Prisoner of Paradise (Vinegar Syndrome) Review

Distributor: Vinegar Syndrome Edition Details: Standard DVD Movie Specs: Genres: Golden Age Classic, Feature Film Also known as: Nazi Love Island Run Time: 78 minutes Rated: X Release Year: 1980 Director: Harry Mohney (as Gail Palmer), Bob Chinn Written by: Gail Palmer, Jeffrey Fairbanks (as Jeff Fairbanks) Cast: John Holmes (as John C. Holmes), Seka, Elmo Lavino (as Heinz Müeller), Sue Carol, Jade Wong, Jayne Paygan (as Nicki Anderson), Brenda Vargo, Mai Lin (as Miko Moto), Gail Palmer Release Specs: Audio: English Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono Subtitles: none Video: Widescreen, 1.85:1 (anamorphic) Video Format: NTSC Format: DVD Regional Code (for DVD/Blu-ray): 0 (All) Number of discs: 1

Prisoner of Paradise is a hokey adult film from the 70s. As the story goes, during WWII an American soldier, Joe Murrey (John Holmes), ends up washing ashore on a South Pacific island after the ship he is on is sunk. On the island he finds a small Nazi encampment run by Hans (Elmo Lavino) and attempts to rescue Carol (Jayne Paygan) and Gloria (Brenda Vargo), two nurses the Nazis are holding hostage.

While the credits for Prisoner of Paradise list the co-directors as Bob Chinn and Gail Palmer, it is likely that the co-directors were really Bob Chinn and Harry Mohney, Palmer's boyfriend at the time. Writer Peter Segal found, when researching Palmer, that Mohney actually directed the films credited to her using her name. It is unclear whether Palmer wrote the films credited to her or if Mohney did that too.

The plot for Prisoner of Paradise doesn't make a ton of sense. For the most part, it seems to exist mostly to move one sex scene to the next while trying to add a little extra to the production. The acting is also a mixed bag in this one. Some of the cast does fine in their roles, others not so much. The sets used aren't bad and the tropical locations look nice. There is stock footage integrated into the film for footage that would have been too expensive to have filmed specifically for the film. The sex scenes aren't bad but aren't fantastic either.

Overall, Prisoner of Paradise is a cute adult film that doesn't have a ton going in the plot or the acting department and the sex is about average for the time. Chinn and Mohney have made the film look different from a lot of films at the time with the tropical locations used and the hokey Nazi plot. Prisoner of Paradise is worth a look but may not be desired for multiple viewings.

Vinegar Syndrome has done a nice job with the transfer on this release. Prisoner of Paradise is presented in the anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The print contains print damage, grain, and artifacts. Colors are nice and vibrant. The stock footage is in worse shape with heavy grain and a darker picture.

Prisoner of Paradise is presented with an English Dolby Digital 1.0 monaural audio track. The audio track sounds good with no noticeable defects or issues.

The only extra that Vinegar Syndrome has included on this release is the theatrical trailer.

Prisoner of Paradise isn't the most plot motivated adult feature film out there but it isn't a bad feature by any means. The plot is thin and the acting for some of the cast is sketchy but the sex scenes aren't bad. Prisoner of Paradise is nicely shot. Vinegar Syndrome has done a nice job with the transfer but has only included one extra on the release.

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