Woman Prison (1988)

The routine with the women in prison genre gets fairly familiar - a new inmate enters the system and its catfighting, unsypathetic wardens and, of course, shower scenes (with even more fights) until she gets out. And most cell dwellers are victims of circumstance (the social angle). No exceptions in Women Prison. After taking down a loan shark on her wedding day, Kelly (Ha) enters the cruel, crude and violent world of a Hong Kong women's prison. Once inside,prison life is dominated by a bitter gang war, not helped by the insensitive and corrupted wardens. If you're feeling picky, you can tick off similarity after similarity to the equally gritty Prison on Fire, also scripted by Nam Yin. But don't let the similarities put you off. With them quickly pushed aside, Women Prison is a well made (and underrated) Hong Kong take on the genre. And DoDo Cheng is a great tough-as-nails gang leader.

Credits:

Directed by David Lam Tak-luk
Screenwriter: Nam Yin
Starring Pat Ha Man-chik, Carol 'DoDo' Cheng, Petrina Fung Bo-bo, Maria Cordero and Simon Yam