The Nazisploitation genre stands as one of the most controversial and extreme subgenres of exploitation cinema. Rooted in sensationalized depictions of Nazi war crimes, sadism, and depravity, these films emerged in the late 1960s and peaked in the 1970s, largely influenced by women-in-prison (WiP) films, sexploitation, and historical atrocities.
Unlike arthouse films that explore Nazi horrors with serious intent, Nazisploitation films lean heavily into grindhouse excess, featuring graphic violence, sexual exploitation, and sadistic villains, often portrayed as female commandants or perverse SS officers.
While deeply disturbing and exploitative, these films remain infamous within cult cinema, reflecting a time when shock value reigned supreme in underground filmmaking.
Here’s a list of 13 Nazisploitation films that epitomize the genre’s grindhouse aesthetic, prioritizing sleaze, torture, and taboo-breaking depravity over historical accuracy.
1. Love Camp 7 (Lee Frost, 1969)
The first true Nazisploitation film.
- Two female Allied agents infiltrate a Nazi brothel camp where women are subjected to torture and sexual slavery.
- Considered the blueprint for the genre, setting the stage for the grimy mix of sex, violence, and war atrocities that followed.
- Banned in several countries for its graphic content.
2. Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS (Don Edmonds, 1975)
The most infamous Nazisploitation film.
- Starring Dyanne Thorne as Ilsa, a sadistic Nazi commandant conducting grotesque medical experiments.
- Packed with graphic torture, sexual violence, and over-the-top performances.
- Banned in several countries, but remains a cult classic of exploitation cinema.
- Inspired multiple sequels and copycat films.
3. Ilsa, Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks (Don Edmonds, 1976)
Ilsa trades in her SS uniform for Middle Eastern decadence.
- The character of Ilsa returns, this time as the keeper of a harem, overseeing torture and human trafficking.
- Shifts from World War II atrocities to Middle Eastern exploitation, mirroring Hollywood’s exoticized villains of the time.
- Features excessive nudity, bizarre torture sequences, and Ilsa’s unquenchable lust for control.
4. Ilsa, The Wicked Warden (Jesús Franco, 1977)
An unofficial Ilsa sequel directed by Jesús Franco.
- Also released as Greta, the Mad Butcher.
- Thorne returns as a cruel warden running a women’s prison, torturing inmates for her own pleasure.
- Combines elements of WiP (Women in Prison) films with Nazisploitation tropes, though Nazis are absent from the plot.
- Features Franco’s signature mix of surrealism, sleaze, and sadomasochism.
5. Ilsa, The Tigress of Siberia (Jean LaFleur, 1977)
The final official Ilsa film.
- Moves from Nazi Germany to a Soviet gulag, where Ilsa tortures prisoners in a brutal labor camp.
- Features torture sequences involving Siberian cold, forced labor, and political prisoners.
- Eventually, Ilsa escapes to Canada and opens a brothel, keeping the exploitation themes alive.
6. Gestapo’s Last Orgy (Cesare Canevari, 1977)
One of the most extreme Nazisploitation films ever made.
- Takes place in a Nazi pleasure camp, where women are subjected to unspeakable horrors.
- Features graphic sadism, cannibalism, and medical experiments, making it one of the most brutal entries in the genre.
- Banned in several countries and remains controversial even among exploitation fans.
7. SS Experiment Camp (Sergio Garrone, 1976)
A direct response to Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS.
- Centers on Nazi doctors conducting sexual and medical experiments on prisoners.
- One of the most widely banned films of the genre, notorious for its graphic imagery.
- Marketed as being “based on real events,” though it purely exists for shock value.
8. Nazi Love Camp 27 (Mario Caiano, 1977)
A tale of survival in a Nazi brothel.
- A woman is forced into a Nazi-run brothel, where she struggles to retain her humanity amid extreme degradation.
- Features graphic sexual violence and themes of psychological manipulation.
- Slightly more dramatic than other films in the genre, but still exploitative in its execution.
9. The Beast in Heat (Luigi Batzella, 1977)
One of the strangest and most grotesque Nazisploitation films.
- Features a deranged Nazi scientist who creates a monstrous sex mutant.
- The mutant is used to torture and assault female prisoners, pushing the film into bizarre, absurd territory.
- Mixes horror and sleaze, making it a trashy but unforgettable entry in the genre.
10. Helltrain (Franco de Pena, 1977)
A Nazi war film with a heavy exploitation angle.
- Revolves around a prisoner-filled train, where brutality and perversion escalate as it moves toward its destination.
- Less overtly sexual than some other films but still features harrowing violence and torture sequences.
11. Deported Women of the SS Special Section (Rino Di Silvestro, 1976)
The quintessential Nazi women’s prison film.
- Women prisoners endure forced labor, experiments, and sexual slavery.
- More focused on the prison setting rather than war crimes, blending WiP (Women-in-Prison) elements with Nazisploitation.
- Highly sexualized, with nudity and brutality taking center stage.
12. Red Nights of the Gestapo (Fabio De Agostini, 1977)
A mix of Nazisploitation and political intrigue.
- Takes place in an elite Nazi club, where the wealthy indulge in twisted fantasies.
- Features power struggles, depravity, and sadistic rituals.
- Less overtly violent than some others on this list but still heavy on shock value.
13. Women’s Camp 119 (Bruno Mattei, 1977)
A lesser-known but equally depraved Nazisploitation entry.
- Involves torturous medical experiments in a Nazi prison camp.
- The villains are excessively sadistic, with scientific experiments as a backdrop for extreme exploitation.
- Mattei’s signature low-budget, high-shock-value approach makes it a pure grindhouse experience.
⚠️ Final Thoughts: The Legacy of Nazisploitation Films
Nazisploitation remains one of the most controversial subgenres of cinema. Unlike historical war films, these movies focus entirely on excess—mixing torture, sex, and power fantasies in a way that is deliberately shocking and transgressive.
While many of these films were banned or censored, they remain a dark chapter in exploitation cinema history, reflecting a time when filmmakers pushed the boundaries of taboo content for grindhouse audiences.
For cult film enthusiasts, these movies represent the extreme fringes of exploitation cinema, where shock was the main selling point—for better or worse.