The Big Doll House: Difference between revisions

The Big Doll House
The Big Doll House
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jack Hill
Screenplay by	Don Spencer
Produced by	Jane Schaffer
Starring	Judy Brown; Roberta Collins; Pam Grier; Brooke Mills; Pat Woodell; Sid Haig;
Cinematography	Fred Conde
Edited by	Cliff Fenneman
Music by	Hall Daniels
Production; company	New World Pictures
Distributed by	New World Pictures
Release date	April 30, 1971;
Running time	95 minutes
Countries	United States; Philippines
Language	English
Budget	$125,000 or $200,000
Box office	$10 million

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The Big Doll House is a 1971 American women-in-prison film starring Pam Grier, Judy Brown, Roberta Collins, Brooke Mills, and Pat Woodell. The film follows six female inmates through daily life in a gritty, unidentified tropical prison. Later the same year, the film Women in Cages featured a similar story and setting and much the same cast, and was shot in the same abandoned prison buildings. A nonsequel follow-up, titled The Big Bird Cage, was released in 1972.^[4]

Plot[edit]

Collier (Brown) enters prison, having been found guilty of killing her husband. She is introduced to the beautiful occupants of her cell, doing time for crimes ranging from political insurgency to heroin addiction. The women often clash, which leads to their torture by sadistic guard Lucian (Kathryn Loder). The torture ceremonies are viewed by an impassive cloaked figure.

Collier's cellmates Alcott and Bodine (Collins and Woodell) plan to escape. Collier and another cellmate Ferina (Gina Stuart) agree to go along. Assisting is their other lesbian cellmate Grear (Pam Grier), though doubts exist Grear's heroin-addict girlfriend Harrad (Brooke Mills) will be equipped to escape.

Ferina, Alcott, and Bodine break from the solitary-confinement sauna and take their revenge on Lucian. The escapees wield guns, attitude, and sexuality to free themselves.

During their escape, they round up various personnel from the prison as hostages, taking elegant prison warden Miss Dietrich (Christiane Schmidtmer), sympathetic prison medic Dr Phillips (Jack Davis), and two local men regularly allowed access to the prison to sell market produce, Harry (Sid Haig) and Fred (Jerry Franks).

Cast[edit]

Pam Grier as Grear
Judy Brown as Collier
Roberta Collins as Alcott
Sid Haig as Harry
Brooke Mills as Harrad
Pat Woodell as Bodine
Christiane Schmidtmer as Miss Dietrich
Kathryn Loder as Lucian

Production[edit]

This was one of the first films made by B movie giant Roger Corman for his company New World Pictures. According to Stephanie Rothman, Corman originally purchased a screenplay by James Gordon White, which he then asked to be rewritten. Rothman says her husband Charles S. Swartz, New World story editor Frances Doel, and she pitched story proposals to Jack Hill, who did not like any of them. They then plotted a new storyline themselves and hired Don Spencer to write the screenplay. Rothman also says that Corman wanted her to direct the picture, but she turned it down, so Corman hired Jack Hill, instead.^[5]

John Ashley says Corman originally intended to make the film in Puerto Rico, but he persuaded them to make it in the Philippines. Ashley and his partners went on to put up the above-the-line part of the budget, with Corman providing the rest.^[6]^[7]

Reception[edit]

The film earned $3 million in movie rentals.^[8]

References[edit]

^ Gary Morris, 'Roger Corman's New World Pictures: Notes toward a Lexicon' Bright Lights Film Journal, January 2000
^ Lamont, John (1990). "The John Ashley Filmography". Trash Compactor (Volume 2 No. 5 ed.). p. 26.
^ "The Big Doll House, Box Office Information". The Numbers. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
^ The Big Doll House at IMDb
^ 'Stephanie Rothman Sets Record Straight', Temple of Schlock July 31, 2010
^ Tom Weaver, "Interview with John Ashley", Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup, McFarland 1988 p 43
^ Vagg, Stephen (December 2019). "A Hell of a Life: The Nine Lives of John Ashley". Diabolique Magazine.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Roger Corman & Jim Jerome, How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime, Muller, 1990 p 183

External links[edit]

[Morris-1] Gary Morris, 'Roger Corman's New World Pictures: Notes toward a Lexicon' Bright Lights Film Journal, January 2000

[2] Lamont, John (1990). "The John Ashley Filmography". Trash Compactor (Volume 2 No. 5 ed.). p. 26.

[3] "The Big Doll House, Box Office Information". The Numbers. Retrieved June 24, 2012.

