2hotFeature
one of my absolute favorites!
Matialth
Good concept, poorly executed.
Voxitype
Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.
Bluebell Alcock
Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies
Leofwine_draca
SWEET SUGAR is a cheap and derivative women-in-prison movie that seems to have been released to ride a wave of similar produce. This one introduces the main character, Sugar, in a brief set-up scene in which she's arrested as part of a drugs sting and sent to a rural prison "somewhere or other" where she forms part of a chain gang. Meanwhile, the women must deal with in-fighting amongst themselves, the machinations of the cruel guards, and the sadistic experiments of a mad doctor.It all sounds very exciting and exploitational and yet it's really rather cheap and slapdash, just like Michel Levesque's other B-movie, WEREWOLVES ON WHEELS. Levesque seems interested in shooting a skin flick and a skin flick alone, so there's plenty of topless and rear nudity here but not much else in the way of suspense, tension, or violence.I didn't mind Phyllis Davis too much as the lead. She's a top-heavy starlet clearly cast for her physique rather than acting ability, but she distinguishes herself quite well and there's something about her more than the usual bimbo actress. One of the most interesting things about the production are the authentically sweaty Costa Rican locations. Bizarrely, there are hints at voodoo in the narrative too, Timothy Brown playing a hilarious priest character who seeks to help the women. This isn't a film for cat lovers either. However, the resolutely plodding narrative mainly consists of escape and capture over and over again, and the air of familiarity means that this is a film only for sympathetic lovers of the genre.
capkronos
If you're a fan of 70's era WIP films, this is clearly one of the best in the genre. Free-spirited, big-busted Sugar Bowman (Phyllis Davis) is framed for drug possession by one of her sleazy lovers and is then shipped off to a Costa Rican sugar cane plantation to do hard labor for a couple of years. There she meets some of barely-dressed fellow sisters-in-crime, including feisty prostitute Simone (Ella Edwards), rich-bitch-murderess-in-hiding Fara (Jacqueline Giroux) and naive underage blonde Dolores (Pamela Collins). As if the long hours, lousy pay, exhausting work and leering guards weren't bad enough, the ladies also have to deal with pervert prison camp director Dr. John's (Angus Duncan) various sadistic and degrading "experiments." One involves shooting them up with an aphrodisiac, and another involves heaving domesticated cats (given a special serum to make them rabid) at them! When the girls are pushed too far, they decide to overthrow the plantation and escape. SWEET SUGAR is a great 70s exploitation/drive-in flick that manages to amuse, entertain and basically hit all the right notes for one of these things. It's full of witty one-liners, action, violence, some mild lesbianism, whipping, obligatory topless scenes from all of the female stars, a great break-out finale featuring machine guns and explosions and an incredible theme song I just can't get out of my head. Hell, even some cannibalism, voodoo and gore are thrown in for good measure. Most of the actors give it their all and deliver fun and lively performances. Davis and Edwards are spirited heroines. Duncan is hilariously OTT as the mad scientist. There are also amusing turns by Cliff Osmond as the most sadistic guard (playing it straight to good effect) and Albert Cole as a comic hustler trying to get his dimwitted friend Ric (James Houghton) laid. Also appearing in roles are blaxploitation star Timothy Brown as Mojo, a male prisoner at an adjacent facility, and THE HILLS HAVE EYES star James Whitworth as another guard.Though released on VHS about half-a-dozen times under multiple titles (CHAIN GANG GIRLS, CAPTIVE WOMEN 3, etc.) over the years, this has become somewhat hard to find these days. I'd love to see a DVD release sometime soon.
pro_crustes
Throw-away film with some fun topless shots of Ms. Davis. She fits a certain zaftig sexuality that was popular in T&A films of the '70s, and this one will meet your expectations if that's what you're after. The dialog is nonsense, but that's part of the format, really. Have fun, and don't let anyone make you explain your pleasures.
matlock-6
This used to be a regular on USA Up All Night, back when Gilbert and Rhonda were still hosting. Phyllis Davis is really gorgeous in a Russ Meyer kind of way (if you don't know what I mean, go rent a Russ Meyer film and you'll understand). It's supposed to be an action film, and is along the same lines as "Chained Fury" and "Reform School Girls". Closeups of breasts, simulated sex, etc. The acting is pretty bad, but combined with a ridiculous plot and the sexual innuendo it makes for an unintentionally hilarious film. If you've got a Saturday evening with nothing to do, invite a few pals over and rent this. You'll be laughing in no time...