story in between the carnality and carnage. Cult starlets Sharon Kelly and Uschi Digart also appear.