[4] The Big Doll House at IMDb

[5] 'Stephanie Rothman Sets Record Straight', Temple of Schlock July 31, 2010

[6] Tom Weaver, "Interview with John Ashley", Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup, McFarland 1988 p 43

[7] Vagg, Stephen (December 2019). "A Hell of a Life: The Nine Lives of John Ashley". Diabolique Magazine.^{[permanent dead link]}

[roger-8] Roger Corman & Jim Jerome, How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime, Muller, 1990 p 183

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|1971 film by Jack Hill}}
+{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
+{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
 {{Infobox film
 | name           = The Big Doll House
 | image          = Big doll house.jpg
-| image_size     =
 | caption        = Theatrical release poster
 | director       = [[Jack Hill]]
 | producer       = Jane Schaffer
-| writer         = Don Spencer
+| screenplay     = Don Spencer
 | narrator       =
+| starring       = {{plainlist|
-| starring       = Judy Brown<br>[[Roberta Collins]]<br>[[Pam Grier]]<br>[[Sid Haig]]<br>[[Christiane Schmidtmer]]
+*Judy Brown
+*[[Roberta Collins]]
+*[[Pam Grier]]
+*Brooke Mills
+*[[Pat Woodell]]
+*[[Sid Haig]]
+}}
 | music          = Hall Daniels
 | cinematography = Fred Conde
 | editing        = Cliff Fenneman
-| distributor    = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
+| distributor    = New World Pictures
-| studio         = [[New World Pictures]]
+| studio = [[New World Pictures]]
-| released       = {{Film date|1971|11|14}}
+| released       = {{Film date|1971|04|30}}
 | runtime        = 95 minutes
 | country        = [[United States]]<br>[[Philippines]]
+| language       = English
 | budget         = $125,000<ref name="Morris">[http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/27/newworldpictures1.php Gary Morris, 'Roger Corman's New World Pictures: Notes toward a Lexicon' ''Bright Lights Film Journal'', January 2000]</ref> or $200,000<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/TrashCompactor0205Starbrite/Trash_Compactor_0205_%28Starbrite%29#page/n25/mode/1up/search/%22john+ashley%22|title=The John Ashley Filmography|magazine=Trash Compactor|edition=Volume 2 No. 5|page=26|year=1990|first=John|last=Lamont}}</ref>
 | gross          = $10 million<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1971/0BDHO.php|publisher=The Numbers|title=The Big Doll House, Box Office Information|accessdate=June 24, 2012}}</ref>
 }}
-'''''The Big Doll House''''' is a 1971 American [[women in prison]] film starring [[Pam Grier]], Judy Brown, [[Roberta Collins]], Brooke Mills, and Pat Woodell.  The film follows six female inmates throughout daily life in a gritty, unidentified supra-tropical prison. Later the same year, the film ''[[Women in Cages]]'' featured a similar story and setting, much the same cast, and was shot in the same abandoned prison buildings. A non-sequel follow-up, titled ''[[The Big Bird Cage]]'', was released in 1972.<ref>{{IMDb title|0066830}}</ref>
+'''''The Big Doll House''''' is a 1971 American [[Women in prison film|women-in-prison film]] starring [[Pam Grier]], Judy Brown, [[Roberta Collins]], Brooke Mills, and [[Pat Woodell]].  The film follows six female inmates through daily life in a gritty, unidentified tropical prison. Later the same year, the film ''[[Women in Cages]]'' featured a similar story and setting and much the same cast, and was shot in the same abandoned prison buildings. A nonsequel follow-up, titled ''[[The Big Bird Cage]]'', was released in 1972.<ref>{{IMDb title|0066830}}</ref>
 ==Plot==
 Collier (Brown) enters [[prison]], having been found guilty of killing her husband. She is introduced to the beautiful occupants of her cell, doing time for crimes ranging from political insurgency to [[heroin]] addiction. The women often clash, which leads to their [[torture]] by sadistic guard Lucian (Kathryn Loder). The torture ceremonies are viewed by an impassive cloaked figure.
-Collier's cellmates Alcott and Bodine (Collins and Woodell) plan to escape. Collier and another cellmate Ferina (Gina Stuart) agree to go along. Assisting is their other lesbian cellmate Grear ([[Pam Grier]]), though there are doubts Grear's heroin addict girlfriend Harrad (Brooke Mills) will be equipped to escape.
+Collier's cellmates Alcott and Bodine (Collins and Woodell) plan to escape. Collier and another cellmate Ferina (Gina Stuart) agree to go along. Assisting is their other lesbian cellmate Grear ([[Pam Grier]]), though  doubts exist  Grear's heroin-addict girlfriend Harrad (Brooke Mills) will be equipped to escape.
-Ferina, Alcott and Bodine break from the solitary confinement sauna and take their revenge on Lucian. The escapees wield guns, attitude, and sexuality to free themselves.
+Ferina, Alcott, and Bodine break from the solitary-confinement sauna and take their revenge on Lucian. The escapees wield guns, attitude, and sexuality to free themselves.
