What a hoot! There's plenty here to appeal to lovers of many genres. John Vernon's acting is comically inept and the never ending stream of stunning inmates never seems to amaze. Linda Blair exhibits a constant look of concern, especially as the hilarious riot scene takes place. Sybil Danning shines as usual displaying her fine attributes regularly,
34 Reviews
The "Citizen Kane" of women-in-prison movies
Mark_D-223 September 1999
Fans of the women-in-prison film genre, your "Citizen Kane" is here. "Chained Heat" contains every stereotyped character, every impossible (or at the very least improbable) plot point, and every bit of risible dialogue you have ever seen and heard in every other women-in-prison movie, pumps them up tenfold, and unleashed them in a never-ending barrage on your senses. And yet for all that, it's a movie that's virtually impossible to dislike. It seems to make up for all it's shortcomings by never, ever being boring, unlike many other examples of the genre. And let's face it, it has a cast for B-movie fans to die for.
Superseded by "Reform School Girls"
rlcsljo24 September 2000
I thought this was the greatest "Women in Prison" movie until "Reform School Girls" came along: It presented a gritty, "realistic" (although no real fatsos in this one) look at what our prisons must really be like. Although there was more cold blooded murder in this one, the high camp of "Reform School girls" took much of the edge from this one.
Sybil Danning and Tamara Dobson do great jobs as the leaders of their respective gangs and try to act this one up, but the rest of the cast does not seem to be taking their jobs all that seriously. This film may have one of the best prison riots ever filmed though.
If you cant get "Reform School Girls", but you can get this one, definitely give it a look!
Sybil Danning and Tamara Dobson do great jobs as the leaders of their respective gangs and try to act this one up, but the rest of the cast does not seem to be taking their jobs all that seriously. This film may have one of the best prison riots ever filmed though.
If you cant get "Reform School Girls", but you can get this one, definitely give it a look!
The 80s best exploitation movie?
Infofreak18 January 2002
I'm a sucker for 60s and 70s exploitation movies - Russ Meyer, Roger Corman, Jess Franco, Jack Hill, Larry Cohen, all those guys. While there was some great movies made in the 80s, very few exploitation movies from that era reached those dizzying heights. Crud like 'Porky's' and 'Hollywood Hot Tubs' were the order of the day. No thanks! However 'Chained Heat' is simply sensational, comparable to the classics of the genre and will appeal to discerning trash lovers everywhere.
Newbie Linda Blair ('The Exorcist' kid all grown up) enters a tough women's prison, where lesbianism, drug use, racial tension, violence and sneering are prevalent. The white inmates are ruled by tough-talking Erika (Sybil Danning, star of more b-grade nudies than you can shake a stick at), the black ones by tough-talking Dutchess (the fabulous Tamara Dobson of 'Cleopatra Jones' fame). Also in the mix are veterans John Vernon (at his sleaziest!), Stella Stevens, and Henry Silva. The superior cast is one of the things that makes 'Chained Heat' so great. The other is the sheer ludicrousness of it! The best women-in-prison movie I've ever seen. Highly recommended!
Newbie Linda Blair ('The Exorcist' kid all grown up) enters a tough women's prison, where lesbianism, drug use, racial tension, violence and sneering are prevalent. The white inmates are ruled by tough-talking Erika (Sybil Danning, star of more b-grade nudies than you can shake a stick at), the black ones by tough-talking Dutchess (the fabulous Tamara Dobson of 'Cleopatra Jones' fame). Also in the mix are veterans John Vernon (at his sleaziest!), Stella Stevens, and Henry Silva. The superior cast is one of the things that makes 'Chained Heat' so great. The other is the sheer ludicrousness of it! The best women-in-prison movie I've ever seen. Highly recommended!
"Why can't you snort it like the rest of us?"
marat-57 July 2000
Not the best of the WIP's, but not the worst either. I honestly feel guilty laughing at this film considering it had to be career lows for all involved. Yet the acting, dialogue, preposterous scenarios, and the ever present boom mic get to me everytime and certainly add to its bad movie charm. As much of a Linda Blair fan I am, top (or topless) honors go to Sybil Danning. Also, special kudos to Henry Silva, who's the only one in the cast who doesn't play his role too seriously. Viewing, the film now, though, makes me look at Stella Stevens character more closely. She plays the head officer, and I have to wonder if this where Hilary Clinton decided to adopt her current look and demeanor. After all, I'm sure she had to look no further than her husband's video collection to find this film. Not that I'm judging. I've seen it several times myself, and it all makes me wonder what would've happened if Mr. Clinton had been allowed to install a hot tub in the Oval Office. Hmmm.
Cartoony porn & gore with nothing new to offer
moonspinner5525 June 2006
Ugly women-of-the-cellblock flick rakes the bottom of the midnight-movie barrel, combining pulpy sleaze with the hoariest of girls-in-the-shower clichés. Linda Blair plays an innocent sent to jail (we learn offhandedly she was involved in running over some guy with her car), facing hard time in the Big House with some of the nastiest characters this side of a Russ Meyer pic. Blair is continually pawed at, punched, raped, humiliated and harassed. The dialogue is four-letter-word disgusting throughout, and the flick offers no let-up from its barrage of violence and stupidity. Still, some viewers see this as a camp classic, though perhaps its tongue isn't far enough in cheek. * from ****
What happened to Linda Blair? Oh, wait there she is...
