Reform School Girls

Infobox Film
name = Reform School Girls


image_size = 200px
caption = "Reform School Girls" DVD cover
director = Tom DeSimone
producer = Jack Cummins
Leo Angelos
writer = Tom DeSimone
Jack Cummins
Daniel Arthur Wray
starring = Linda Carol
Wendy O. Williams
Pat Ast
Sybil Danning
Sherri Stoner
music = Dan Siegel
cinematography = Howard Wexler
editing = Michael Spence
distributor = Anchor Bay Entertainment
New World Pictures
released = August 22, 1986
runtime = 94 min.
country = United States
language = English
amg_id = 1:40800
imdb_id = 0091836

"Reform School Girls" is a 1986 American film directed by Tom DeSimone, starring Wendy O. Williams, Pat Ast, and Sybil Danning. It depicts a reform school for girls that is operated by a sadistic and evil warden, Sutter, and her henchwoman Edna.

Plot

The film is a satire of the Women in Prison film genre and deliberately implements many of the tropes commonly found in such films. Such scenes include nude shower scenes - controversially including Linda Carol, who played the protagonist, and was underage at the time of shooting - fight scenes, and a suggested romantic relationship between one of the inmates and an administrator. The overall plot involves a new influx of girls coming to the school. They are immediately confronted with Charlie Chambliss (Wendy O. Williams) who is the de facto leader of the school and has an exceedingly close relationship with the head of the ward, Edna (Pat Ast). Charlie and her circle are given special privileges by Edna and it is suggested that Charlie and Edna enjoy a more intimate relationship. Charlie runs a secret society of girls who are loyal to her and to whom she offers protection. The two main new girls break several of Edna's rules and are punished decisively for their infractions.

Jenny (Linda Carol) comes to the school after becoming mixed up in a shoot out. She tries to break out after befriending a male driver with whom she has a romantic encounter in the back of his truck. She makes arrangements that he will drive her off the premises but is discovered by a guard and after a scuffle she is apprehended and immediately cast into isolation. Lisa (Sherri Stoner) is a runaway who is captured and placed in the reform school. She suffers several losses while at the school including her stuffed bunny and a cat she tends to which was originally found when the girls were out performing hard labor. The cat is discovered by Edna in the dorms and she chases it until finally stomping it to death. Lisa is punished with isolation. After the death of her cat Lisa attempts to climb to the top of the tower, followed closely by Edna. When she reaches the top she stumbles backward as Edna confronts her, breaks through the barriers and falls to her death. This causes Jenny to smash through a window which starts a riot which is only quelled when Warden Sutter (Sybil Danning) shoots a rifle into the ceiling.

The film culminates in a protest scene after Dr. Norton (Charlotte McGinnis), a psychiatrist, forces a meeting of administrators over the conditions and treatment of inmates at the school. She intended to have Jenny testify but a doctor determines, despite all evidence to the contrary, that she is ill and will not be able to attend. Therefore, four other inmates are chosen and none of them has any complaints. During the meeting Jenny knocks out a guard and steals her keys which allows all the girls to march out into the main open area and voice their grudges. Edna, however, gets a hold of a gun and opens fire on them. Edna shoots Charlie and climbs up the tower from which Sutter has broadcast religious-oriented messages as the girls are going to sleep. Charlie climbs a fence and commandeers a school bus which she drives toward the tower with Edna standing at the top. Just before impact, Charlie leaps from the bus and it explodes as it hits the tower. The scorched body of Edna tumbles to the ground and many of the girls cheer. Charlie crawls and before she died shouts out, "See you in hell!" to Edna. The final scene shows Jenny released and getting into a cab. She waves at Dr. Norton, who is implied to be in charge of the new, more benevolent order at the school, and three other girls who are still incarcerated.

Cast

*Linda Carol as Jenny
*Wendy O. Williams as Charlie Chambliss
*Pat Ast as Edna
*Sybil Danning as Warden Sutter
*Charlotte McGinnis as Dr. Norton
*Sherri Stoner as Lisa
*Denise Gordy as Claudie
*Laurie Schwartz as Nicky
*Tiffany Helm as Andrea "Fish" Eldridge
*Darcy DeMoss as Karen "Knox" Charmin
*Andrea Darnell as Paula
*Robin Watkins as Kelly
*Winifred Freedman as Terri
*James Staszkiel as Truck driver
*Fred D. Scott as Judge Carter
*Lorrie Marlow as Shelly
*Daniel Arthur Wray as Dr. Fisher
*Alicia Shonte as Stella
*Jon H. Epstein as Billy
*Terri Lynn as Bad Girl #1
*Sylvia Dohi as Bad Girl #2
*Victoria Fischer as Girl
*Lila Waters as Clerk
*Linda L. Rand as Guard
*Don Pugsley as Bus Driver
*Susan Cheng as Secretary
*Micki Varro as Nurse
*Leslie Rivers as Guard
*Dharvi Darrell as Shower Matron
*Archie Lang as Judge
*Justine Lenore as Matron
*Vance Valencia as Gate Guard
*Lavelle Roby as Guard
*Mary Brando as Paddywagon Girl #1
*Jennifer Sophia as Paddywagon Girl #2
*Kristi Hayden as Kate
*Katherine Hittleman as Night Nurse
*Lisa Sanderson as Guard
*Michelle Bauer as Shower Girl (Uncredited)
*Leslee Bremmer as Shower Girl (Uncredited)
*Brooke Morales as Shower Girl (Uncredited)
*Karen James as Dotty (Uncredited)
*Kathy Lee Kennedy as Guard (Uncredited)
*Sheila Lussier (Uncredited)
*Julia Parton as Inmate (Uncredited)

External links

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