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Uschi Digard, Greg Knoph, Dyanne Thorne, Sandy Richman, Wolfgang Roehm ... see more see more... , George 'Buck' Flower , Gregory Knoph , Maria Marx , Nicolle Riddell , Tony Mumolo

One of the most infamous examples of the 1970s glut of sexy-Nazi movies is this gory, sleazy wallow in nauseating excess from director Don Edmonds. Busty Las Vegas showgirl Dyanne Thorne made her cult... read more read more... reputation in the title role as Ilsa, the sadistically depraved directress of Medical Camp 9. It is a memorable performance and was so popular that Thorne was resurrected in similar roles on three subsequent occasions. Despite its controversial themes, Ilsa, She-Wolf of the S.S. is much less of a death-camp movie than a mixture of women's prison thriller and escape film. No mention is ever made of gas chambers or crematoria and most of the portrayals of Nazi men seem to come straight from Hogan's Heroes (this film was made on the sets of that series). In this light, Edmonds' hybrid of gore, sex, and action is far less offensive than it might have been, and Thorne's over-the-top villainess actually makes it somewhat endearing. Although this film isn't the best in the series, and is not for the faint of heart, it has much to recommend it for genre devotees. The makeup effects by Joe Blasco are quite realistic for the time, Thorne's performance is impressively evil, and Richard Kennedy is a hoot as the jovial, piggish General. Jonah Royston's screenplay certainly doesn't skimp on exploitation elements, but it also has enough clever plot touches to satisfy those looking for a real story in between the carnality and carnage. Cult starlets Sharon Kelly and Uschi Digart also appear. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

Flixster Users

47% liked it

3,544 ratings

Critics

30% liked it

10 critics

R, 45 min.

Directed by: Don Edmonds

Release Date: January 1, 1974

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Stats: 313 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (313)


  • September 27, 2010
    I can't believe this is a real movie! What it lacks in plot in more than makes up for in boobs. Seriously, there' nudity in almost every scene. All the prisoners are naked, and apparently female Nazi officers liked to do thier torturing shirtless. It's only practical. It's really... read more quite astounding just how schlocky this movie is. The blood and gore is excessive, yet not for a minute believable. The torture is too over-the-top to be offensive. Isla is the most cartoonish villain I've ever seen this side of a Disney movie. In fact, she reminds me of a naked, nymphomaniacal mashup between Ursula the Sea-Witch, Jafar and, I don't know, Frollo, maybe? If you get offended by this movie, you've probably missed the point. It exists only to amuse you with its silliness. Either you're in or you're out. I for one, am in.
  • December 15, 2009
    Even the SS feared her?
  • December 11, 2007
    This exploitative piece of garbage is cheeky enough to carry a message from the producer purporting it to be some sort of serious study of Nazi prison camp atrocities! Yeah, right! The only good things I can find to say about it are that it's less sloppily put together than the e... read morequivalent Italian-made dross, and some of the gore effects are competently done. The first of the four 'Ilsa' movies, this was rejected in '75 and '76 by the British Board of Film Classification, and it probably still wouldn't pass uncut today. You might spot Russ Meyer regular Uschi Digard briefly testing a recompression chamber.
  • November 27, 2006
    A horrible film that professes sleaze and unintentional laughs. So yeah, it's pretty cool even if it's not very good.
  • November 13, 2011
    This movie starts out with a disclaimer where the director pretends to give a shit about people who died in the Holocaust, and then goes into a delightful romp of campdom. This really is one of those terrible movies you just have to enjoy. The story flows awfully, but every scene... read more is still interesting enough to have held my attention, and the acting provides lots of unintentional comedy. Ilsa actually comes off as a very sympathetic character at times, which either says something about the layers of this film or my own sociopathy. Either way, this is worth a watch. Any movie that's hailed as the best in Nazi exploitation deserves a chance.
  • October 15, 2009
    Oh brother. This was recommended to me by another Flixster weirdo. God bless her. Now that movie standards are more lax, time for a remake -with less clothes and more lesbian vampirism.
  • October 11, 2010
    I'm guessing with this that each movie from the Ilsa series has identical cringe inducing talent, so prepare for a different scope of expectation, one associated with sexploitation of the 70s, and the experience shouldn't be as bad. Having seen it over a year ago, what vague part... read mores I remember are an emphasis on exaggerated sex, female degradation, and torture fixations. This is the first in the series and I don't think it's as graphic as it's hyped to be. The taboos are rather flippant and underline a flaky sense of humor.
  • April 11, 2009
    This is one sick puppy. Dyane Thorne is IILsa...an oversexed and sadistic commandant of a Consentration/POW camp. Lotsa gruesome tortrues and gratitous nudity. Not for the squemish-especially the part where she gives a fellow Nazi Commader a golden shower...eeewww....! Still...it... read more's a classick of it's kind,I reckon.Total grindhouse fare.
  • November 24, 2008
    Sexy gory exploitation. done right. Glad I saw it and I expected worse. Reminds me of a mix between School of the Holy Beast and Men Behind the Sun.
  • April 8, 2007
    My all time favorite exploitation film,Ilsa delivers the goods! The very sexy Dyanne Thorne is great as Ilsa and the blood,gore,sex and overall nastiness(and Naziness! lol)makes this one of the best grindhouse films ever.

Critic Reviews


Dave Kehr
March 28, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Self-conscious Canadian-made camp of the bondage-and-discipline variety. Full Review

Cole Smithey
September 13, 2007
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com

Exploitation movies don't get better than this.

Felix Vasquez Jr.
July 13, 2007
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed

More porn than actual adventure flick, this is worth the watch, regardless. If only, to see the electrified vibrator...

Chuck O'Leary
May 30, 2007
Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com

Thorne is undeniably hot, but too much of this is simply distasteful and highly unpleasant.

Rob Gonsalves
April 9, 2007
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

Despite a lot of competition, this is perhaps the most poisonous thing passing itself off as a movie that I've ever seen. Full Review

March 28, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Unlike the worst of this wretched genre, at least the filmmakers don't seem to be enjoying their work--it's simply exploitation for money. That's hardly reason, however, for anyone but students of dev... Full Review

Pablo Villaca
May 26, 2006
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

Por um lado, é um daqueles filmes tão ruins que acabam divertindo. Por outro, não há como negar que, ao utilizar o Holocausto como base para uma narrativa de S(S)exploitation e gore, revela-se moralme...

Christopher Null
September 14, 2004
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

The film works better as horror rather than sexploitation. If the blood-covered girls screaming don't do it, Thorne's chiseled face will. Full Review

Walter Chaw
July 20, 2003
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

No review available.

Philip Martin
July 30, 2002
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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