Phalanx6665 November 2002
Sad... really sad. This movie has nothing (hmmm, well maybe Sybil Danning) to keep you watching. It also hurt my eyes to see Linda Blair in this exploitation flick. She certainly deserves better.
So what's the story about? Let's see... Warden John Vernon tapes the inmates in rather inspiring positions, while prisoner Sybil actually runs the prison and little Linda must fight to survive... Sounds like a B-movie, huh? It is.
So what's the story about? Let's see... Warden John Vernon tapes the inmates in rather inspiring positions, while prisoner Sybil actually runs the prison and little Linda must fight to survive... Sounds like a B-movie, huh? It is.
Blair's Worst Project....
Mister-68 October 1999
A lot of actors have a multitude of good movie roles in their soul. Some, a handful. Others, maybe a couple.
Then there's Linda Blair. "The Exorcist". That's it.
When you see "Chained Heat" and watch Linda Blair in it, you have to wonder what, if anything, was running through her mind.
Certainly not, "Oh boy: Oscar for Best Actress, here I come!"
Just another women in prison film like they used to make for the cheap in the '70s, this one actually has names you may recognize. John Vernon plays the dean... I mean, the warden (with a hot tub in his office; wonder what he told the contractor?), Stella Stevens pops up, even Henry Silva and Louisa Moritz show how bad they needed the work.
And special mention, of course, for our heroine Sybil Danning as a bisexual prisoner who puts the moves on poor Blair. To paraphrase, Sybil is as Sybil does and everything Sybil does is done perfect. Makes you forget what a terrible movie you're watching.
Almost.
Two stars. One for Sybil and another for trying to pass off Linda Blair as a sex symbol. Whatever could have possessed them (get it?)?
Then there's Linda Blair. "The Exorcist". That's it.
When you see "Chained Heat" and watch Linda Blair in it, you have to wonder what, if anything, was running through her mind.
Certainly not, "Oh boy: Oscar for Best Actress, here I come!"
Just another women in prison film like they used to make for the cheap in the '70s, this one actually has names you may recognize. John Vernon plays the dean... I mean, the warden (with a hot tub in his office; wonder what he told the contractor?), Stella Stevens pops up, even Henry Silva and Louisa Moritz show how bad they needed the work.
And special mention, of course, for our heroine Sybil Danning as a bisexual prisoner who puts the moves on poor Blair. To paraphrase, Sybil is as Sybil does and everything Sybil does is done perfect. Makes you forget what a terrible movie you're watching.
Almost.
Two stars. One for Sybil and another for trying to pass off Linda Blair as a sex symbol. Whatever could have possessed them (get it?)?
Too Unrealistic
Uriah4323 December 2014
"Carol Henderson" (Linda Blair) is a young woman who has just been sentenced to 18 months in a very harsh prison on the charge of vehicular manslaughter. When she gets there she is totally unprepared for what awaits her as "Warden Bacman" (John Vernon) is not only corrupt--but due to one of his subordinates named "Captain Taylor" (Stella Stevens)--he is incapable of exercising even the slightest control over some of the more reprehensible situations that develop within the prison. As a result the women are often beaten, sexually abused and sometimes even murdered. And because she is new Carol soon finds herself in the center of it all. Now rather than reveal any more about the story and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was an average "Women-in-Prison" (WIP) movie which certainly had the potential to be much better. Although the cast was pretty good the story itself seemed to jump too quickly from one scenario to another without the necessary development to back them up. Additionally, some of the scenes were simply too unrealistic which caused the film to lose its credibility. On the other hand, this film certainly had its share of eye-candy with Sharon Hughes (as "Val") and Monique Gabrielle ("Debbie") being my personal favorites. Again though, had some of the scenes been more plausible, in addition to having a more thorough setup between them, it could have been a much better movie. As it is, I have to give it a rating of only average.
A wonderfully vulgar piece of trash.
hsvbama20 November 2001
`Chained Heat' is a wonderfully vulgar piece of trash that has everything anyone would want in a Women-In-Prison movie: lots of boobs, frontal nudity, lesbian action, drugs, prostitution, rapes, shootings, stabbings, strangulations, and much, much more.
Linda Blair is the naive `heroine' who finds herself in a rather unique penal institution. Apparently, the authorities of the unnamed state in which this story takes place decided they required a lockup reserved almost exclusively for women with `D' cups. (Linda in the movie showed she didn't quite fit this criterion, but apparently some exceptions were made.) Naturally, the prison officials are corrupt to their core (you should see the warden's `playroom') and not above having the women inmates show `good behavior' (if you know what I mean, and I think you do.) There is some animosity between the various factions among the prisoners, but, as one might expect, the girl gangs find a commonality of purpose in the final blow-up toward the end of the movie.
`Chained Heat' is a flick that will stick in your mind long after you've forgotten a lot of other movies.
