A brutal island prison, sadistic wardens, and the women who dare to resist.
99 WOMEN
99 WOMEN... behind bars -- without men!
Off the coast of Panama, there is an island with a female penal colony, run by a sadistic superintendent. When several prisoners mysteriously die, leading to a breakout and mutiny, an extensive investigation of the horrific events begins.
Quick Answer
99 Women is a 1969 crime, drama, horror, and thriller film directed by Jesús Franco about a new inmate named Marie who arrives at an island women's prison ruled by sadistic authorities and endures abuse, ultimately planning an escape.
Programmer's Pick
Jesús Franco’s 99 Women doesn’t just dip its toes into the women-in-prison genre—it dives headfirst, offering up sadistic wardens, institutional abuse, and an unflinching dose of Euro sleaze. Between the power struggles and the relentless exploitation, you’ll find out just how far this island prison will go to keep its secrets buried.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Details & Specs
- Director
- Jesús Franco
- Writers
- Milo G. Cuccia, Harry Alan Towers, Anya Corvin, Jesús Franco, Carlo Fadda, Manfred R. Köhler, Ornella Zanelli, Javier Peres Grober
- Release
- 1969
- Runtime
- 1h 39m
- Country
- Germany, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, Liechtenstein
- Language
- German, English, Italian
- Also Known As
- The Hot Death, Island of Dispair, Isle of Lost Women, Prostitutes in Prison, 99 FEMMES, Original title: Der heiße Tod
Why This Matters
As one of the earliest and most financially successful women in prison films, this international co-production directed by Jesús Franco helped define the genre's commercial viability.
Cast & Crew
View all →
Why Cult
This film is a cornerstone of the women-in-prison subgenre, with all the requisite power plays, cruelty, and attempted escapes set on a remote island.
Thelma Diaz, the lesbian warden, rules with an iron fist, subjecting inmates to torture, sexual harassment, and abuse.
Featuring Maria Schell, Herbert Lom, and Mercedes McCambridge among others, the film boasts a roster of Euro-cult mainstays.
99 Women is unflinching in its depiction of nudity, eroticism, and taboo-breaking scenes, available in both softcore and hardcore versions.
Scene Gallery
Threat File
Arrival of new inmates
Sadistic wardens and prison abuse
Physical and sexual torment of prisoners
Isolated island women's prison
Questions from the Vault
When was 99 Women released? +
99 Women was released in 1969.
Who directed 99 Women? +
99 Women was directed by Jesús Franco.
How long is 99 Women? +
99 Women has a runtime of 99 minutes.
What genre is 99 Women? +
99 Women is a crime, drama, horror, and thriller film.
Where can I watch 99 Women? +
99 Women is available to stream on SassyFlix.
