Caged Fury (1990)

So much average

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

I actually never heard about Bill Milling before, but solely based on this movie he is already a true cult/exploitation hero in my book! Why? Because if you single-handedly realize the production of a film like "Caged Fury", which is basically a montage of severely perverted masculine fantasies, and then still manage to cast a handful of respectable actors (like Michael Parks, Paul Smith, James Hong and Erik Estrada), well then you are one cool bastard; and that's a fact! Milling had been making adult-entertainment movies since the mid-70s already, but ended his career in the late 80s and early 90s with a couple of cheap and sleazy exploitation movies. "Caged Fury" is clearly inspired by the successful trend of so- called "Women in Prison" movies, even though the heyday of that particular cult sub-genre was already long over by then, and that basically means that the plot and logic are subordinate to showing naked flesh and gratuitous violence! The artistic high points in the film thus exist of scantily clad blond babes worming themselves through narrow ventilation shafts and images of the lesbian head- warden parading around in kinky S&M outfits. And yet, somehow I'm deeply persuaded that "Caged Fury" could have been a much better film and even a sleeper hit if only Milling & Co tried a bit harder. The plot contains a few inventive ideas, ambitiously attempts to blend martial arts elements and even comes with a surprise-twist ending. The cute and innocent Kathie Collins leaves her countryside home and overbearing father to make it as an actress in Hollywood! She naturally meets up with the wrong people, wrongfully gets accused of prostitution and ends up for 3-6 months in a secluded woman's prison. When she hasn't checked in with her family for weeks, her older sister Tracy goes looking for her, but she falls for the same false promises and unrealistic dreams as her sister. Their fate lies in the hands of Kung-Fu macho duo Victor (Ponch from "CHiPs") and Dirk Ramsey (a weirdo with an impressive mullet and mustache), as they slowly discover that the prison is merely just a cover-up for a girl-slaves trading organization. Apart from the couple of impressive aforementioned names, the cast mainly just exists of adult film stars, like the inevitable Ron Jeremy or the luscious Janine Lindemulder. There are some excellently repulsive roles for Gregory S. Cummins and Paul Smith as misogynist prison guards, but the real hero obviously remains Dirk "Mullet" Ramsey. He's a late 80s action symbol who kicks in cement walls with his bare feet and seduces all the pretty women even though he's one of the ugliest people in the world. Best part of the film is unquestionably the ending, when it suddenly gets revealed that this so-called prison institution is located right in the center of Hollywood Boulevard! Sensational!

There's often a great deal of fun to be had finding little known B pictures like this one. At least writer / director Bill Milling did his part in keeping the Women-In-Prison genre alive with his cheesy effort here. Sweet and sexy Roxanna Michaels plays Kat Collins, a gal who moves to L.A. in the hopes of being an acting star, and manages to get herself "arrested" and sent to a prison where she and various other very attractive ladies are treated as sex slaves and even auctioned off to interested parties. Her concerned older sister Tracy (Elena Sahagun) follows her trail determined to find out what happened. Meanwhile, two detectives, played by Erik "Ponch" Estrada and hulking Richard Barathy, are on the case. Barathy in particular is just a riot, a gruff, tough, brute with a priceless head of hair who the ladies on hand just go crazy for. Whether he's kicking his way through a wall or confronting the massive head guard (Paul L. Smith, 12 years after playing a not dissimilar role in "Midnight Express") or just "acting", the guy is full of entertainment value. But there are enough other familiar faces on hand to help make this thing palatable: James Hong as a detective, Michael Parks as the father of the two girls, Jack Carter as a lecherous sleaze ball, Gregory Scott Cummins as ultra creepy guard Spyder, and even Ron Jeremy as one of the guards. Jeremy isn't the only porn star to be seen, though, as there are others here acting under pseudonyms. The soundtrack, featuring some rocking tunes by a group named Poison Dollys, is enjoyable, and as befitting any movie of this type, we do get an eyeful of our hottie inmates, striking sexy poses and dressed provocatively - when they are dressed; there's enough nudity to keep people happy. The bottom line, though, is that this is all just depraved enough - and silly enough - to make for a good time for interested B movie aficionados. One performer in this who's particularly a hoot to watch is Ty Randolph as the crazed warden, Sybil Thorn (a nod to Sybil Danning and Dyanne Thorne, perhaps?). A noticeable absence of any slickness (the movie does look pretty rough, overall) helps to accent the effective grindhouse appeal. Pretty entertaining overall. Note: Estrada, Smith, Hong, and Parks also all take an associate producer credit. Seven out of 10.

When I popped "Caged Fury" into my VCR, I had no idea what to expect because I didn't have the VHS sleeve, so I thought I might be in for a kind of kick boxing movie... and I wasn't so far off. Let me explain. The film revolves around two sisters who get sent to this women's prison unjustifiably. Granted, lots of eye candy, but most of the scenes with any kind of nudity we're due to sexual harrasement and such... not much fun. Our hero is the top of the cake though. It's not explained how he is so talented at fighting, but he looked like a professional kickboxer! It was hilarious! There is no motive either for him to put his life on the line to save these two girls. Very bad though, but fun for a late night romp.

...or cry 'till you laugh. One or the other. It's a terrible film, but you've got to be made of stone not to enjoy this. There is line drawn in the sand of the desert where all bad films dwell. It separates those films that are just bad from those that are so appallingly terrible they just have to be seen. The word tacky doesn't do this justice. you absolutely have to see this film. Get a couple of mates around and watch it with plenty of alcohol on standby. I promise you you'll enjoy it. Plus, Dirk Ramsey? There's never been an action hero like him before. There never will be again. He should have his own theme tune.