Linda Blair is the naive `heroine' who finds herself in a rather unique penal institution. Apparently, the authorities of the unnamed state in which this story takes place decided they required a lockup reserved almost exclusively for women with `D' cups. (Linda in the movie showed she didn't quite fit this criterion, but apparently some exceptions were made.) Naturally, the prison officials are corrupt to their core (you should see the warden's `playroom') and not above having the women inmates show `good behavior' (if you know what I mean, and I think you do.) There is some animosity between the various factions among the prisoners, but, as one might expect, the girl gangs find a commonality of purpose in the final blow-up toward the end of the movie.
`Chained Heat' is a flick that will stick in your mind long after you've forgotten a lot of other movies.
zzz
talllwoood132 April 2021
Little to no plot, an absolutely boring main character they should have spent more time creating a back story to as she hardly says any lines, because of that the movie is so incredibly uninspired. Whoop dee doo drugs are being smuggled into prison, a rape scene.. racism and corruption. About half way into the movie I gave up on it. It'll take more than a bunch of nude women to finish this garbage movie.
The Holy Grail of Women in Prison movies?
Coventry28 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
In spite of the undeservedly and even ridiculously low rating of 3.7 out of 10 here on this website, at least most of the reviewers seem to agree with me that this is simply one of the greatest (undoubtedly even THE greatest) so-called "Women in Prison" exploitation classic ever made. Seriously, this sick puppy has literally everything you could possibly be looking for in a sleazy & shoddy exploitation flick: raw action, extreme violence, suspense, wondrously stereotypical characters, gratuitous nudity, steaming hot sex footage, campy music, suitably filthy set pieces and gloriously over-the-top performances from a dreamy all-star B-movie cast. Unlucky cherubic beauty Carol Henderson must serve 18 months in prison following a deadly car accident she caused, but she never could have dreamed she would end up in the most derailed and improperly run women's prison facility in the world! All sorts of putrid and impure business take place in this institution and, even worse, everyone gets away with everything! The head warden Bacman (John Vernon in an awesomely sneering role) built his office into a luxurious loft where he shoots private sex film starring the inmates and forces them to snitch on the others. His first captain Stella Stevens desperately wants to steal his position and does whatever she can to frame him. She and her lover Lester (played by Henry Silva who's the personification of sleaze) also run a very profitable escort service for which he smoothly sneaks out prisoners and rents them out to wealthy customers. Then there's another duo of wardens who pay tough chick Ericka (Sybil Danning) to rape and abuse defenseless new arrivals and then, last but not least of course, there's the usual type of conflicts between the prisoners mutually. You know; the gang of Ericka versus the black girls led by the tall-legged Tamara Dobson and Linda Blair's diplomatic attempts to unite them all together against the prison authorities. "Chained Heat" is a stupendously terrific and ultra-trashy classic in the field of 80's exploitation classics. Writer/director Paul Nicholas clearly wanted to pay tribute to the preceding 'Women in Prison' movies of the seventies (like, for example "Caged Heat" and "The Big Bird Cage") but actually surpassed all those titles in terms of dementia and sheer entertainment value. The film provides full frontal female nudity every couple of minutes and even the slightly more prominent ladies in the cast aren't too embarrassed to show a little bit of T&A. Personally, I sure as hell prefer gazing at a fully matured Linda Blair showering in prison rather than a 13-year-old version possessed by the devil and vomiting pea soup! "Chained Heat" comes with my highest possible recommendation, in case that wasn't made clear enough yet.
Damned Funny!!
Poochie25 November 1998
Another one for the "Unintentionally Funny" file. The boom mike is a co-star, appearing in almost every scene, along with Linda Blair, Sybil Danning, Stella Stevens, Tamara Dobson, Louise Moritz, Edy Williams, Nita Talbot & John Vernon. There are too many hee-larious scene to mention here. If you have not seen this, and enjoy cheap shoddy filmmaking with loads of bad acting and grade Z production values then this one is for you, kids!!! Watch for Linda Blair's rip-away bra!!
Camp quality cult prison flick of beauties and bastards
videorama-759-8593915 February 2014
CH is a guilty pleasure of camp this is as addictive as Krispy Kreme donuts. It's highly unlikely you've ever been in a prison like this one. This is a film that set a new tradition of prison films where the facilities are infested with corruption by it's staff. Vernon, who did a score of films with Blair, plays the corrupt warden who lives in the prison. His den is one of sex and rape, and he has a video camera to prove it, as well a Jacuzzi, where he makes his pics while having sex with the drug addicted inmates, one tasty scene near the start involving a young blabbermouth phillie who sorrily gets her just desserts. Racial confrontations, lesbianism, violence, murder, this film has it, not even a bad script, either. But deep down we know, this is very far from Oscar status. I liked Henry Silva, who plays a real sleaze, who works with the governor (a really good Stella Stevens). He sneaks the girls out for partying and entertaining dirty old men. I liked how all the prisoners, all came together near the end, compared to all the animus they shared earlier, where finally, after many ugly incidents, they decide to turn things around. These films are so stereotypical of Blair too, who uses a couple of the same lines, she uses in other movies. CH is a guilty pleasure of sleaze, one of the most entertaining flicks of this kind (and there's many others floating around, believe me.
