The Big Bird Cage (1972)

Director:

Jack Hill

Writer:

Jack Hill (writer)

Release Date:

July 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Women so hot with desire they melt the chains that enslave them!

Plot:

Grier and Haig are thieving mercenaries who engineer a prison break from the outside.

Plot Keywords:

Revolutionaries | Escape | Women | Prison | W.i.p

Cast

Pam Grier	...	Blossom
Anitra Ford	...	Terry
Candice Roman	...	Carla
Teda Bracci	...	Bull Jones
Carol Speed	...	Mickie
Karen McKevic	...	Karen
Sid Haig	...	Django
Marissa Delgado	...	Rina
Vic Diaz	...	Rocco
Andres Centenera	...	Warden Zappa (as Andy Centenera)
Rizza	...	Lin Tsiang (as Rizza Fabian)
Subas Herrero	...	Moreno
Wendy Green	...	Gertie

Also Known As:

Women's Penitentiary II

Runtime:

88 min | USA:96 min (DVD)

Country:

Philippines | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:R16 | Australia:R | UK:18 | USA:R | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Banaue Rice Terraces, Ifugao, Luzon, Philippines

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

At the beginning of the film, when Terry (Anitra Ford) is taken to the prison by boat. The cove that she is dropped off at is the same one that was subsequently used for the location of the Kurtz compound in Apocalypse Now (1979) (both films were shot in the Philippines).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

Pam Grier Kicks Ass In Another Fun WIP Exploitation Flick

Jack Hill's "The Big Bird Cage" of 1972 is another highly entertaining Women's Prison Exploitation flick, starring the wonderful Pam Grier and exploitation badass Sid Haig. Director Hill, who has proved himself to be a master of exploitation cinema, as he directed blaxploitation cult flicks "Coffy" (1973) and Foxy Brown (1974), both starring Pam Grier as the sexy and vengeful heroine, is furthermore one of the pioneers of the WIP (Women In Prison) sub-genre, having directed "The Big Doll House" in 1971 and this "The Big Bird Cage" in 1972.

Somewhere on a dictatorially reigned tropical island, American actress Terry (Anita Ford) is taken hostage by revolutionary Django (Sid Haig), when he pulls of a heist on a bar with his girlfriend Blossom (Pam Grier) and other fellow revolutionaries. While on the run from the police, Django leaves Terry back, who is mistaken for his female accomplice and brought to a jungle prison camp for women...

Pam Grier, the sexiest, coolest and most charismatic heroine in Blaxploitation cinema, is great as always in her role of the badass female revolutionary and Sid Haig is the epitome of coolness as rebel leader boyfriend Django. Sexy Anita Ford also fits in her role very well. "The Big Bird Cage" has all the typical WIP flick elements, such as shower scenes, lesbianism, catfights and a fair amount of violence including cruel punishments, as well as some special curiosities, such as two fat and disgusting gay wardens (one of them Vic Diaz whom WIP/exploitation fans might recognize for his role as the sadistic drug-lord in "Black Mama, White Mama") and a huge lesbian inmate.

All things considered, "The Big Birdcage" may not be an exploitation highlight, and it is terribly cheesy in some occasions, but it is also a great fun flick that doesn't take it self seriously. Highly sarcastic more than once, this is not to be missed by fans of 70s exploitation cinema and Pam Grier.