Review of Terminal Island

Token distaff feminist 70's drive-in movie writer/director Stephanie ("Group Marriage," "The Student Nurses") Rothman's intriguing and intelligent social allegory on how the strong cruelly oppress and viciously lord it over the weak, here cunningly done under the guise of being your standard down'n'dirty grindhouse exploitation prison item. Two rival factions, one peaceful and egalitarian, the other brutish and dictatorial, battle it out for supremacy on a remote island penitentiary where society's most heinous and irredeemable criminals are permanently banished to rot out the rest of their lives (the basic premise definitely shares striking similarities to "Escape from New York"). The first-rate cast of familiar TV show and B-flick faces greatly enlivens this fun'n'funky favorite: "Lost in Space" cutie Marta Kristen in fine, feisty form (she also looks mighty tasty in a skimpy halter top and cut-off denim hot pants), statuesque eyeful Phyllis ("Sweet Sugar," "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls") Davis, Roger E. ("The Mack," "Hit Man") Mosley, Clyde ("'Gatorbait," "Bury Me An Angel") Ventura, the beauteous Barbara ("Seven," "Junior Bonner") Leigh, Albert ("The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant," "The Female Bunch") Cole, the ever-scummy James ("Planet of Dinosaurs," "The Candy Snatchers") Whitworth, and even a pre-"Magnum P.I." Tom Selleck as a nice guy doctor. Moreover, this film not only delivers the expected sex, nudity and violence (Davis' smoking hot skinny-dipping scene in particular is a luscious wonder to behold), but also plenty of meaty and provocative food for thought to chew on and digest as well. Hard to find, but definitely worth checking out if you're lucky enough to stumble across a rare copy of it.