THE BEST WOMEN IN PRISON MOVIE OF ALL TIME!!!
MovieMan-1123 August 2001
Compared to CAGED HEAT and other womens' prison films, CHAINED HEAT is the ultimate classic of the genre! It's got gruesome violence, a lot of humor, and lots and lots of female NUDITY! Also equipped with a decent story.
Linda Blair is ok in the starring role but the 3 best characters got to be:
1.)John Vernon's prison warden who has a jacuzzi in his office that's never without a sexy inmate. He also tapes his sex-capades with a video camera. GOD I WISH I HAD HIS JOB!
2.) Stella Stevens' prison guard, Taylor, is a real tough bitch who scares new inmates (Blair) and brutalizes the rest with her cruel orders and unorthodox decisions. She also has an erotic side to her when she tries to satisfy her strong sexual urges by deeply falling for one of the warden's buddies who is only using her for his own personal gain. He is, in fact, already serious with the next character who is the best thing in this entire movie...SEX GODDESS SYBIL DANNING!
3.) Sybil Danning's inmate, Ericka, is a georgous and tough woman who runs the entire prison. She makes unwanted passes at Linda Blair, especially in the BIG SHOWER SCENE where beautiful Sybil caresses Blair's shoulder's with warm water and soap. GOD I WISH I WAS LINDA BLAIR AT THAT MOMENT! Sybil has all the power in this movie. She chooses who she wants and desires and who she rejects and harms including one male guard who's crazy about her. Imagine being so close to her at work everyday and not being able to even approach her. TORTURE!
See this movie and you'll very entertained..you'll get some laughs, some gore, a few catfights, and an increase in libido. Enjoy!
Linda Blair is ok in the starring role but the 3 best characters got to be:
1.)John Vernon's prison warden who has a jacuzzi in his office that's never without a sexy inmate. He also tapes his sex-capades with a video camera. GOD I WISH I HAD HIS JOB!
2.) Stella Stevens' prison guard, Taylor, is a real tough bitch who scares new inmates (Blair) and brutalizes the rest with her cruel orders and unorthodox decisions. She also has an erotic side to her when she tries to satisfy her strong sexual urges by deeply falling for one of the warden's buddies who is only using her for his own personal gain. He is, in fact, already serious with the next character who is the best thing in this entire movie...SEX GODDESS SYBIL DANNING!
3.) Sybil Danning's inmate, Ericka, is a georgous and tough woman who runs the entire prison. She makes unwanted passes at Linda Blair, especially in the BIG SHOWER SCENE where beautiful Sybil caresses Blair's shoulder's with warm water and soap. GOD I WISH I WAS LINDA BLAIR AT THAT MOMENT! Sybil has all the power in this movie. She chooses who she wants and desires and who she rejects and harms including one male guard who's crazy about her. Imagine being so close to her at work everyday and not being able to even approach her. TORTURE!
See this movie and you'll very entertained..you'll get some laughs, some gore, a few catfights, and an increase in libido. Enjoy!
actually a story in a WIP flick
trashgang2 February 2021
I just seen the full uncut version of Chained Heat. Be sure to catch that one, because the older ones are cut and the Anchor Bay version from around 2006 is heavenly cut.
Not that you are going to miss a thing it's just some blood that is cut out and a fight scene her and there.
Sybil Danning perfectly casted in this WIP flick but just have a look at Linda Blair. Doing well for sure but after The Exorcist (1973) it was downhill with her career and maybe she has the lead but it's low budget. It shows in many ways. No extra lighting. Microphone in a lot of shotto see on-camera (a red one how stupid can you be). But the worst thing for her is that she had to go fully naked here.
A reason why this one is hunted down, only for that for many geeks out there. Otherwise, it's a classic in the genre, it has a real story, and action. Outt there in many versions, so be sure, mine was 1 35 58
Gore 0/5 Nudity 2/5 Effects 0,5/5 Story 2,5/5 Comedy 0/5
Not that you are going to miss a thing it's just some blood that is cut out and a fight scene her and there.
Sybil Danning perfectly casted in this WIP flick but just have a look at Linda Blair. Doing well for sure but after The Exorcist (1973) it was downhill with her career and maybe she has the lead but it's low budget. It shows in many ways. No extra lighting. Microphone in a lot of shotto see on-camera (a red one how stupid can you be). But the worst thing for her is that she had to go fully naked here.
A reason why this one is hunted down, only for that for many geeks out there. Otherwise, it's a classic in the genre, it has a real story, and action. Outt there in many versions, so be sure, mine was 1 35 58
Gore 0/5 Nudity 2/5 Effects 0,5/5 Story 2,5/5 Comedy 0/5
Doesn't go far enough, but decent enough
slayrrr66630 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
"Chained Heat" is the kind of Women-in-Prison film for those who don't like the genre.
