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Roberta Collins, Jerry Frank, Pam Grier, Sid Haig, Kathryn Loder ... see more see more... , Brooke Mills , Christiane Schmidtmer , Patricia Woodell , Charles Davis , Judy Brown , Jack Davis , Pat Woodell

Jack Hill directed this alternately brutal and campy look at desperate women behind bars. An American named Collier (Judy Brown) has been convicted of murder in the Philippines and is sentenced to a g... read more read more...rim women's prison in the jungle, where a mysterious German woman, Miss Deitrich (Christiane Schmidtmer), is the warden, and her head guard, sadistic Lucian (Katheryn Loder), keeps her charges in line through intimidation and violence. Collier shares a cell with tough-talking bisexual prostitute Grear (Pam Grier), hard-boiled political prisoner Bodine (Pat Woodell), thick-skinned but good-humored Alcott (Roberta Collins), drug-addicted Harrad (Brooke Mills), and tight-lipped Ferina (Gina Stuart). Bodine's boyfriend is the leader of an underground revolutionary faction, and when she learns he and his comrades are in danger, she begins to plot an escape for herself and her cellmates, with travelling peddlers Harry (Sid Haig) and Fred (Jerry Frank) becoming her unwitting collaborators. Meanwhile, Lucian is stepping up her torture of the prisoners at the behest of a mysterious masked stranger, and Collier is determined to find out who is behind the systematic brutality. The Big Doll House was the first "Women In Prison" exploitation epic produced for Roger Corman's New World Pictures; it was a big hit on the dive-in and grind house circuit, and spawned dozens of imitations (which are still being produced today). By the way, that's Pam Grier singing the theme song! ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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50% liked it

1,558 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

5 critics

R, 1 hr. 33 min.

Directed by: Jack Hill

Release Date: April 30, 1971

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DVD Release Date: May 11, 1999

Stats: 98 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (98)

  • FilmFanatik
    March 29, 2012
    FilmFanatik
    The Big Doll House happens to be one of the really good "women in prison" exploitation classics, from none other than genre director Jack Hill and producer Roger Corman. It may be cheap on budget but damn is it ever entertaining. The ridiculous dialogue and acting combined with a... read more really cheesy storyline that has every cliche in the book: lesbianism, mud wrestling, shower scenes, female torture, male torture by angry females... well, you get the idea. This is one of the best of the genre, for sure, with lots of nudity and even a bit part for Corman regular Sid Haig. AND, of course, the always lucious Pam Grier along with a host of other hotties. I very much enjoyed this one and the two follow-ups. The "sequels" had their share of problems, but from now on when I think of "women in prison" movies, The Big Doll House springs to mind.
  • ajv2688
    December 26, 2010
    ajv2688
    I've never understood the appeal of the women behind bars genre, but this movie wasn't all that bad, not good, but not horrible.
  • matertenebraum
    October 16, 2009
    matertenebraum
    New meat enters the big house, in the shape of Collier and she learns that it won't be an easy walk in the park. Grear, Alcott, Bodine, Harad and Ferina welcome her to the rough and tumble endurance of prison life and the importance of holding your own to stay alive. Be it, from ... read moreyour inmates or that of their sadistic prison warden named Miss Diestrich. Then there are two peddlers, Harry and Fred who play off the inmates to get what they want.

    Roger Corman sent out exploitation director Jack Hill to the Banana republic (Philippines) with very little money, but on-hand he had a group of stunning women to work with. Though, to Corman's surprise, the end result was nothing but phenomenal, since it did extremely well with moviegoers. Its been done before, but this old hat Women-In-Prison concept for "Big Doll House" became revolutionary by giving it an ounce of fresh treatment (or maybe it was just great timing) that simply appealed to the drive-in audience to ensure the genre would erupt again.

    Hill's film is quite watered-down for a WIP exploitation feature (compared to its European cousins), but there are enough nitty, gritty elements involving random drug abuse, sadistic torture, and sexual antics, pumping gunfights and wild cat fights in a very energetic pattern. Production-wise, it's very solid for a meagre budget with it drumming in with a saucy score (and also Pam Grier's tantalisingly, groovy title song) and workman-like camera-work that had a great eye to detail. The bang-up story mainly focuses on a group of well-rounded and strong willed, firebrands who are not easy pushovers. Where they're trying to keep their spirit, pride and dignity in tack. A nice dash of snappy humour is worked into the salty dialogues and fiery language. There are some silly aspects, but it does bust out surprises, spontaneous inventions and comic relief, thanks largely to the minor turn by the charismatic character actor Sid Haig. But it was the memorable Pam Grier's steamily, spruced performance that steals every frame. She was the full package and afterwards would go on to be a true Blaxploitation star. Although, the attractively biting Roberta Collins holds her own quite well and Judy Brown, Pat Woodell and Brooke Mills add to the unique, spicy ensemble. Kathryn Loder performance makes headway too, as the stern and lean prison warden. Director Jack Hill's hardened direction is extremely sturdy and he keeps a quick rapid throughout.

    An American WIP exploitation flick that keeps it rather tasteful, but still highly entertaining b-grade material with a well-fitted cast.
  • SirPant
    September 30, 2009
    SirPant
    Bad acting, dodgy script, rubbish story and questionable characters. Exploitation classic, God bless you Jack Hill! Love the end!
  • kenstachnik
    July 13, 2008
    kenstachnik
    I liked big bird cage so much better, but the print of this I saw was terrible and that might of had something to do with it.
  • kingmob6
    January 21, 2012
    kingmob6
    One of my first forays into the women in prison genre is one of the more iconic ones out there, recently released in a great Blu-ray set. The set-up up is classic, with an American being dumped into a foreign prison that is run by a cruel German woman, who has the prisoners tort... read moreured for the amusement of a mysterious man.

    Pam Grier rocks, there's some Sid Haig in here as well, what's not to love?

    Recommended.
  • mamamiasweetpeaches
    October 9, 2006
    mamamiasweetpeaches
    Lets see: Its the 70s. Get Pam Grier. Throw her in a cel. Add heaps of lesbianism and violence. And what have you gotten? Brilliant Woman In Prison Flciks, thats what! These old school WIP's are a lot of fun if you like cult classics and can down 10 or 20 beers while watching.

View All The Big Doll House Reviews

Critic Reviews

John Beifuss
September 2, 2011
John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

A first-person lament, the title song establishes that the story will be told sympathetically from the point of view of the female inmates, even if their humiliation and suffering (and their communal ... Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
November 15, 2009
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

Filmed by Hill with a luxuriant eye for the Philippines, an appreciation for offhand poesy, and a rather Sirkian direction of actresses Full Review

Brian Mckay
November 16, 2003
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com

When the skin factor is low, Sid Haig saves the show! Sure, overall it's a piece of crap, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a piece of crap film finer than this one. Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
January 17, 2003
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner

A great, glorious trash classic.

Emanuel Levy
August 1, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Jeffrey M. Anderson
October 6, 2007
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

Click to read the article Full Review

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