Chained Heat is a 1983 exploitation film

Exploitation film

Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...

 in the women-in-prison genre. It was co-written and directed by Paul Nicholas for Jensen Farley Pictures.

Plot

Linda Blair

Linda Blair

Linda Denise Blair is an American actress. Blair is best known for her role as the possessed child, Regan, in the 1973 film The Exorcist, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and two Golden Globes, winning one. She reprised her role in 1977's Exorcist II: The Heretic.-Biography:Blair...

 of The Exorcist

The Exorcist (film)

The Exorcist is a 1973 American horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty and based on the exorcism case of Robbie Mannheim, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother’s desperate attempts to win back her...

stars as Carol Henderson, an immature and naive teenager who is sentenced to 18 months in a women's prison after killing a man by accident. Once she arrives, she meets the vicious and perverted Warden Backman (John Vernon

John Vernon

John Keith Vernon was a Canadian actor. He made a career in Hollywood after achieving initial television stardom in Canada.-Early life:...

). She also encounters the two kingpin prisoners, Ericka (Sybil Danning

Sybil Danning

Sybil Danning is an Austrian actress known for her many roles in B movies, science fiction films, and action films.-Early life:Danning was born in Ried im Innkreis, Austria as Sybille Johanna Danninger...

) and Duchess (Tamara Dobson

Tamara Dobson

Tamara Dobson was an American actress and fashion model. She was born in Baltimore, Maryland and received her degree in fashion illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Dobson, who stood 6 feet 2 inches , eventually became a fashion model for Vogue Magazine...

), who are the leaders of factions in the facility's seething racial tensions. There are also the drug-dealing lesbian rapists and the prostitutes, who answer to the warden's assistant, Captain Taylor (Stella Stevens

Stella Stevens

Stella Stevens Stella Stevens Stella Stevens (born October 1, 1938 is an American film, television and stage actress, who began her acting career in 1959 and starred in such popular films as The Nutty Professor, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, The Silencers, The Ballad of Cable Hogue and The...

). In the meantime, Taylor's lover is clandestinely having an affair with Ericka. It's a whirlwind of dread and fury, but when the facility's corrupt administration goes too far, racial considerations are put aside as convicts of all colors and nationalities band together to fight them.

Reception

Chained Heat opened on May 27, 1983 in 404 theaters nationwide and made $2,252,682 in its opening weekend. The film was in theaters for two and a half weeks all together, its widest release being in 217 theaters. As of 2009 the film's domestic gross is $6,149,983. During its release the film came under fire heavily from critics for its sexism and from lesbian rights activists for negative and stereotypical portrayals of Lesbians as being violent and predatory. Chained Heat 's current rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 20% positive reviews.Chained Heat was produced for $950,000.

Sybil Danning

Sybil Danning

Sybil Danning is an Austrian actress known for her many roles in B movies, science fiction films, and action films.-Early life:Danning was born in Ried im Innkreis, Austria as Sybille Johanna Danninger...

 won the Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress for her performance in the film, while Linda Blair

Linda Blair

Linda Denise Blair is an American actress. Blair is best known for her role as the possessed child, Regan, in the 1973 film The Exorcist, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and two Golden Globes, winning one. She reprised her role in 1977's Exorcist II: The Heretic.-Biography:Blair...

 was nominated for Worst Actress.

Chained Heat (as a shorter edited version) has been available in a DVD box set with Red Heat and Jungle Warriors released in December, 2008.

Sequels

In 1993 the film, Chained Heat II, starring Brigitte Nielsen

Brigitte Nielsen

Brigitte Nielsen is a Danish model, actress, musician and reality television personality who began her career modelling for Greg Gorman and Helmut Newton and several years later made appearances in the 1985 films Red Sonja and Rocky IV and is also known for her marriage to Sylvester Stallone...

, Paul Koslo

Paul Koslo

Paul Koslo is a German-Canadian actor.-Career:Koslo started his career in such 1970's cult films as Nam's Angels a.k.a. The Losers, , Mr. Majestyk, Vanishing Point, Joe Kidd and The Stone Killer...

, Kimberley Kates

Kimberley Kates

Kimberley Kates is an American actress and film producer.-Early life:Born in California, Kates grew up there and in Montana. Her biological father was killed by a drunk driver when she was a child. Kimberley was pre-med in College before winning a modeling contest which brought her back to Southern...

 and Kari Whitman. The film was directed by Lloyd Simandl and released in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. This was followed by the 1998 release of Chained Heat 3: Hell Mountain. The film starred Nicole Nieth, Kate Rodgers, and Bentley Mitchum

Bentley Mitchum

Bentley Mitchum is an American actor who has appeared in about 40 films and TV series, including Sundance grand jury prize winner Ruby in Paradise, Man in the Moon, The Wonder Years, Conviction, Susie Q, Meatballs 4, Demonic Toys and Shark Attack...

 and was directed by Mike Rhol from a screenplay by Chris Hyde

Chris Hyde

Chris Hyde was an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club.He retired in 2008 after playing 93 games, and now works for the NSW Game Council as the Game Manager for the Snowy/South East region....

.

Both sequels bear little to no relation to the first film.

Cast

Actor	Role
Linda Blair Linda Blair Linda Denise Blair is an American actress. Blair is best known for her role as the possessed child, Regan, in the 1973 film The Exorcist, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and two Golden Globes, winning one. She reprised her role in 1977's Exorcist II: The Heretic.-Biography:Blair...	Carol
John Vernon John Vernon John Keith Vernon was a Canadian actor. He made a career in Hollywood after achieving initial television stardom in Canada.-Early life:...	Wardan Backman
Sybil Danning Sybil Danning Sybil Danning is an Austrian actress known for her many roles in B movies, science fiction films, and action films.-Early life:Danning was born in Ried im Innkreis, Austria as Sybille Johanna Danninger...	Ericka
Tamara Dobson Tamara Dobson Tamara Dobson was an American actress and fashion model. She was born in Baltimore, Maryland and received her degree in fashion illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Dobson, who stood 6 feet 2 inches , eventually became a fashion model for Vogue Magazine...	Dutchess
Stella Stevens Stella Stevens Stella Stevens Stella Stevens Stella Stevens (born October 1, 1938 is an American film, television and stage actress, who began her acting career in 1959 and starred in such popular films as The Nutty Professor, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, The Silencers, The Ballad of Cable Hogue and The...	Capt. Taylor
Sharon Hughes	Val
Henry Silva	Lester
Edy Williams Edy Williams Edwina Beth "Edy" Williams is an American television and film actress.-Early years:Born in Utah and raised in Oregon and Southern California, Williams began her career as a model and beauty pageant contestant...	Paula
Nita Talbot Nita Talbot Nita Talbot is an American actress. Talbot was a leading lady who spent the first decade or so of her career playing "slick chicks" and sharp-witted career girls, but is perhaps best known for her role as Marya, the White Russian spy in the 1960s sitcom, Hogan's Heroes, as well as Sheila Fine in...	Kaufman
Louisa Mortiz	Bubbles
Michael Callan Michael Callan Not to be confused with Michael Callen.Michael Callan is an American actor.Born Martin Harris Calinieff in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Callan began his career as Mickey Calin, and it was with this name he appeared on Broadway in The Boy Friend , Catch a Star , and West Side Story .Callan's film...	Martin
Greta Blackburn	Lulu