**SPOILERS**
Arriving at a new prison, Carol Henderson, (Linda Blair) finds that the other inmates coming in with her, Val, (Sharon Hughes) Bubbles, (Louisa Moritz) and Blue Eyes, (Jody Medford) are out to protect her from Ericka, (Sybil Danning) Bobbi, (Dee Biederbeck) and Lulu, (Greta Blackburn) some of the tougher inmates. As they all get processed into the facility, they realize that Warden Bacman, (John Vernon) has big plans for them, since they are also in league with her to run a drug ring in the prison. As they spend more time in the prison, they all realize that a war within the prison's inmates has them all in the palm of Captain Taylor, (Stella Stevens) who has plans on taking control of the prison. Not standing up for the deception, they revolt against the authorities to get better conditions for themselves and throw the corrupt heads in charge out of power.
The News: As far as Women-in-Prison films go, this one is a more classy version, for better or worse. Despite being a mainstream film, this one still features enough requirements of the genre to make it count. There's the butch authority figure with the manly haircut and the constant cigar-chomping attitude, the women inside taken out to be sold as prostitutes, higher motives for those in charge and then the sleaze angles, featuring everything from the nudity to the sex and much more. There's a requisite shower sequence that features a couple of full-frontal shots, the dominating one forcing the rookie to wash her down and more that are prerequisites of the style. Even the sex scenes are pretty sleazy, with the fact that they're recording it and forcing others to watch or perform special moves which is where the sleaze comes in. From the interactions in the yard to the way the newbie is handled by the others all the way to the fight against the higher-ups, this one really plays well with the conventions of the genre, only doing them in a sanitary way without being too dirty or disgusting. The sanitation in here is perhaps the biggest flaw in the film, since it gets to be able to do all of that without going to the lengths the other ones have done, which is what made them fun. Going all the way and being as sleazy and disgusting as they were was what made the others work, but this one here goes around that and makes it too clean-feeling, ruining much of that and feeling too much like a high-brow attempt at making a genre entry, which doesn't work at all. There's also the sanitized deaths in here, with really lame kills that don't have anything to offer up, with just about all of them being done in bloodless manners or hidden so that there's nothing that can be seen when its done. It's hard to get into the dirtiness of the film when everything is so clean and sanitized. Aside from these, there's also some good points to this as well. The riot through the prison at the end is really great, with the fully impressive and full-on action that takes place. It's a long series of brawls that culminate with some big action in here with a long battle that is perfectly needed to end the film on a great high. The other part that works is a rather tense chase through the catacombs early on, where an unseen force runs down an inmate through a darkened series of hallways, walkways and more, with some tense moments and a great send-off that makes it work. All of these, though, are mostly undone by the rather tame feeling it has.
The Final Verdict: A more upscale exploitation film that offers up what the genre has to offer without the sleaze, this doesn't really reach the depths the best have to offer. If you want the option of seeing one with getting as offended with the other ones, give it a try but more adventurous exploitation fans have better options.
Rated R: Graphic Language, Full Nudity, Violence, drug use and a couple mild sex scenes
**SPOILERS**
Arriving at a new prison, Carol Henderson, (Linda Blair) finds that the other inmates coming in with her, Val, (Sharon Hughes) Bubbles, (Louisa Moritz) and Blue Eyes, (Jody Medford) are out to protect her from Ericka, (Sybil Danning) Bobbi, (Dee Biederbeck) and Lulu, (Greta Blackburn) some of the tougher inmates. As they all get processed into the facility, they realize that Warden Bacman, (John Vernon) has big plans for them, since they are also in league with her to run a drug ring in the prison. As they spend more time in the prison, they all realize that a war within the prison's inmates has them all in the palm of Captain Taylor, (Stella Stevens) who has plans on taking control of the prison. Not standing up for the deception, they revolt against the authorities to get better conditions for themselves and throw the corrupt heads in charge out of power.
The News: As far as Women-in-Prison films go, this one is a more classy version, for better or worse. Despite being a mainstream film, this one still features enough requirements of the genre to make it count. There's the butch authority figure with the manly haircut and the constant cigar-chomping attitude, the women inside taken out to be sold as prostitutes, higher motives for those in charge and then the sleaze angles, featuring everything from the nudity to the sex and much more. There's a requisite shower sequence that features a couple of full-frontal shots, the dominating one forcing the rookie to wash her down and more that are prerequisites of the style. Even the sex scenes are pretty sleazy, with the fact that they're recording it and forcing others to watch or perform special moves which is where the sleaze comes in. From the interactions in the yard to the way the newbie is handled by the others all the way to the fight against the higher-ups, this one really plays well with the conventions of the genre, only doing them in a sanitary way without being too dirty or disgusting. The sanitation in here is perhaps the biggest flaw in the film, since it gets to be able to do all of that without going to the lengths the other ones have done, which is what made them fun. Going all the way and being as sleazy and disgusting as they were was what made the others work, but this one here goes around that and makes it too clean-feeling, ruining much of that and feeling too much like a high-brow attempt at making a genre entry, which doesn't work at all. There's also the sanitized deaths in here, with really lame kills that don't have anything to offer up, with just about all of them being done in bloodless manners or hidden so that there's nothing that can be seen when its done. It's hard to get into the dirtiness of the film when everything is so clean and sanitized. Aside from these, there's also some good points to this as well. The riot through the prison at the end is really great, with the fully impressive and full-on action that takes place. It's a long series of brawls that culminate with some big action in here with a long battle that is perfectly needed to end the film on a great high. The other part that works is a rather tense chase through the catacombs early on, where an unseen force runs down an inmate through a darkened series of hallways, walkways and more, with some tense moments and a great send-off that makes it work. All of these, though, are mostly undone by the rather tame feeling it has.
