DEPORTED WOMEN OF THE S.S. SPECIAL SECTION -- DVD review by porfle

It's always with a bit of trepidation that I watch yet another Nazisploitation flick. Am I supposed to enjoy it? How much? Or for that matter, just plain how?

DEPORTED WOMEN OF THE S.S. SPECIAL SECTION (1976) bypasses that problem by not reveling in sadism for its own sake nearly as much as the usual entries in this genre. And, slow-moving as it may be, it has a story that does more than just give the Nazis a chance to be unremittingly evil for awhile until we can enjoy seeing their violent comeuppance at the end.

We get the usual heroine, the aptly-named Tania Nobel (Lina Polito, ALL SCREWED UP), who finds herself in a camp--located in an actual castle for some great authentic atmosphere--for deported women waiting to get shuffled off to their various fates while the more attractive ones are reserved for "special duty." Tania's quiet integrity, strength, and willpower will make her an inspiration to the other women, especially the ones planning a daring escape attempt, and a thorn in the side of the S.S.

As in the recently-reviewed GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY, there's another doomed love affair between a female prisoner and a male Nazi, which resolves itself in rather Shakespearean fashion. (If Shakespeare had written Nazisploitation flicks, that is.) Of further interest is a prisoner named Trudy (Paola D'Egidio) who turns traitor and becomes a "kapo" just like the blonde Aryan bitches who are always either being coldly sadistic or unwelcomely sexual toward the captive women. (Yes, shockingly enough, this movie contains...LESBIANS!)

Also as in GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY, we have a prison camp commandant--the prancing, decadent Herr Erner (John Steiner, TENEBRE, BEYOND THE DOOR)--smitten with one of his female prisoners. In this case, Erner is still carrying a torch for Tania, whom he knew back in their old village. Her non-response to his continued come-ons, however, raises his ire as conflicting emotions cause him to act out in bursts of petulant, sometimes cartoonish overacting that's fun to watch.

Writer-director Rino Di Silvestro (HANNA D.: THE GIRL FROM VONDEL PARK) initially explores much of the exploitation value inherent in the film's premise. There's a lengthy sequence where the inevitable group strip leads to naked delousing, soapy communal showers, scalp-shearing, and the ceremonial shaving of the pubes complete with generous close-up action--which, of course, is topped off by a visit to the camp gynocologist.

Yet the film is realistic enough to be involving (albeit a bit depressing) without trying all that hard to invoke our inner sadist. A couple of the softcore sex scenes are actually somewhat erotic, while the tortures aren't lengthy or explicit enough to be anywhere near as gratuitious as other such Nazi-themed films.

In fact, the juiciest horrors, to which the languidly-paced story builds ever so slowly, are committed against the Nazis during the climactic escape attempt, with Tania coming through with an especially cunning (and satisfying) surprise for the loathesome commandant.

The DVD from Intervision is in anamorphic widescreen with Dolby digital mono sound. No subtitles. Extras include interesting interviews with both director Rino Di Silvestro and star John Steiner, plus the featurette "A Brief History Of Sadiconazista: Interview With Film Historian Marcus Stiglegger" which also appears on the GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY disc.

Without the horrifying experiments, cannibalism, and other lurid elements of the kind found in many Nazisploitation flicks, DEPORTED WOMEN OF THE S.S. SPECIAL SECTION gets by mainly on story, performances, and the earnest filmmaking skills of Rino Di Silvestro. It isn't exactly something I'd watch for pleasure, but it's good enough to be enjoyed (if one is so inclined) as more than just a guilty pleasure.

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