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Too much of everything

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Growing up in the seventies with the local drive in the only means of seeing films the majority of the time I was one of those who grew up with the vast number of exploitation films released at the time. These were movies that somehow had fairly good technical values production wise and lacked only in plotlines, acting and writing. It didn't make them terrible movies and some actually were quite good. It did mean that most were not award worthy and just plain entertainment.One genre of these films that ran rampant were the women in prison films. The reason for this is that exploitation films thrived on reasons to show women naked in films without being overly gratuitous. They left actual sex scenes to pornography and instead made these movies which teen boys would flock to instead. Movies like THE BIG BIRD CAGE, THE BIG BIRD HOUSE and CAGED HEAT played alongside other movies that didn't draw as much attention. All of them feature a few common themes: women taking showers together, lesbians, an innocent thrown in jail, a black prisoner fighting a white one only to join forces before the end of the film and violence. One more thing they always had in common was that no matter how dense the jungle or work they did in prison their hair and makeup was always perfect.Among these movies was the film SWEET SUGAR. It starred Phyllis Davis who would star in another similar film, TERMINAL ISLAND, with Tom Selleck the following year and who later went on to fame in the TV series VEGA$. It was released by one of those companies who thrived on exploitation films, Dimension Pictures. This was the same company responsible for films like THE TWILIGHT PEOPLE, THE DOBERMAN GANG, GATOR BAIT, INVASION OF THE BEE GIRLS, DOLEMITE, DIXIE DYNAMITE, DR BLACK AND MR HYDE and a favorite of mine RUBY.The film tells the story of Sugar Bowman (Davis), a prostitute in Costa Rica who is set up on drug charges and arrested. She is presented with an option, which she takes, to work off her time on cutting cane on a sugar plantation.The plantation is owned by Dr. John (Angus Duncan), a mad scientists who is using the women on the plantation for secret experiments which are never quite fully explained. For some reason it does involve torture but he seems far too young to be a Nazi transplant who escaped imprisonment. Overseeing the workers is Burgos (Cliff Osmond) who rules with an iron fist. Osmond who plays the part was seen in numerous movies in similar roles.Sugar does her work but often runs into conflict with another prisoner, a black woman named Simone (Ellaraino). Their back and forth banter offers little in acting ability and plenty of conflict. Also a part of the group is a 17 year old prisoner wrongfully accused. This girl is later raped by Dr. John which sets in motion the anger and combined efforts of the other prisoners to seek revenge.The film doesn't offer a depth of story here and the acting matches. Some performances are fluid enough but most have the sound of a line reading rather than actors performing. But if you're a fan of this genre then this film will provide you with the exact things you're looking for. Nearly every box on the checklist is marked here.While Davis went on to show she could actually act in films she made after the point in her career she made these, her obvious assets are what are on display here. Well-endowed but not overly so, she made the most of her looks to take on parts like this. It gave her the opportunity to make a movie and be noticed which led to greater success on TV later on.No this is not a perfect movie and no this is not a movie that would be award winning. It is what it sets out to be, an exploitation movie that offers plenty of action, a minimal amount of titillation and a few laughs thrown in for good measure with some comedic touches. Two of the funniest moments for me were finding Dr. John, this sinister character, taking a bubble bath and a sequence where the women are trapped in a cage and the guards throw cats in at them. Not tigers but house cats. Hungry, angry house cats. The women end up scratched and bloody which is completely ridiculous and hilarious. Anyone going to see it knew what to expect and they weren't disappointed. If you do the same you will have some fun with this release on disc.Vinegar Syndrome, whose praises I have sung before, continue to show they are ready, willing and able to take what most would consider something left in the trash and presenting it in pristine format with a few decent extras to boot. To start with this is the cleanest and clearest presentation you will find for the film with a newly scanned and restored in 2k from 35mm interpositive. The extras for a movie like this would be hard to find, more so since star Davis passed away in 2013. But there are a few including a video interview with Screenwriter Donald Spencer, the original theatrical trailer, original cover artwork by Derek Gabryszak and reversible cover artwork.Fans of exploitation films will want to make sure they add this one to their collection. And those who support companies like Vinegar Syndrome will want to do the same. Let's hope they continue to carry on this tradition of rescuing long lost titles and presenting them in the best format possible.

It is surprising that we did not see more of Miss Davis. A few Love American Styles, Sweet Sugar, Terminal Island, a Love Boat or two, Dan Tanna's secretary, and that was about it. Given her obvious "attributes" and her being such a good sport about sharing them with the camera, I would have thought producers would have been lining up to sign her. I could have seen her as a Charlie's Angel, as a Bond girl, as one of J.R. Ewing's other women on Dallas, and other things. Spoilers throughout from here: Here she plays what is described as a prostitute, although, she denies being one, who when caught smoking a joint, gets railroaded onto a sugar plantation prison for 2 years, and takes the deal rather than facing something worse(?). Actually it's not as bad as some prison movies. The prison is not as strict at times seeming like a summer camp- that is between torture, rapes,and the sexual based experiments from the prison warden, a dimented, cackling Dr. John. However, Phyliss is the star and she never loses that smirk. More accurately, the star is that body, which is accented with Daisy Duke type shorts and halter tops with, of course, no bra, as one of Dr. John's experiments seems to be how long Sugar's abundant bosom can remain firm while cutting cane every day without one. The catalyst that moves the plot along is when Sugar refuses Dr. John's advances and has sex with a guard, for which she is whipped. But just one stroke with the whip? In keeping with you the spirit of the movie, why not a hard paddling and having her rub a sore bottom instead? This one hits you with everything and if you only like half of it, the movie served its purpose.

Here's one of my favorite Women In Prison flicks. Hell Fire On Ice aka Sweet Sugar was directed by the genius who brought us Werewolves On Wheels. And after viewing both multiple times, over the years, I'd say Sweet Sugar is as good of a Women In Prison flick as the other one is a Werewolf/Biker flick. In other words, this movie rocks! Hell Fire On Ice is a touching, thought-provoking, often humorous look into the troubled life of a head-strong hooker named Sugar. After being set up by a corrupt politician, and instead of going to prison, our lovely heroine ends up serving 2 years at a Costa Rican, sugar cane plantation. The feisty Sugar isn't above a little back-breaking labor, beatings, and other forms of cruelty, but what she's about to find out is that the guy that runs the place, the sadistic Dr. John, subjects the prisoners to cruel medical experiments. Sooner or later, it might be wise for sweet Sugar to make friends with some of these ornery gals, and break out of this hell hole. And to think. All this just for marijuana possession! Silly dialogue, Over-the -top performances, and stupid humor make Hell Fire On Ice a riot. Just like every other Women In Prison flick I've come across, Hell Fire On Ice offers enough comical bickering and random nudity to go around. A trashy good time. Not necessarily one of my all-time favorite B-movies or anything like that, but well worth at least one viewing, that is, if chicks & schlock is what you like. And if you're all about chicks behind bars, you'll be needing to see Women's Prison Massacre asap. Perhaps a double-feature is in order. To my knowledge, there's still no DVD available, so I hope you have a vcr! 5/10

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.