Escape from Hell (1980 film)
A 1980 Italian women-in-prison exploitation film.
Escape from Hell, released in 1980, is an Italian exploitation film from Variety Distribution. It also circulated under the titles Hell Prison, I'm Coming Your Way, and Femmine infernali. The movie fits within the women in prison genre.
Though never charged with obscenity, the version titled Hell Prison was seized and confiscated in the United Kingdom under Section 3 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 during the video nasty scare.
A group of female prisoners, who are abused and wear revealing clothing, plot to fight back against their oppressors and flee their jail.
The cast includes Anthony Steffen as Doctor Farrell, Ajita Wilson as Zaira, Cristina Lay as Vivienne, Cintia Lodetti as Katie, Luciano Pigozzi as The Warden, Serafino Profumo as Martinez, Maite Nicote (credited as Maite Nicott) as Mary, Yael Forti as Marika, Zaira Zoccheddu as Lucy, Adelaide Cendra as Female inmate 1, Angela Martinelli as Female inmate 2, Gilberto Galimberti as Luis, Anna Maria Panaro as Marie Antoinette, the madwoman, and Robert Spafford as the uncredited voice of Martinez.
In Britain, the BBFC refused a cinema certificate for Escape from Hell in December 1980. A heavily cut version, retitled I'm Coming Your Way and running 66 minutes, passed without further cuts the following year. When submitted for VHS in 1988 under the title Hell Prison in its uncut form, 3 minutes and 46 seconds were removed due to scenes of sexual violence.
On home video, the film appeared on a double DVD pack with Lust for Freedom, sold as "Nymphos Behind Bars 2 Pack."
Quick Facts
- Director
- Edoardo Mulargia
- Producer
- Arturo González
- Writer
- Sergio Chiusi / Roberto Estévez / Anthony La Penna / Edoardo Mulargia
- Starring
- Anthony Steffen / Ajita Wilson / Cristina Lau / Cintia Lodetti
- Music
- Marcello Giombini
- Cinematography
- Valverde Mateos Manuel
- Editing
- Eugenio Alabiso
- Distributor
- Variety Distribution
- Released
- 27 March 1980
- Runtime
- 93 minutes
- Language
- Italian
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The plot follows a group of abused, scantily-clad female prisoners who devise a plan to rebel against their oppressors and escape from their penitentiary. The cast includes Anthony Steffen as Doctor Farrell, Ajita Wilson as Zaira, Cristina Lay as Vivienne, Cintia Lodetti as Katie, Luciano Pigozzi as The Warden, Serafino Profumo as Martinez, Maite Nicote as Mary, Yael Forti as Marika, Zaira Zoccheddu as Lucy, Adelaide Cendra as Female inmate 1, Angela Martinelli as Female inmate 2, Gilberto Galimberti as Luis, Anna Maria Panaro as Marie Antoinette the madwoman, and Robert Spafford as the uncredited voice of Martinez.
Reader's Guide
The film is notable for its censorship history in Britain. When submitted for cinema release in December 1980 under the title Escape From Hell, the BBFC refused it a certificate. The following year a heavily edited version, retitled I'm Coming Your Way and running 66 minutes, was passed without further cuts. It was later submitted for VHS in 1988, now retitled Hell Prison and in its complete form, and received 3 minutes 46 seconds of cuts to scenes of sexual violence. The film was also released on a double DVD pack with Lust For Freedom, under the title 'Nymphos Behind Bars 2 Pack'. Its significance lies in its representation of the Italian exploitation film cycle and its role in the UK video nasty panic, where it was seized and confiscated under the Obscene Publications Act.
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