Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The Plot. Lise Cohen is taken to a special prisoner-of-war camp for female Jews, a camp run as a bordello to entertain the German officers and troops going in to battle. The camp is run with an iron fist by Commandant Starker and his minion Alma. Starker becomes frustrated when Lise demonstrates no fear, and devises cruel experiments to scare her, to no avail. Once she realizes her guilt is unfounded, Lise begins to play Starker's game, but even though she begins living a better life, she doesn't forget the atrocities she has seen and experienced.The titles are the best part of this film. Other than that, I fast forwarded to the atrocity parts because it's really boring.Frankly, so are the atrocities. They make no sense.Not one of the better exploitation movies.

Hey – you! Yes, you: reader. Are you so jaded already that you consider "Salo – 120 Days of Sodom" a feel-good movie and the Marquis De Sade a decent chap? Do you think yourself as an animal-friendly and philanthropic because you enjoyed watching "Cannibal Holocaust"? Think yourself as the sickest of all sick-puppies and consider the term "depraved sadist" an honorary title? Yes? Well, then you've come to the right place. Unless you count snuff-films and the hardest, most illegal forms of pornography cinematic art, films don't come lower or sicker than this. In the 1970s, "exploitation" was the word of the day and film-makers were ever hard-pressed to find ways to cater to a rapidly jading audience. From the "Zombie"- and "Cannibal"-genres to "Witch hunter"- and "raped nuns"-sub genres, the "Nazi-exploitation"-films were more or less the logic conclusion. As such we could imagine the dialog between a C-movie producer and his underling in the 1970s, possibly somewhere in an office by the outskirts of Rome: Underling: "Boss, the sales of Rape-the-nun-films have gone down 40 percent last month." Producer: "Well, then film the butcher of some animals and splice the scenes in between the rape scenes". Underling: "No animals left in the back-lot and the zoo refuses to sell us any more turtles."Producer thinks for a few moments, taking a deep drag from his hashish-laced cigarette. Producer: "I've got it! Dress the nun up as a concentration-camp prisoner and put the rapists in some SS-uniforms. Then get filming." Underling: "But you really think our audience will consider SS-prison-guards as bad guys?" Producer (after another moment ofthoughts): "Then film a scene where the protagonists dine on "pot roast of unborn Jew", that should do the trick." Underling: "We still have some footage of incest and coprophilia, shouldn't we use them before the negatives start to fade?" Producer: "Make it so and be quick about it. I want to distribute the film next Friday."Think of "Schindler's List" being crossbred with "Caligula" by a psychopathic director (indeed, this movie has alternatively and aptly been named "Caligula reborn as Hitler") and you'll get the picture. In terms of exploitation-films I'd give it 10/10 points – compared to anything else, I'd simply call it dirt. Oh, by the way, if the answer to the question above is a distinct "no" and still find the strength to push the "play"-button (perhaps being a psychologist or have an interest in anthropology), keep a stack of barf-bags nearby.

Sadistic and merciless concentration camp Commandant Conrad von Starker (splendidly played with venomous aplomb by Adriano Micantoni) runs his camp as a brothel for Nazi soldiers seeking rest and pleasure from combat. Starker becomes determined to break the fierce iron will of beautiful blonde Jewish prisoner Lise Cohen (an excellent performance by the lovely Daniela Poggi). Many years later Starker and Lise get back together at the crumbling remains of the camp for a decidedly less than happy reunion. Director Cesare Canevari, who also co-wrote the twisted and depraved script with Antonio Lucarella, ably creates an appropriately grim and depressing all-hope-is-lost atmosphere while relating the sordidly engrossing story at a steady pace and further jazzing things up with occasional snazzy freeze frames and stylized use of strenuous slow motion. Moreover, Canevari presents several inspired moments of shockingly harsh and unflinching brutality: the guests at a lavish banquet gleefully eat an unborn fetus, these same sickos drench a passed out lady with booze, set her body on fire, and devour her charred remains (!), another luckless lass gets fed to a pack of ferocious dogs, and a poor gal is dunked into a deadly pit of caustic lime soda. The fact that these mean-spirited set pieces are done in a completely serious manner makes them that much more disturbing and upsetting. Of course, there's also a handy helping of steamy soft-core sex and a plethora of tasty female nudity (some guys show us their stuff as well). Why, we even get a potent and provocative central message about the ruthless and desperate things people will do to stay alive and survive in a bleak situation. Micantoni and Poggi do sterling work in the lead roles while Maristella Greco contributes a memorably chilling portrayal of Starker's vicious assistant Alma. Claudio Catozzo's glossy cinematography gives the picture an impressively slick look. Alberto Baldan Bembo's moody'n'melodic score likewise does the trick. The hauntingly downbeat tragic ending packs a wicked punch. Highly recommended for fans of this controversial and much-maligned exploitation sub-genre.

This sickie has very good production values, decent acting and an exciting storyline for this kind of trash. Them deranged nazis is at again in one of those generic "women's work camps". It's not as graphic as others but the vile tone is unbelievable harsh as the officers torture and humiliate young jewish girls and...(hold tight!)...EAT THEM AND THEIR UNBORN BABIES!!?! It's unsettling as hell cuz it's so well made. There's also a lot of De Sade-like master/slave games going on. Only for the most jaded thrill seekers (like me) who're tired of Hollywood's PC blockbusters.