Directed by Ackyl Anwari
Reviewed by Elijah Drenner


Mondo Macabro
94 minutes
Unrated
Color
Region 0
2.0 Stereo
2.35:1
16 x 9 – Yes
Special Features: Women-In-Prison movies essay by Pete Tombs. Mondo Macabro Preview Reel. A bonus disc featuring 70 minutes of Indonesian trailers from Rappi Studios. Documentary on Indonesian Exploitation Cinema. Trailer.
Trailer on-line – No

Man, oh man. The good folks at Mondo Macabro seem to outdo themselves on a fairly consistent basis, and with VIRGINS FROM HELL, one of the latest from those Purveyors of Perverted - this DVD company can maintain their stranglehold on the world of exotic and weird films from around the world. An all girl biker-gang wearing brightly colored spandex, cops that oh-so lovable “Were mad as hell, and were not gonna take it anymore!” attitude when they battle the evil drug lord who is taking over their turf. The ferocious drug baron, Mr. Tiger (whose wardrobe at one point looks like a cross between Huggy Bear and Col. Sanders), sees these girls as an obstacle while creating what will become a powerful sex drug, so he cages them in his underground prison, puts them to work retrieving coconuts from trees (?), and tortures them whenever they act out of line.

The latest in a series of Indonesian action films from the company, beginning with the amazing LADY TERMINATOR, VIRGINS FROM HELL posses the age-old tradition of “everything but the kitchen sink” exploitation movie-making philosophy. These South Seas filmmakers obviously did their homework, watching movies, stealing soundtracks (Brian Eno’s Prophecy Theme from DUNE can be heard at the opening of this picture) and doing what they thought made a good movie; Guns, explosions, car chases, explosions, soft-core sex and more explosions. In fact, everything and I mean EVERYTHING explodes during the final reel of this picture. From cars to castles, motorcycles to yes, even humans – not a dime is wasted on the pyrotechnics budget here. Clearing abiding to whatever nudity taboo existed in the country at the time, it’s quite humorous to see these girls bathing seductively in their swimsuits and acting in simulated sex scenes while still wearing their street cloths. Nonetheless, fans of sleazy cinema can still enjoy this oddity of a picture. Bouncing from one extreme to the next, VIRGINS FROM HELL makes you feel like a jackhammer is being applied to your forehead. Though admittedly, the movie has a hard time living up to the opening moments, and runs out of steam midway through, only to regain it’s momentum during the final battle.

Presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, VIRGINS FROM HELL has a sharp picture, with bright colors and bold contrasts in video quality. Though I’d be willing to bet that the opening title of the film, which appears in white lettering over black, is probably just tacked onto this video presentation. The lengthy victorious motorcycle ride, with an obvious freeze frame, where a title should go, supports this observation and no other titles appear during the film. The dubbed audio is fine, though they sound like the cast of ROBOTECH, and many of the actors seem to be actually speaking English - a fact that the film is not offered in it’s original language doesn’t hinder the experience.

If the movie itself wasn’t enough to melt your brain, Mondo Macabro has added a bonus disc of trailers from Rappi Films, the bastards responsible for this movie. After watching trailers for films like SNAKE QUEEN, ESCAPE FROM HELLHOLE, DAREDEVIL COMMANDOES, REVENGE OF THE NINJA and my favorite MYSTICS IN BALI – you can’t help but feel teased that there are even more films out there to tickle your twisted fancy. Recycled from the past Indonesian Action movies on DVD from the company, is a great documentary on these island films and filmmakers produced by Pete Tombs, who writes an interesting Woman-In-Prison Films essay, included on this disc in addition. Keep your eyes peeled for other releases from the company recently, including SATANS BLOOD and DON’T DELIVER US FROM EVIL.