Dec 23 2008
Lovely but Deadly Double Feature
FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION: BEAST STABLE (1973)
FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION: GRUDGE SONG (1973)
Dir.: Shunya Ito
Cast: BEAST STABLE: Meiko Kaji, Mikio Narita, Reisen Lee, Yayoi Watanabe
GRUDGE SONG: Meiko Kaji, Masakazu Tamura, Yumi Kanei, Hiroshi Tsukata
Plot: BEAST STABLE: The infamous Nami Matsushima a.k.a. Scorpion, having broken out of prison and on the run from the law, tries to protect a lowly prostitute and her mentally challenged brother from the local mob, who turns out to be led by an old foe.
<>GRUDGE SONG: Scorpion, still on the lam and running from a vengeful detective, falls in with a man with his own troubled history with authority. He helps to hide her, but can she truly trust him?
Thoughts: These two films finish out the initial run of the Japanese FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION franchise. This series exemplifies, along with other films like the LONE WOLF AND CUB and ANGEL GUTS series, a stylistic trend that I’ve noticed dominates Japanese exploitation, at least of this era. While, like most exploitation films are, they are designed to pander to the base interests of the audience, and do feature a good amount of lurid sexuality and graphic violence, they’re executed with such an elegance and pathos that one on occasion can’t help but be deeply moved by them. I’ve noted this before when I reviewed the first two movies elsewhere, but I feel I reiterate it: these films perfectly mesh the cinematic standards of art and trash.
While this pair of entries are fairly solid, they don’t quite pack the wollop of the first film and its initial sequel, JAILHOUSE 41, which are bonafide classics of exploitation cinema. On a technical level, they are consistent with the rest of the series, in that they still carry a stylish flair that was characteristic of 70’s film, abound with crisp colors, moody lighting, and a melancholy but poetic tone throughout. Not to mention another device I’ve found interesting - when the films resort to grotesque expressionism during key scenes. The eerily alluring Meiko Kaji again delivers a convincing performance as the quiet but deadly convict heroine.
BEAST STABLE’s plot pretty much follows the template that was set in the first two, with Scorpion fighting to protect herself and others she sympathizes with from corrupt powers, which this time entails guarding a meek freelance prostitute being threatened by the local prostitution ring for violating their territory. That’s the biggest problem with this entry, while substantial enough to engage the viewer. It feels too much like familiar material from the predecessors that’s not executed as well, except for being set in the outside world instead of the hellish confines of prison, and for that I consider it the weakest of the quartet, but it’s still pretty good.
GRUDGE SONG on the other hand is much stronger, mainly because it introduces a new element to the mix: romance. Injured after narrowly escaping the cops, she finds aid from a man living in the shadow of past contention with the law: he used to be part of a radical protest group, but after being arrested and brutally tortured by the police (including having boiling water poured on his manhood, permanently maiming it), he betrayed his gang, and has been haunted by it ever since. Then as he helps her evade the detective that broke him back then, their feelings for one another bloom into love, and I found it touching. After a turn of events midway through, the plot returns to familiar territory, but it adds a few touches to retain appeal.
After this series ended, it was rebooted with a pair of films a few years later under the title NEW FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION, with a different actress in the lead role. There was also a remake in the late 90’s.
Rating (for each movie): ***
Trailer for BEAST STABLE:
