The Big Doll House — The Big Doll House (DVD)
The Big Doll House was one of the early 1970’s American produced Women In Prison films. It features a few well-known names such as Pam Grier and Sid Haig, and for the WIP genre it’s a relatively well made/tame affair- so if any film was going to make you want to dip your toe in the genre, this will be as good enough place to start. Here as part of MVD’s Classics line, is a new bare-bones DVD release of the picture.
The Big Doll House( aka Women's Penitentiary III, Bamboo Dolls House) appeared in the year 1971- it’s was an American produced film shot/ set in the Philippines, with (un) credited producer role from Roger Corman. The film was directed by LA-born Jack Hill- who helmed a host of cult fare such as Blood Bath(1966), Spider Baby(1967), Coffy(1973), and Foxy Brown(1974).
The film is set in a jungle-based prison-where we focuses in largely on one cell, which takes in six women- with a mix of characters/ types. We have new just into prison on a 99-year sentence Collier(Judith Brown)- who moves into a cell with Grear (Pam Greer), Alcott (Roberta Collins), Bodine (Pat Woodell), Harrad (Brooke Mills) and Ferina(Gina Stuart). We have a nasty black glove-wearing key Lucian(Kathryn Loder), blond and glamorous prison governess Miss Dietrich(Christiane Schmidtmer) who has more than a few secrets.
As the film goes on we have the expected in cell bickering/ fights, fairly tame torture that’s watched over by a creepy and silent sheeted figure, women working in paddy fields, those who disobey put in hanging in the hot sun bamboo cage, shower scenes, and the odd touches of largely suggested sleazy. At a point it’s decided they're are going to try and escape, and focuses in on getting help from the always looking for a feel fruit seller Harry(Sid Haig).
The film clocks in at just over the one hour and a half mark- and for the most part is an entertaining enough if tame example of the WIP genre- yes we get all the genre tropes, torture, nudity, bitchy-ness. But it’s all fairly mild, with little of the genres more impactful gritty-ness/ nasty-ness in place- as I mentioned in my introduction it's very much an entry-level WIP film, than something for the more seasoned genre fan like myself.
The region free disc has no extras, and the print is passable, though nothing to write home about- being a slightly better VHS print. It’s a pity there are no extras at tall here- as it certainly would have been nice to have a commentary track, or maybe even an interview or two.
Personally, I found The Big Doll House a bit too low on the sleaze, grim and gritty elements, which the more impactful examples of the WIP have. But if you're wondering what the genres all about this is a good starting point, and on the whole thing is an entertaining enough 70’s grindhouse film.