-During their escape they round up various personnel from the prison as hostages, taking elegant prison warden Miss Dietrich ([[Christiane Schmidtmer]]), sympathetic prison medic Dr Phillips ([[Jack Davis (actor)|Jack Davis]]), and two local men regularly allowed access to the prison to sell market produce, Harry ([[Sid Haig]]) and Fred (Jerry Franks).
+During their escape, they round up various personnel from the prison as hostages, taking elegant prison warden Miss Dietrich ([[Christiane Schmidtmer]]), sympathetic prison medic Dr Phillips ([[Jack Davis (actor)|Jack Davis]]), and two local men regularly allowed access to the prison to sell market produce, Harry ([[Sid Haig]]) and Fred (Jerry Franks).
 ==Cast==
@@ Line 42: / Line 54: @@
 ==Production==
-This was one of the first films made by [[B movie]] giant [[Roger Corman]] for his company New World Pictures. According to [[Stephanie Rothman]], Corman originally purchased a screenplay by James Gordon White, which he then asked to be rewritten. Rothman says she, her husband [[Charles S. Swartz]] and New World story editor Frances Doel pitched story proposals to Jack Hill, who did not like any of them. They then plotted a new storyline themselves and hired Don Spencer to write the screenplay. Rothman also says that Corman wanted her to direct the picture but she turned it down, so Corman hired Jack Hill instead.<ref>[http://templeofschlock.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/stephanie-rothman-sets-record-straight.html 'Stephanie Rothman Sets Record Straight', ''Temple of Schlock'' July 31, 2010]</ref>
+This was one of the first films made by [[B movie]] giant [[Roger Corman]] for his company New World Pictures. According to [[Stephanie Rothman]], Corman originally purchased a screenplay by James Gordon White, which he then asked to be rewritten. Rothman says  her husband [[Charles S. Swartz]], New World story editor Frances Doel, and she pitched story proposals to Jack Hill, who did not like any of them. They then plotted a new storyline themselves and hired Don Spencer to write the screenplay. Rothman also says that Corman wanted her to direct the picture, but she turned it down, so Corman hired Jack Hill, instead.<ref>[http://templeofschlock.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/stephanie-rothman-sets-record-straight.html 'Stephanie Rothman Sets Record Straight', ''Temple of Schlock'' July 31, 2010]</ref>
-[[John Ashley (actor)|John Ashley]] says Corman originally intended to make the film in Puerto Rico but he persuaded them to make it in the Philippines. Ashley and his partners went on to put up the above the line part of the budget, with Corman providing the rest.<ref>Tom Weaver, "Interview with John Ashley", ''Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup'', McFarland 1988 p 43</ref>
+[[John Ashley (actor)|John Ashley]] says Corman originally intended to make the film in Puerto Rico, but he persuaded them to make it in the Philippines. Ashley and his partners went on to put up the above-the-line part of the budget, with Corman providing the rest.<ref>Tom Weaver, "Interview with John Ashley", ''Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup'', McFarland 1988 p 43</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://diaboliquemagazine.com/the-nine-lives-of-john-ashley/url=https://diaboliquemagazine.com/the-nine-lives-of-john-ashley/|magazine=Diabolique Magazine|title=A Hell of a Life: The Nine Lives of John Ashley|date=December 2019}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
 ==Reception==
-The film earned $3 million in rentals.<ref name="roger">Roger Corman & Jim Jerome, ''How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime'', Muller, 1990 p 183</ref>
+The film earned $3 million in movie rentals.<ref name="roger">Roger Corman & Jim Jerome, ''How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime'', Muller, 1990 p 183</ref>
 ==See also==
@@ Line 64: / Line 76: @@
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Big Doll House, The}}
 [[Category:1971 films]]
-[[Category:1970s crime films]]
+[[Category:1970s prison drama films]]
-[[Category:American films]]
+[[Category:1970s English-language films]]
-[[Category:English-language films]]
+[[Category:American exploitation films]]
-[[Category:Exploitation films]]
 [[Category:Films directed by Jack Hill]]
-[[Category:Philippine films]]
+[[Category:Philippine drama films]]
-[[Category:Prison films]]
+[[Category:1970s exploitation films]]
+[[Category:American prison films]]
 [[Category:Women in prison films]]
 [[Category:New World Pictures films]]
-[[Category:Foreign films shot in the Philippines]]
+[[Category:Films shot in the Philippines]]
+[[Category:American sexploitation films]]
+[[Category:American crime thriller films]]
+[[Category:American LGBT-related films]]
+[[Category:LGBT-related thriller films]]
+[[Category:Films about prison escapes]]
+[[Category:1970s American films]]