The Final Verdict: A more upscale exploitation film that offers up what the genre has to offer without the sleaze, this doesn't really reach the depths the best have to offer. If you want the option of seeing one with getting as offended with the other ones, give it a try but more adventurous exploitation fans have better options.
Rated R: Graphic Language, Full Nudity, Violence, drug use and a couple mild sex scenes
Drive-in Classic!
dgordon-117 September 2001
This has to be one of my all time favourite sexploitation movies. A stellar cast, over-the-top acting, lots of prison fights and violence, and just enough nudity to give it added appeal. The drive-in theatres here in Toronto held over this classic in '83 and brought it back as an added feature in '84. The sound fluctuates, the boom microphone shows up in parts, and the movie is dark, however, these technical flaws do not take away from the grittiness of this movie, they just add to it. If you are looking for a good "women in chains" movie, this is one of the best.
Stupid and sleazy but fun
preppy-314 September 2008
Carol (Linda Blair) is sent to prison for 18 months after accidentally hitting and killing a man with her car. This the kind of prison where the warden (John Vernon) has a hot tub in his office and tough Erika (Sybil Danning) falls for unattractive Blair. And there's the head of guards--Stella Stevens chewing the scenery. Ah the 80s! When sleaze like this was released by major companies and actually played in mainstream theateres! There's the expected shower sequence, lesbianism, murder, rape, drug abuse and tons of swearing. It also has some of the most hysterically bad dialogue I've ever heard in a movie--even for a WIP flick! (Example: Don't walk away from me you chalk-faced whore!) Now this isn't a good movie at all but, in a silly way, it IS fun! It never stops moving and gleefully hits every single cliché straight on. Blair is terrible in this but Stevens, Danning, Sharon Hughes as Val and the wonderful Tamara Dobson as Duchess are just great. Stupid, sleazy and LOADS of fun! I give it a 6. Trivia: For completists--A hook murder has pretty obviously been edited out and I heard a scene where Vernon rapes Blair is missing too.
Don't you walk away from me, you chalk-faced whore!
lastliberal-853-25370816 July 2011
This is one of the best of the women-in-prison (WIP) films.
It features Linda Blair, Sybil Danning, and Tamara Dobson. And, when I say features, I mean features. Also featured are Sharon Hughes, Penthouse Playmate Monique Gabriel and Stella Stevens, as the Captain.
John Vernon is the warden, and his office looks like something you might find at the Playboy mansion, with shag carpeting, a Jacuzzi, an exotic fish tank, a fully stocked bar and mood lighting. Henry Silva, the guy I most like see get it, no matter what movie he is in, is the big boss.
Like all WIP flicks, you have lots of nudity, drug use, prostitution, violence, murder, rape, knife fights, shankings, more rape, racism, corruption, tranny abuse, and more rape.
It all ends when the blacks and whites quit fighting each other, and join together to defeat Danning and her henchwomen.
Classic sexploitation and blaxploitation.
It features Linda Blair, Sybil Danning, and Tamara Dobson. And, when I say features, I mean features. Also featured are Sharon Hughes, Penthouse Playmate Monique Gabriel and Stella Stevens, as the Captain.
John Vernon is the warden, and his office looks like something you might find at the Playboy mansion, with shag carpeting, a Jacuzzi, an exotic fish tank, a fully stocked bar and mood lighting. Henry Silva, the guy I most like see get it, no matter what movie he is in, is the big boss.
Like all WIP flicks, you have lots of nudity, drug use, prostitution, violence, murder, rape, knife fights, shankings, more rape, racism, corruption, tranny abuse, and more rape.
It all ends when the blacks and whites quit fighting each other, and join together to defeat Danning and her henchwomen.
Classic sexploitation and blaxploitation.
The only W.I.P. movie you will ever need .............
merklekranz7 October 2019
"Chained Heat" is the women in prison film standard, by which all others must be compared. The story is the familiar innocent ( Linda Blair) wrongly imprisoned. The evil prison warden (John Vernon). The brutal head guard ( Stella Stevens). The queen bee inmate (Sybil Dannning). Throw in Henry Silva and Tamara Dobson, and you have the greatest "B" movie cast ever assembled for a W.I.P. film. The movie's greatest strength besides the cast is that it over delivers in the expected nudity and violence. The greatest weakness is the script which really is nothing more than an add on to get to the nakedness and brutality. Acting by anyone not named above is totally pathetic, but that is more or less a given in this type film. - MERK
For WIP film addicts, Chained Heat can't be beat
tokyoboy18 June 1999
No women-in-prison film to-date has been able to match the wit, sleaze, and outright gaudiness of this eye candy crowbar classic. Critics in general have dismissed it for years, never giving it the credit for which it deserves within the ranks of its own genre (a common mistake of film critics and dizzy fanboy movie buffs). Only recently have some film guides come around. For example, the recent edition of the Blockbuster Movie Guide rates the film as a modern classic for the genre. NOTE: In the Vestron Video release of Chained Heat those "boom mics" are visible because the film was not matted to its intended aspect ratio of 1:66. In the Japanese matted release (or letterboxed if you will), those boom mics are not visible.
