SS Camp Womens Hell

SS Camp Women’s Hell (1977)

During the last days of World War II the Germans send a group of women to a camp for the greater glory of the Reich. One group is destined to serve as prostitutes for the enjoyment of the officers of the army. The other group is to be used for the experiments that the camp’s scientists are conducting. After torturing and killing many of the girls the survivors, emboldened by the oncoming Russian army, set an ambush and turn the tables on their captors.

This is a difficult review to write because there isn’t really much to say about this movie. The story is straightforward and follows all of the patterns that are well established to anyone who watches these sorts of movies. Girls show up, get naked, some are tortured, and the Nazi’s get what is coming to them in the end. What sets this movie apart from the vast majority of the others is that I found this one to be very entertaining. The story is well paced and keeps the action moving along briskly. The movie doesn’t stay too long with either the soft-core sex or the torture scenes. The movie always gives you just enough to keep the audience interested, without lingering too long and becoming boring. The movie also has a twisted scene with a piece of fruit that sort of questions the “preferences” of one of the main Nazi characters. The performances are difficult to judge. As is the case with most other Italian imports this one is dubbed, and badly at that.

Technically this is a well-put together movie. The camera work isn’t inspiring, but it is competent. I was amused to hear jazz music in one of the scenes that was clearly written 10 to 15 years after WWII. But the sets look good and they had matching uniforms for all of the actors. I do want to mention one thing that really bugged me about the way the movie was put together. In the opening credits and during a flashback the filmmaker decided to use real photos of the horrors of concentration camps. Obviously I’m not a prude or overly sensitive. If I were I would never watch movies like this. But there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed and exploiting the victims of genocide for a stupid low budget movie is pretty damn offensive.

Again this is a short review, but there just isn’t much to talk about. These movies aren’t for everyone. Many may consider the subject matter taboo and because of it can’t sit back and enjoy it. I can understand that because there are some things that I won’t watch. If you get a chance to pick up SS Camp Women’s Hell and it sounds like something you would enjoy then I recommend it. Other than the original Ilsa movie this is the best of the Nazisploitation movies that I’ve watched.

3 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer