Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701's Grudge Song

1973
6.3| 1h29m| en| More Info
Released: 29 December 1973 Released
Producted By: Toei Company
Country: Japan
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Nami is once again on the run from the law but is saved by an old classmate who works at a strip club. Through a subsequent conversation they discover they both have a score to settle with a particular crooked cop. However, Nami has doubts about ever trusting a man.

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Reviews

Motompa Go in cold, and you're likely to emerge with your blood boiling. This has to be seen to be believed.
Asad Almond A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.
Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
Tonypulp Grudge Song is the fourth film in the series. Still starring the amazing Meiko Kaji as Matsu a.k.a Sasori (Scorpion) but with a different director. Yasuharu Hasebe is no stranger in the Japanese exploitation bizz, but it's still hard to follow up such a brilliant director such as Shunya Ito after three incredible films. Was he the right man for the job, or should they've stuck to three parts?Very much like the third film it all goes down in an urban environment, staying clear from prison until the last part. It's the fugitive story line you'd come to expect by now. You can't detain Sasori forever, so escaping becomes a big part of the action yet again. She's facing dead sentence, forcing her to do whatever it takes to stay clear from the authority.It's as entertaining as the first films but the cinematography wasn't as eye-catching. It's all in comparison, since it's still a gorgeous film and there are tons of nicely shot sequences. Just not as good as the first three. It's not easy to dodge the repetitive bullet, not for Hasebe and not for me as I'm writing about the same series for the fourth time in a row.Should I once again explain how Meiko's acting influences the impact of the film, how she's the one who keeps you on the edge of you seat and so on? Her quality acting is not something that just vanishes, so success was guaranteed on this part. The entire cat and mouse game remains intriguing because of her presence, the love and hatred can be felt from both sides.A nice addition to the final part are the female wardens. They have a different attitude which makes it interesting to revisit this setting. Here we see some of the better scenes, mainly when she escapes once again. Bringing forth some of the best looking shots with those familiar painted backgrounds and enchanting music.I'll be remembering her song of vengeance for quite some time, that's for sure. I'll place a youtube video on the bottom for everyone to listen to. It's a fantastic film but it didn't have the same effect as Ito's Scorpion films had. A rewarding final, even though I still crave for more Meiko action. Lady Snowblood...here I come!
BA_Harrison Grudge Song, Meiko Kaji's final outing as sexy female prisoner Nami Matsushima (AKA The Scorpion), opens with our beautiful anti-hero narrowly avoiding capture by the police during a wedding. Badly injured during this latest escape, our tasty fugitive breaks into a strip club where she is tended to by club employee Teruo Kudo (Masakazu Tamura), who bears a grudge against the police for torturing him when he was younger.Grateful for his kindness, and recognising Kudo as a kindred spirit, Nami lowers her defenses and forms a relationship with the young man—but can Kudo be trusted not to betray Nami, especially when he is put under pressure by sadistic policeman Kodama (Yumi Kanei) and his brutal cohorts?After being somewhat disappointed by director Shunya Ito's third Female Prisoner movie, Beast Stable, which I believe lacked the effortlessly cool vibe of the first two films and saw the formula becoming somewhat tired, I was excited to see that this fourth chapter for Meiko Kaji's cult character was directed by Yasuharu Hasebe, the man responsible for such delightfully depraved Pinku classics as 'Assault! Jack the Ripper' and 'Rape! 13th Hour'. Surely this guy could inject some new life into the series.Unfortunately, Grudge Song proves to be a rather restrained affair from Hasebe, one that features little of the shocking sexual and violent content that I would normally associate with the director's work, with even the film's nastiest scene, a gang-rape, lacking his usual impact (possibly suggesting that the director was holding himself back, compelled to try and be as stylish and classy as his predecessor when dealing with such a well established franchise). Hasebe also unwisely turns Kaji's Nami into a much less sympathetic character than before, making it harder for the audience to care about her fate.Had Hasebe given Grudge Song the same outrageous, exploitative approach that made his aforementioned titles such deviant guilty pleasures, this would have been a lot more fun, and a great way for Kaji to leave the series. Sadly, as it is, this one is my least favourite of all the Female Scorpion films.5.5 out 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.
HumanoidOfFlesh After narrowly escaping brutal Detective Kodama Sasori hides out in a seedy strip joint in the back streets of Tokyo.There she encounters Kudo who was humiliated and tortured by Kodama and his cronies years ago.The two strike a bond and soon set out to exact Kudo's long dreamt-about justice against detective Kodama.But their plan is not going to end happily."Female Convict Scorpion Grudge Song" is filled with sadness and unrelenting nihilism.Yasuharu Hasebe,the creator of violent pink sub-genre directs with a sure hand and Mejko Kaji is fantastic as a relentless Sasori.She even kills a cop with a white rose.There is also sleazy gang-rape scene and plenty of nudity.If you enjoyed previous installments of "Scorpion" pinky violence series give this one a look.8 out of 10.
Falconeer The fourth installment in the incredible 'Female Prisoner' series, starring Meiko Kaji. Director Shunya Ito declined to direct this final part because of budget cuts. Yasuharu Hasebe takes over here, and directs a respectable final chapter to one of the most loved serials in Japanese cinema. Hasebe was also responsible for a controversial trilogy of rape themed films including "Rape! 13th Hour". His influence is seen here, as 'Grudge Song' features some over-the-top scenes of torture and rape. Of course though, not on the extreme level of his more subversive works, as I think the Scorpion series was aimed at a somewhat larger audience. This one begins with Nami on the run once again, from the angry cop that has been pursuing her through the entire series. She finds a little solace with a man (!) who hides her from the police and helps to nurse her back to health. Surprisingly, Nami allows a man to get a little close to her, however she keeps him at arms length, as she knows that no man can truly be trusted. No worries though; the film never gets bogged down by sappy romance, as that would make 'Sasori' look somehow weak. I believe she only mutters two lines of dialog to her companion throughout the film.'Grudge Song' takes a little while to pick up speed, but it surely does, just about at the halfway mark, when she is once again caught and thrown into prison. It is always a rush to see the 'Scorpion' dressed in the familiar prison stripes. I don't care how many times they do it, it never gets boring. With each passing installment Kaji seems more 'godlike'. Here she comes across as some vengeful spirit from another world. Was this sequel necessary? Not really, but who cares. A chance to experience another adventure with this amazing heroine is always welcome. If you are a fan of this series, then this film is a must. It also a good opportunity to see a film from Yasuharu Hasebe, as most of his other films are extremely hard to find. And if you are wondering if Nami puts on the black coat and hat to seek out revenge once again...She does! And this time her vengeance is more personal. Recommended!

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