Riot in Cell-Block "B"!
sol12186 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
**SPOILERS** A somewhat chubby but very sexy looking Linda Blair as woman prisoner Carol Henderson is run through the ringer in this classic "Women in Prison" movie where she ends up not only saving the day but losing a few pounds of baby fat that she put on since growing into adulthood.
Carol for her part just wants to put her time in, 18 months, for a hit and run rap where she ended up killing a pedestrian. Not knowing what she's got herself into Carol ends up engineering a major prison riot that puts an end to a reign of terror at the prison. Warden Bacman, John Vernon, running the women's prison has been also running a drug ring and using the profits to built an elaborate penthouse for himself where he entertains the women prisoners he's in charge of.
Anything goes in Warden Bacman's house of horrors with the horny male prison guards paying for sex with the shapely woman prisoners. This leads at the beginning of the movie a terrified woman prisoner Susie, Jonna Lee, being gunned down when she, with a toy gun, resisted the advances of prison guard Stone,Robert Miano.
It doesn't take long for a sweet and inoffensive Carol to become a hardened convict when she's messed with by not only her fellow women prisoners but by Warden Bacman who's got his eye on her. The warden likes them, his women, young and innocent and Carol is just what he's been looking for since his former prison girlfriend Debbie,Monique Gabriell, was found murdered in the prison laundry room. Debbie besides engaging in the wardens many personal pleasures, like having himself and her video taped having sex, was snitching on her fellow prisoners.
We soon learn that as Warden Bacman was enjoying himself, with women booze and drugs, his second in command Captain Taylor, Stella Stevens, has been planning a coup to overthrow him and take over the prison with her pimp boyfriend Lester, Henry Silva. Meanwhile Carol has gotten in with woman prison leaders Ericka, Sybil Danning, and The Dutchess, Tamara Dobson, who despite being bitter enemies have joined together to crash out of prison before either Warden Bacman or Captain Taylor stage an unfortunate accident for both of them.
One of the best,and unintentionally funny, prison films ever made "Chained Heat" really gets going when Carol whips up the women prisoners after Captain Taylor took over the prison. That was due to Warden Bacman's "accidental" drowning in his king-size bathtub. Running the prison like a concentration camp commandant Captain Taylor has the state prison administration start to put the heat on her in why so many of her inmates are ending up either dead or in the prison infirmary.
With the rioting woman prisoners on the verge of taking control of the prison Carol, knowing what will put an end to Captain Taylor's dreams of power and glory, breaks into Warden Bacman's penthouse in search of the incriminating evidence that would put Captain Taylor behind bars! A hidden video tape of Captain Taylor and head woman guard Boots,Kendal Kaldwell, drowning the very drunk Warden Bacman while he's entertaining one of his woman prisoners in his hot-tub! Bacman has a tape recording system hooked up in his pad, that Captain Taylor didn't now about, that recorded everything that happened there even his murder!
Without a doubt "Chained Heat" is by far the best and most hilarious womens prison movie ever made. As bad as the film is in its unbelievable story and the atrocious acting in it doesn't for a moment let its audience down. Even now, some 25 years after is initial release, "Chained Heat" has never been eclipsed, much less duplicated, in the many bad womens prison flicks that had since followed it.
Carol for her part just wants to put her time in, 18 months, for a hit and run rap where she ended up killing a pedestrian. Not knowing what she's got herself into Carol ends up engineering a major prison riot that puts an end to a reign of terror at the prison. Warden Bacman, John Vernon, running the women's prison has been also running a drug ring and using the profits to built an elaborate penthouse for himself where he entertains the women prisoners he's in charge of.
Anything goes in Warden Bacman's house of horrors with the horny male prison guards paying for sex with the shapely woman prisoners. This leads at the beginning of the movie a terrified woman prisoner Susie, Jonna Lee, being gunned down when she, with a toy gun, resisted the advances of prison guard Stone,Robert Miano.
It doesn't take long for a sweet and inoffensive Carol to become a hardened convict when she's messed with by not only her fellow women prisoners but by Warden Bacman who's got his eye on her. The warden likes them, his women, young and innocent and Carol is just what he's been looking for since his former prison girlfriend Debbie,Monique Gabriell, was found murdered in the prison laundry room. Debbie besides engaging in the wardens many personal pleasures, like having himself and her video taped having sex, was snitching on her fellow prisoners.
