Love Camp Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Love Camp Blu-ray Movie Review

Viva la revolución!

Reviewed by Justin Dekker May 8, 2026

Prolific director Jesús Franco's 1977 women-in-prison film 'Love Camp' makes is US Blu-ray debut courtesy of Delirium Home Video. The film stars Nanda van Bergen ('Wicked Women') as Isla the Warden, Ada Tauler ('Voodoo Passion') as the newlywed Angela, and frequent Franco collaborator Monica Swinn ('Draguse') as Maria. It was one of several films Franco directed for Swiss film director, producer, writer Erwin C. Dietrich during that period of his career. With solid technical merits, the film is accompanied by a number of on-disc special features, the highlight of which is the audio commentary from Troy Howarth. A limited slipcover is included with the first 2000 units.

A number of women from all walks of life are ripped from their normal existences and brought to a remote South American jungle location to service the carnal needs, thereby boosting the moral, of men fighting a guerrilla-style revolution under the leadership of Chino (Wal Davis, The Other Side of the Mirror). Chino quickly chooses the newlywed Angela (Ada Tauler) to be his personal "attendant", creating tension with the other kidnapped female prisoners, and also with the warden, Isla, who has her own lustful intentions for her. Will the revolution succeed? Who will in win Angela's affections? And, will the women survive the steamy Love Camp?

When starting a journey down the women-in-prison (WIP) rabbit hole there are a number of Pam Grier's early films that make for essential viewing, particularly The Big Doll House (1971), Women in Cages (1971) (with Pam on the other side of the bars as Alabama the villainous guard) and The Big Bird Cage (1972). I would also be inclined to include 1973's Black Mama, White Mama, which while only partially set behind bars manages to work in a few genre tropes in during that time, and it's a great performance from Grier. Grier wasn't quite the phenomenon at this point in her career that she would later become once more "palatable" films and Blaxploitation classics like Coffy and Foxy Brown hit cinema screens a short while later, but much of what made her a star was already fully on display in these less savory films. Japan would add Female Prisoner 701: Scorpion to the WIP ranks in 1971, and several sequels followed. The 1980s would provide a number of stand-out WIP filmsas well, one of the most well-known of which is Reform School Girls, notable for having both Plasmatics singer Wendy O. Williams and Sybil Danning among its energetic cast.

While Jesús Franco didn't invent WIP pictures, he did spend quite a bit of time wallowing in the genre's sweaty remote locations, its steamy showers, the dank and overcrowded cells, and the posh rooms set aside for the prisons' leadership and their twisted passions. And though Franco's WIP films are not among his most artistic or challenging, films like 99 Women, Barbed Wire Dolls, The Women of Cellblock 9, Ilsa The Wicked Warden, and, of course, Love Camp, demonstrated Franco's ability helm competently crafted films with artistic flourishes that leveraged genre tropes and pushed them as a far as he possibly could. In these films he can be at his most daring and provocative.

Shot in roughly three weeks in Dietrich's Swiss studios with exteriors shot in Spain filling in for the jungles of South America, Love Camp came in the midst of an incredibly fertile period for Franco. His Lorna the Exorcist, Celestine, Maid at your Service (which still needs an English-friendly release), Doriana Gray, and the legendary Barbed Wire Dolls all being finished shortly before this film was made. Another WIP film Women in Cellblock 9, and the excellent Je brûle de partout (I Burn All Over) starring Brigitte Lahaie along with Susan Hemmingway would soon follow. With this run of films, Franco exhibits the flexibility to rapidly transition from the the comedic sexuality of Celestine to the nastiness of Barbed Wire Dolls, and from the more horror-like fare of Lorna to the overt erotica of I Burn All Over. Love Camp then stands out because it is truly none of these. It's the odd man out as it were. It pulls the punches that Barbed Wire Dolls never hesitates to throw, though there are sexual themes, it's never as explicit as Lorna or Doriana Gray, there are few laughs to be found, and Lina Romay is conspicuously absent.

Indeed, this is Jess Franco's kinder, gentler WIP film. Though the set-up for the film with women being kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery is dark and morally reprehensible, the women are not typically shown being otherwise mistreated. The obligatory shower scene happens not only once, but twice with the female cast, but for the sake of equity or to buck convention Franco also includes an all male shower scene that is filmed from identical angles and lasts a comparatively similar time. Isla, the warden, does have her sights set on Angela, but she is not initially overly aggressive and is quickly put in her place by Chino, who is more than a little smitten with his new consort. Punishments occur, as is evidenced in the screenshot below, but they few in number, short in duration, and essentially bloodless. And, despite the plotline and the near-constant nudity (finding "safe" screenshots was particularly challenging), the sexual encounters are filmed in way commensurate with most modern steamy mainstream fare. But even here, with a slightly restrained Franco, his artistic flourishes and fingerprints are visible everywhere, from the unique and creative camera angles, the ability for characters and objects to fall in and out of focus in a given scene, and his knack for shaping a compelling tale with limited funds and sets, but a very game cast. And let's not forget the parrots.

