Female Convict 701: Scorpion
Encyclopedia
is a film based on a manga
by Tōru Shinohara
in the "Women in Prison" sub-genre of Pinky violence Pink films made by Toei Company
in 1972. The first in a series, the film starred Meiko Kaji and was Shunya Itō
's directorial debut.
. While in prison she meets inmates like Yuki Kida (Yayoi Watanabe) who was committed for fraud and theft, Otsuka (Akemi Negishi
), jailed for burglary and extortion
, and Katagiri (Rie Yokoyama) who has been impounded for arson and illegally disposing of a body.
On the outside, Sugimi and the Japanese mafia
orchestrate a plan in which Matsushima will succumb to an "accidental" death in prison. They enlist the help of Katagiri, pulling on her ties to both Sugimi and the mafia, and quickly set their plan in motion. Little do they realize, however, how hotly Matsushima's desire for revenge against Sugimi burns. After a riot, she escapes and kills all the Yakuza
and Sugimi. The film ends with Matsushima walking alone back in prison.
This movie is extremely notable within the genre of women's prison films as it utilizes elements not often incorporated in such works. The camerawork and use of music is handled with a sense of artistry. For example, flashback sequences are realized by shifting colored spotlights on a live action stage, and the finale is filmed entirely by handheld camera, with impressive effect.
Matsu is also raped by several drug dealers when she was still a free woman.
Despite all of these, Matsu never breaks and still eventually breaks out of the prison.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
by Tōru Shinohara
Toru Shinohara
is a Japanese manga artist.He was born in Niihama, Ehime. After graduating from high school on March 1955, he started working at a factory in Osaka making car parts but quit after only ten months. He studied manga via a mail-offered course and wrote to various manga magazines...
in the "Women in Prison" sub-genre of Pinky violence Pink films made by Toei Company
Toei Company
is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, a modest vertically-integrated studio system by the standards of the 1930s United States; operates studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a...
in 1972. The first in a series, the film starred Meiko Kaji and was Shunya Itō
Shunya Ito
is a Japanese film director famed for starting the Sasori series of 1970s exploitation films based on Toru Shinohara's manga and starring Meiko Kaji. Itō worked for Toei Company for most of his career...
's directorial debut.
Plot
After being cruelly set up by a crooked detective named Sugimi (Isao Natsuyagi), whom she loved, Nami Matsushima (aka Matsu the Scorpion) (Meiko Kaji) is sentenced to do hard time in a women's prison, which is run by sadistic and horny male guards. There are 700 other prisoners, making Matsu number 701. Her crime was making a failed attempt to stab Sugimi on the steps of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Headquarters because he used her to win favor with the YakuzaYakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
. While in prison she meets inmates like Yuki Kida (Yayoi Watanabe) who was committed for fraud and theft, Otsuka (Akemi Negishi
Akemi Negishi
was a Japanese actress.-Film career:Tokyo-born Akemi Negishi came to the attention of international audiences when she starred in the US/Japanese co-production Anatahan, her debut film. Josef von Sternberg directed the tale of shipwrecked Japanese soldiers who refused to believe that WWII had ended...
), jailed for burglary and extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, and Katagiri (Rie Yokoyama) who has been impounded for arson and illegally disposing of a body.
On the outside, Sugimi and the Japanese mafia
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
orchestrate a plan in which Matsushima will succumb to an "accidental" death in prison. They enlist the help of Katagiri, pulling on her ties to both Sugimi and the mafia, and quickly set their plan in motion. Little do they realize, however, how hotly Matsushima's desire for revenge against Sugimi burns. After a riot, she escapes and kills all the Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
and Sugimi. The film ends with Matsushima walking alone back in prison.
This movie is extremely notable within the genre of women's prison films as it utilizes elements not often incorporated in such works. The camerawork and use of music is handled with a sense of artistry. For example, flashback sequences are realized by shifting colored spotlights on a live action stage, and the finale is filmed entirely by handheld camera, with impressive effect.
Character
Matsu herself portrays a powerful woman who refuses to give up on her ultimate plan for revenge against Sugimi. An extremely attractive prisoner, Matsu is constantly harassed by the guards and her fellow peers in attempts to completely humiliate her. Such scenes include:- walking up and down see-through stairs completely naked with tons of male guards watching
- being hog-tied in a dungeon with soup poured on her
- getting into a fight in the shower
- being forced to dig dirt holes for two days and nights straight
- forced to sleep in a room with no beds (after digging dirt holes all day) with an undercover prisoner
- being constantly beaten by the sadistic male guards
- hung and tied from the ceiling while being beaten by her fellow prisoners (and also forced to sleep while hung from the ceiling)
Matsu is also raped by several drug dealers when she was still a free woman.
Despite all of these, Matsu never breaks and still eventually breaks out of the prison.
Sources
- Archive of . Original page