We soon learn that as Warden Bacman was enjoying himself, with women booze and drugs, his second in command Captain Taylor, Stella Stevens, has been planning a coup to overthrow him and take over the prison with her pimp boyfriend Lester, Henry Silva. Meanwhile Carol has gotten in with woman prison leaders Ericka, Sybil Danning, and The Dutchess, Tamara Dobson, who despite being bitter enemies have joined together to crash out of prison before either Warden Bacman or Captain Taylor stage an unfortunate accident for both of them.
One of the best,and unintentionally funny, prison films ever made "Chained Heat" really gets going when Carol whips up the women prisoners after Captain Taylor took over the prison. That was due to Warden Bacman's "accidental" drowning in his king-size bathtub. Running the prison like a concentration camp commandant Captain Taylor has the state prison administration start to put the heat on her in why so many of her inmates are ending up either dead or in the prison infirmary.
With the rioting woman prisoners on the verge of taking control of the prison Carol, knowing what will put an end to Captain Taylor's dreams of power and glory, breaks into Warden Bacman's penthouse in search of the incriminating evidence that would put Captain Taylor behind bars! A hidden video tape of Captain Taylor and head woman guard Boots,Kendal Kaldwell, drowning the very drunk Warden Bacman while he's entertaining one of his woman prisoners in his hot-tub! Bacman has a tape recording system hooked up in his pad, that Captain Taylor didn't now about, that recorded everything that happened there even his murder!
Without a doubt "Chained Heat" is by far the best and most hilarious womens prison movie ever made. As bad as the film is in its unbelievable story and the atrocious acting in it doesn't for a moment let its audience down. Even now, some 25 years after is initial release, "Chained Heat" has never been eclipsed, much less duplicated, in the many bad womens prison flicks that had since followed it.
Proof that exploitation flicks rock!
Alligator_807 April 2007
Dubbed by a source as "The Citizen Kane of Prison films", Chained Heat starts off as corny, but soon escalates into a thrill ride full of prison guards as sadistic as the warden and signs off with one hell of a conclusion.
I could give describe the movie from head to toe though it's better that you only have the plot of the movie before seeing it, otherwise the thrill factor will fly out the window.
One thing though, is that certain movies don't capture you instantly and "Chained Heat" is no exception. But don't you just miss the days where movies built up or got nowhere then turned out to be the best thing since sliced bread? I do...
I could give describe the movie from head to toe though it's better that you only have the plot of the movie before seeing it, otherwise the thrill factor will fly out the window.
One thing though, is that certain movies don't capture you instantly and "Chained Heat" is no exception. But don't you just miss the days where movies built up or got nowhere then turned out to be the best thing since sliced bread? I do...
Very, very good of its kind.
Hey_Sweden18 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The still cute as a button Linda Blair entered the pleasingly sleazy portion of her career with this well regarded 1980's classic in the Women-In-Prison genre. Linda plays Carol Henderson, a basically innocent young woman who'd accidentally killed a man with her car and is sent to prison for 18 months. Well, this particular prison is just brimming with corruption; the prisoners and staff alike are lowlifes. Although it's a guarantee it's been mentioned countless times already, an indicator of how depraved everybody is would be the fact that the genial creep of a warden (John Vernon) has a hot tub in his office, and likes to videotape his dalliances with the prisoners. Director / writer Paul Nicholas and writer Aaron Butler go down the list of W.I.P. requirements quite sufficiently. Our cast is full of damn sexy ladies, and there's a generous dose of full frontal nudity from some players and breast shots at the least from others. We get some steamy heterosexual and lesbian sex scenes, and some notably harsh violence (including rape) and gore. The cast reads like a virtual Who's Who of cult stars and other familiar faces - blonde goddess Sybil Danning and striking Tamara Dobson play rival gang leaders, Nita Talbot a hard nosed investigator, Stella Stevens the crooked captain of the guards, and a hilarious (not surprisingly) Henry Silva her partner in crime. Also appearing are Sharon Hughes (the inspiration for Prince's song "Little Red Corvette"), Kendal Kaldwell, Robert Miano, Dee Biederbeck, Greta Blackburn, Jennifer Ashley, Jody Medford, Monique Gabrielle, Edy Williams, Marcia Karr, Carole Ita White, Susan Meschner, Michael Callan, Jonna Lee, and Irwin Keyes. (Trivia notes: several of the actors here had already appeared in another W.I.P. favourite, "The Concrete Jungle", and Vernon's daughter Kate made her film debut with "Chained Heat" as one of the unnamed extra inmates! Nothing like keeping it in the family.) All of these people are a joy to watch, especially Linda, endearing as ever, Danning, Dobson, Stevens, Vernon, and Silva. Miano excels in his part as the lecherous guard Stone. It's particularly fun to see the ever delightful Louisa Moritz in a special appearance as TV addict Bubbles. Joseph Conlan's catchy music is a nice accompaniment to the various trashy goings-on, and prolific and reliable cinematographer Mac Ahlberg, whose name you'll see in the credits of a number of 80's genre efforts, gives the movie a slick look. An absolute must for any trash lover, "Chained Heat" is great entertainment all the way. Followed by "Chained Heat II" a decade later. Eight out of 10.
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