Love Camp Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The previous Ascot edition from 2014 is quite appealing. The release tastefully shows it's age and low-budget origins, and is devoid of any critical issues. Skin tones in that release are typically very healthy and accurate, and the colors have a slightly desaturated 1970s palette. Fine detail is best enjoyed in mid-range and close-up shots, with wrinkles, scars, and make-up particulars visible on the cast's faces, especially vintage eye shadow and mascara stylings. Hairstyles are also observable, with individual strands in the vintage natural fashion with long loose curls and flyaway hairs being discernable. Environmental details such as leaves, grasses, and rocks are reasonably crisp, with the green of the plants stopping just shy of being lush. Interiors likewise present high levels of realistic detail with imperfections in the stucco walls, wicker elements, and wood grain being clearly visible. All of this is of course mentioned because the Delirium transfer seems to be extremely similar if not identical to that release. Colors register with exceedingly similar vibrancy, stability, and saturation. Skin tones are healthy which is critical as there is an immense amount of skin on display given the film's raison d'etre. Fine detail levels afford viewers the opportunity to plainly observe then-fashionably applied make-up, body hair, and costuming particulars and textures. The lace top Tina wears is observably delicate and well-rendered, and there is a nice still of her in that costume in the artwork's inner print. The most significant defect present in the transfer is the occasional white speck. Blacks are quite satisfactory and the image has pleasing depth. As it contains nudity, a screenshot of the disc's main menu which I would normally include is excluded in this instance. It's a very solid transfer.

Love Camp Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

With the 2014 Ascot release, the only English option was a front-heavy English DTS-HD 5.1 track, which was pleasing but unremarkable with few moments of immersion. Those that did arise were typically limited to ambient environmental noises such as the standardized chirping crickets and other insect noises during night scenes. Other options included a German DTS-HD 5.1, and a French Dolby Digital 2.0 track.

On Delirium's release there are two audio options are provided in the disc's menu. One is a 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio track, and a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on the Delirium release has more impressive moments of musical immersion that its Ascot predecessor, though for the most part, the two tracks present rather similarly. The dubbed English dialogue has an era-appropriate quality. More fitting, though is the 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio Track. Sound reproduction is similar, but as the track is largely front-heavy anyway, this one seems like a more appropriate choice for the film and doesn't sacrifice anything meaningful. It's a dependable track that doesn't seek to impress or dazzle, nor should it. Using the remote's audio option I was able to access two other audio options; a Dolby Digital Stereo track and a Dolby Digital 5.1 track. To my ear, the differences between these tracks are not substantive enough to change the fact that the 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio track is my preferred companion for the film.

Love Camp Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 2014 Ascot release featured the following assortment of on-disc extras.

• Trailer - Frauen in Liebeslager, Der Ruf de Blonden Göttin, Marquise von Sade, Frauen für Zellenblock 9, Greta - Haus ohne Männer, Die Sklavinnen, Die teuflishen Schwestern, Wicked Women, Jack The Ripper, Downtown, Weisse haut und Schwarze Schenkel, Liebesbriefe Einer Portugiesischen Nonne.

• Fotogalerie - The viewer can Manually advance through a collection of lobby cards, and a marketing sheet.

• Jess Franco Audio Interview (40.49) - From 1976. In French with German subtitles, this piece has little/limited appeal to those who lack fluency in either of those languages. For those who may have picked up a copy before it was withdrawn, this interview entitled "Franco, Bloody Franco (40.24)" was found on the initial release of Delirium's Satanic Sisters. On that release, however, this audio interview with Jess Franco from June of 1976 in Zürich is subtitled in English.

Delirium's release of Love Camp includes the following on-disc extras.

• Commentary with Film Historian Troy Howarth - After a quick mention of various other films that include "Love Camp" in their titles, Howarth provides viewers with a quick road map for his commentary, letting them know it'll be a mix of screen-specific material mixed with more general comments about Franco and his work, especially his women-in-prison (WIP) films. He takes care, though, to differentiate the set- up from other more typical WIP films, and noting that it was one Franco made at the behest and from a script written by Erwin C. Dietrich. He also gives thanks and credit to Steven Thrower for his excellent books on Franco's work. Howarth's name on a commentary track is always a welcome sight and he turns in solid work here with enough information and anecdotes to satisfy both new and established Franco fans. Delivered with his usual, casual style it makes for a great listen.

• Official Trailer (1.00)

• German Trailer (2.47) - With forced French subtitles.

• Photo Gallery (1.53) - This seems to be either the same or an extremely similar collection of lobby cards as was found on the Ascot disc and also ends with a marketing sheet, however the images thankfully auto-advance this time around.

• Erwin C. Dietrich Trailers (5.45) - The collection of trailers include: Barbed Wire Dolls, Doriana Gray, Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun, and Satanic Sisters.

Love Camp Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Whenever I watch a Franco film, one of the questions I unerringly ask myself is whether or not the particular film I'm watching is a good entry point to the director's massive oeuvre. With regard to Love Camp, I do believe it to be a solid jumping on point for the uninitiated. In Monica Swinn and Ada Tauler there are actors who return in others of the director's better-known films, allowing newcomers to see a familiar face should they dig deeper into Franco's films. The film displays elements, themes, and tendencies that recur with some frequency, but are not presented in a manner that is too extreme or graphic. And while the film is most certainly cheaply and quickly made, it is competently crafted and possesses a traditional linear storyline, with none of his occasionally dream-like and logic or sanity defying plotlines or sequences. As Franco goes, save for completely "mainstream" films such as Death Packs a Suitcase, Love Camp is as safe as it gets. Yet, at the same time, you know exactly what you're in for should you decide to explore further. For fans of Jess Franco in particular, Love Camp comes strongly recommended.