Mr.Crow
I wouldn't really call this a women in prison movie. I mean it is, on the surface, but it's more focused as a drama of what goes on in the cells. If you're expecting a sleazefest then you will be sadly disappointed. There is no zanny action scenes like in some woman prison movies either. If you do end up trying to take the film seriously it opens itself up for numerous potholes. I do admire that it tried to be something different for the genre, however for me it just falls flat.
stu_w
Apparently so in this exploitation flick from the good old 1980s. You can't help, but feel sorry for the sweet and sugary Elizabeth who gets wrongly convicted for her seedy boyfriend's job of hiding his drugs in her luggage at the airport .As soon as the cuffs are snapped on and the jail guard snaps on a pair of latex gloves, you know where this is heading - survival in jail. There's plenty of fighting (of course) and more injustices than you can shake a stick at. Poor Elizabeth is victimized at first, but finally stands her ground.The film is full of stereotypical prison inmates, but Jill St. John stands out as the prison warden. She's so evil and conniving that it's a treat when everything backfires on her and she ends up locked in jail with the rest of the prisoners. Her nipples will undoubtedly be a popular sight from there on in with the other inmates in her cell block.The climactic finale obviously has a lot of explosive and violent fighting with Elizabeth struggling through it all. She has such a wild and deep determination for justice that you can't help, but root for her and hope she succeeds. She's a survivor and proves it so.I recommend this movie, but only if you're into prison exploitation flicks where boobies are a plentiful sight of the day. Warden Fletcher going to jail herself to become another federal inmate was a major treat - too bad a sequel hadn't been made of that! She'd be "Top Dog" for sure and with the most popular boobs in the penitentiary.
gridoon
"The Concrete Jungle" doesn't offer anything you haven't seen before, but it's still an absorbing, fairly well-made & acted little Women-In-Prison drama. What the fans of this sub-genre need to know is that the filmmakers have taken a mostly serious-minded approach here, at least until the last 10 minutes when a massive fight that breaks out in the prison yard turns into a mudbath! Most of the time, though, the film simply chronicles, in a straightforward manner, the daily struggle for survival of a 100% innocent woman who tries to adapt to the harsh prison life. Tracey Bregman's sweet, innocent-looking face is perfect for the part, and she is surrounded by actresses who mostly manage, in a short amount of time, to build their own characters. The standout for me was June Barret as the bad girl Icy, who is both strong and insecure. (**)
kamikaze-4
Alternately boring and sleazy, the Concrete Jungle commits the unpardonable sin of taking itself too seriously. But what a cast! You have Tracey Bregman as the new fish Cherry; an innocent young woman framed for drug smuggling by her nefarious boyfriend, Peter Brown. Then there is Jill St. John as evil warden Fletcher. Let's not forget Barbara Luna as the queen bee. Of course, Camille Keaton reprises her rape victim role from I Spit on Your Grave as well as Kendall Kaldwell as Eyes the mean corrections officer. With Nita Talbot as the concerned social worker, Shelly Meyers assuring us a happy ending for all involved. Also if you look closely, you will recognize, Tiana Pierce from Mother's Day as well as Forms Karate champ, Karen Sheperd billed as Kung Fu. Oh well, at least it was a better billing than the woman credited as "Blimp" Followed by the sleazy homage to boom mikes everywhere, Chained Heat and it's insipid in name only follow-ups, Chained Heat 2 and Chained Heat 3: Devil's Mountain