Six Definitive Films: The ultimate beginner’s guide to Nazi sexploitation
While this subgenre might seem like one of the craziest offshoots of exploitation cinema, Nazi sexploitation is an intriguing manifestation of pernicious media subcultures. Incorporating Nazi symbolism to explore human perversions and sexual degradation, this body of cinema is an unexplainable cultural oddity.
Inspired by arthouse exploitation works such as Pier Paolo Pasolini’s infamous masterpiece Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, the Nazi sexploitation trend pumped out several sadistic flicks, but they didn’t have the same artistic merit. Due to extensive censorship, the output almost vanished by the end of the 1970s.
As critics have pointed out, the sexualisation of Nazi imagery can be found as early as the 1940s in Italian neorealist works. However, Nazi sexploitation took these times to their logical conclusion by indulging in excessive gore and sadomasochism.
If you’re curious about the mechanisms of the genre, we have compiled an essential list below.
Six definitive Nazi sexploitation films:
Love Camp 7 (R.L. Frost, 1969)
As mentioned before, several iconic classics contained precursors to Nazi sexploitation, but this 1969 B-movie was the first proper addition to the nascent subgenre. Following the trends of the women-in-prison genre, Love Camp 7 set the ball rolling.
An American production, the plot follows two female American officers who volunteer to infiltrate a concentration camp as prisoners to rescue a Jewish scientist. However, their plans get derailed when they are subjected to rampant abuse by the guards.
The Night Porter (Liliana Cavani, 1974)
One of the more well-known works belonging to this infamous subgenre, Liliana Cavani’s 1974 film The Night Porter played an important role in popularising this body of work. Set in Vienna during the late ’50s, the film has more artistic value than some other entries.
It tells the story of a concentration camp survivor who runs into her Nazi tormentor and attempts to recreate their sadomasochistic relationship. Initially considered to be controversial due to its subject matter, it has become a bonafide cult classic.
Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (Don Edmonds, 1975)
While The Night Porter might be the most artistic entry on this list, Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS is the most influential Nazi sexploitation flick, which impacted the genre in numerous ways. Loosely based on the real-life figure of Ilse Koch, the film revolves around a sadistic female Nazi warden.
The titular character believes that women can withstand more pain than men, which is why she conducts all sorts of sinister experiments. A subculture staple, the film was denounced by many critics, including Gene Siskel, who called it “the most degenerate picture I have seen”.
Salon Kitty (Tinto Brass, 1976)
Tinto Brass’ 1976 erotic war drama is another popular work which had a huge influence on the subgenre. Based on Peter Norden’s eponymous novel, the film explores how the Intelligence wing of the Nazi party took control of a high-end brothel in Berlin.
During this operation, the Nazi officers placed wiretaps all over the brothels and employed spies to pose as sex workers. Like many other Nazi sexploitation works, critics dismissed it when it first came out but has garnered a cult following over the years.
SS Hell Camp (Luigi Batzella, 1977)
Luigi Batzella’s 1977 flick is another example of the misogynistic frameworks of pornography and sexploitation. Interestingly, it uses sci-fi elements such as genetic experimentation to amplify the typical exploitation experience.
It features an attractive female Nazi who figures out how to genetically engineer a beastly creature whose sex drive is beyond the realm of what is considered to be normal. She weaponises her creation to terrorise female prisoners of war during WW II.
The Gestapo’s Last Orgy (Cesare Canevari, 1977)
To round off our selection of Nazi sexploitation works, we have chosen Cesare Canevari’s 1977 film The Gestapo’s Last Orgy. It focuses on a highly problematic prison camp where female prisoners are exploited and abused by Nazis on leave.
Although the film has become infamous in online cinephilia forums, its legacy remains questionable. Actor Daniela Poggi admitted: “I was twenty years old then and I was a model, my agency pushed me. Unfortunately they added unexpected scenes and a monstrous title.”
