Savage Sisters (1974)

“Hands off, or your hand is ham and I’m the slicer!”

Filipino filmmaker Eddie Romero might be dead, but his movies - being cheapo depot horror offerings, exploitative skin flicks, and action vehicles, live on.  Such is the case with Savage Sisters, an exploitation flick in title alone, which he directed in 1974, but is now available on blu-ray thanks to Kino Lorber Studio Classics.  At the time of its release, the Women-In-Prison schtick was not yet burned out in audiences and he dives into the material wholeheartedly with a wild tale about three women joining the fundraising part of an island revolution.  His direction is playful and madcap, matching both the fun performances from a keyed-in Sid Haig and John Ashley, who also produced the movie.

"promises a lot yet delivers on very few items"


When we join two of “the playgirls” of the liberation army - Cheri Caffaro as Jo Turner and Rosanna Oritz as Mei Ling - they’ve just been double crossed by Sid Haig as Malavas and Vic Díaz as "One-Eye" and are now in prison, paying the ultimate price for trying to rob a corrupt general, who is trying to get the money they seek out of his banana republic.  

But a policewoman - a scene-stealing Gloria Hendry as Lynn Jackson - and her boyfriend have no plans on letting him win.  Together, they have to outsmart a con artist - John Ashley as W. P. Billingsley - get revenge on the two bozos who wronged them in the first place and stop the evil general.  Everyone is chasing the whereabouts of the money in this comedy and - as I said previously - this is a wild tale which is peppered not with raunch, but with far-out characters.

Keep in mind that the Philippines, still in recovery mode from the ravages of World War II, ae a relative goldmine for cheap movies to be shot and producers like Roger Corman and actor-producer John Ashley took advantage of that for as long as the profits back in the States allowed, which is why there is a boatload of Women-In-Prison flicks that have the same look to them.Savage Sisters (1974)

Women in Cages, The Big Doll House, Black Mama White Mama, Caged Heat, and Savage Sisters!  You name your kink, and these exploitation flicks usually have it in spades.  Yet, Savage Sisters might just be the one holdout for the biggest tease in the world as has all of these things yet pulls back from being complete exploitation gold time and time again.  Want nudity?  It’s there in blink-and-ya-miss-it moments.  Want violence?  Gunplay will have to do it.  Want kinky sex?  Dialogue will have to cut it.

Savage Sisters promises a lot yet delivers on very few items.  It was one of the last Women-in-Prison flicks and, as it was the most expensive, you have to wonder just where that money went.  Up in smoke maybe?  But the performances ARE FIRE, so all is not lost here.

Savage Sisters is now on blu-ray with a brand-new 2K master thanks to Kino Lorber Studio Classics and their partnership with MGM.

3/5 beers

 

Savage Sisters (1974)

Blu-ray Details

Home Video Distributor: Kino Lorber
Available on Blu-ray
- June 7, 2022
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles
: English SDH
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Meet the Savage Sisters—three of the world’s deadliest women. Gloria Hendry (Black Belt Jones) is the Colonel, lean, mean and foxy, with plenty of ammunition stacked in just the right places. Cheri Caffaro (Too Hot to Handle) is the Field Marshall, who took command of the Liberation Army to save her men. Rosanna Ortiz (Savage!) is the Brigadier General, top mama of a female commando unit. They’re trouble multiplied by three—and they’ve got plans for a spectacular jailbreak, a million-dollar robbery and an island revolution. This rip-roaring, action-packed adventure from Filipino filmmaking legend Eddie Romero (Black Mama White Mama) co-stars John Ashley (Hell on Wheels), Vic Díaz (Hustler Squad) and the great Sid Haig (Busting).

Video:

Presented in a crisp 1080p transfer, the new scan of the original film elements is a thing of pristine beauty.  The film is dominated with reds and greens that absolutely burst with color.  It’s a cheap film, for sure, but the simple backgrounds burst with new details and a nice level of clarity.  Black levels are solid and skin tones are natural.  This is, after all, a dark film. There are lots of night scenes; thankfully, the lines hold their edges. Shadows are defined and the film has a new depth previously unseen.  

Audio:

A DTS-HD Mono Audio Track supplies the sound of gunshots and giggling girls.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • NEW Audio Commentary by Horror-Fix.com's James G. Chandler and Ash Hamilton

Special Features:

The special features include the brand-new 2K master of the movie, a NEW commentary track, a theatrical trailer, and optional English subtitles.

  • Brand New 2K Master
  • NEW Audio Commentary by Horror-Fix.com's James G. Chandler and Ash Hamilton
  • Theatrical Trailer (Newly Mastered in 2K)
  • Optional English Subtitles

Blu-ray Rating

  Movie 3/5 stars
  Video  3/5 stars
  Audio 2/5 stars
  Extras 2/5 stars

Composite Blu-ray Grade

2.5/5 stars


Film Details

Savage Sisters (1974)

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime:
86 mins
Director
: Eddie Romero
Writer:
Harry Corner; H. Franco Moon
Cast:
Gloria Hendry; Cheri Caffaro; Rosanna Ortiz
Genre
: Action | Drama
Tagline:
BEWARE! They are still at large...the Playgirls of the Liberation Army. Activists in both politics and love.
Memorable Movie Quote: “Hands off, or your hand is ham and I’m the slicer!”
Theatrical Distributor:
MGM
Official Site:
Release Date:
July, 1974
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
June 7, 2022.
Synopsis: A corrupt General plans on smuggling one million US dollars out of the Banana Republic he dominates. Local revolutionaries plan on stealing the cash but are thwarted when a bandit leader they are working with double crosses them. A tough cop and her boyfriend help two of the female revolutionaries escape from prison hoping that they will lead them to the cash, which they plan on keeping for themselves.

Art

Savage Sisters (1974)