Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41

Perhaps, Shuyna Ito's second film in the Female Prisoner Scorpion series, Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972) is more impressive visually and more satisfying plot-wise than the first film. In this installment After spending a year in solitary confinement, Matsu (Meiko Kajji) escapes from prison with six other convicts. In turn they are hunted by the guards led by the vengeful warden who wants her dead at all costs. There are several kabuki or traditional Japanese cultural set pieces throughout the film such as the traditional singing of the old lady in the abandoned village that explain each of the escapee's crimes. The start of that scene has the house being pulled apart that is similar to a scene in the hijacked bus that becomes detached as well. This dismantling of the house calls to mind a similar scene from Shohei Imamura's documentary/drama A Man Vanishes. Kaji is all about her steely stare-very much like Leone's Man with NO Name played by Clint Eastwood-I think Kaji has only one line reading in the film. The Arrow version includes: newly filmed appreciation by critic Kier-La Janisse, commentary from Japanese cinema critic Jasper Sharp who looks over the career of Shunya Ito, a new interview with production designer Tadayuki Kuwana, and the Original Theatrical Trailer.