Reform School Girls (1986)

When it comes to the rarely discussed sub-genre of "women behind bars," two films come to my mind: "Caged Heat" and "Reform School Girls." Whereas "Caged Heat" is a trailblazing sexploitation cornerstone, the latter is a far more entertaining romp, oozing with camp and schlocky fun. More importantly, "Reform School Girls" boasts a litany of unforgettable characters, each more extravagantly tasteless than the last — resulting in a final package of endless entertainment.

To start, the late great Wendy O. Williams (of the punk band Plasmatics) plays one of many villains in this in the role of Charlie, and everyone around her is better for it. Her off-the-cuff one-liners and overall reckless abandon with which she embraces her role elevate the otherwise one-dimensional supporting cast. Then there's the ward mistress Edna, played expertly by Pat Ast, who also doubles as the unofficial mascot of the movie. The back-and-forth between Charlie and Edna, in particular, is truly something special. These two veterans of schlock complement each other perfectly despite playing similar characters, my very favorite exchange being the following:

Edna: "You're just a shit stain on the panties of life." Charlie: "You should know. You lick 'em every night!"

Despite Williams and Ast's steal-the-show performances, there is actually a lead role to be had here in the form of Jenny (Linda Carol), who appears to be the anchor of the movie despite being somewhat lost among the louder personalities. She is newly admitted to the school but has a boastful criminal background all her own. Thanks to Edna, her adjustment is difficult at first, but she manages to relate with a small group of girls who bond over their hatred for both Edna and Charlie. A power struggle soon develops as Charlie and Jenny grapple for position as head bitch of their ward. Jenny soon realizes she is at a distinct disadvantage, seeing as Charlie is engaged in a relationship with Edna.

The battle for supremacy soon reaches a tipping point, culminating in a "prison" riot of sorts, which then leads to the deliciously destructive demise of the underhanded powers that be. At movie's end, a lot of emotions are running through your head, the last of which would be boredom. "Reform School Girls" basks in its own schlockiness and never harps on any single entity for too long, which is the key to its non-stop insanity. Imagine if Russ Meyer directed a remake of "Cool Hand Luke," and you have something similar to "Reform School Girls." Swap out Paul Newman for a gravel-voiced buxom babe in assless chaps, and now we're getting somewhere!

"Reform School Girls" is ultimately a sexploitation movie at its core. There's female-on-female rape, degradation, violence and torture — controlled anarchy, in a sense. There's something deeper that resides in the absurdity of such films. Despite the the horde of female prisoners running around in little more than terrycloth bathing suits, I find a calming sense of purpose to the whole affair. Don't get me wrong, I don't see a sociopolitical message on how overcrowded our prisons are, but I do see an absurdly fantastic piece of schlock that consists almost exclusively of an all-female cast, both victimized and in positions of authority. No need for the presence of a male figurehead here. "Reform School Girls" is a filthy underground "Spice World," if you will. I think schoolgirl Claudia put it best though: "The last thing this dorm needs is another pussy."

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWiIch-WtEE&w=420&h=315]