Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre

Last updated
Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre
Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre poster.jpg
Directed by Jim Wynorski
Written byWilliam Dever
Jim Wynorski
Corey Landis (additional material)
Produced byRafael Diaz-Wagner
Steven Louis Goldenberg
Executive producers:
Alberto Delgado Jr.
Alex Nuñez
Starring Dominique Swain
Traci Lords
CinematographyDavid M. Rakoczy
Edited byTony Randel
Music byChuck Cirino
Production
company
Caluv Films
Distributed by CineTel Films
Syfy (TV)
Release date
  • May 3, 2016 (2016-05-03)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre is a 2016 American science fiction action horror film directed by Jim Wynorski and starring Dominique Swain and Traci Lords. It was released direct-to-DVD in the U.S. on May 3, 2016.

Contents

Plot

Two employees for Arkansas Fracking Industries (AFI), Fred and Sam are busy detonating explosives near the Arkansas State Prison for Women when they inadvertently release a shark covered in spikes into the surrounding swamp. As five inmates, Anita, Michelle, Sarah, Shannon, and Samantha, load up in a transport vehicle, the shark kills Fred and Sam. Detectives Kendra and Adam, comb the swamps for someone and find an overturned canoe, next to some human remains. Under the canoe is a man blabbering “shark” repeatedly. The corrections officers and 5 prisoners arrive at an area of the swamp where the prisoners are required to remove tree stumps. Samantha bribes Mike to let her go wash off her arm in the nearby creek and she is eaten by the shark. Mike searches for her, finds only bloody clothes, and radios into the warden that she has escaped. Heading back to the prison, Anita's girlfriend Honey, hijacks the van and forces the two officers into the back with the others allowing Anita up front. Kendra and Adam overhear on their scanner about the hijacking. Honey and Anita stop to change vehicles and make the women change. Mike escapes into the swamp but is eaten by the shark.

The prisoners arrive at a house where Honey has killed the occupant for them to hide out temporarily. While there, the girls argue amongst themselves and Sarah goes outside to the nearby creek when the shark appears. She runs off but the shark is able to burrow through the mud and bites her leg off. She bleeds out crawling back to the house and Michelle finds her body outside. They discover her severed leg nearby with a shark's tooth embedded in it, when suddenly two geologists, Professor Orville and his assistant John, emerge from the trees saying their car was destroyed by a land shark. The geologists theorize that nearby explosions and fracking opened a “superhighway” between Earth's surface and an underground ocean, releasing a predator capable of hunting on land and in water. They try to make it to the van but the shark tunnels through the dirt forcing them back inside the house. Michelle uncovers a secret stash of assault weapons in the house and everyone takes a gun.

Outside, they discover there are several sharks now but spot a cave entrance off the back of the property. They use some of their ammunition's gunpowder to create a makeshift bomb with clothes they soak in some blood Carl volunteers. This creates a distraction for them to run to the cave. When Orville sprains his ankle, John sacrifices himself so Carl and Honey can help the professor. Detectives Kendra and Adam arrive at the cabin but are attacked by the sharks and are forced to drive off. Inside the cafe, the others hear the sharks communicating the same way as whales. They discover a shaft of daylight and resolve to use a blow up raft they have to cross it when Orville gets eaten by a shark. In pairs, they make it across the water. Honey and Anita are the last to cross and Anita decides to shoot at Carl, Shannon, and Michelle as they are nearing the shore which causes her to lose her balance and fall into the water. Sharks attack, eating her and Honey while Shannon is struck by one of Anita's bullets and killed. Carl allows Michelle to leave. The detectives, who found maps of the cave somehow online, drive up to the exit where Carl is standing and they ask about the prisoners and Carl reports them all as dead. Kendra, at this point is obsessing over "land sharks" and asks if Carl knows what they are up against and he nods. The final scene shows Honey crawling out from the water, having survived the shark attack before looking at the camera to deliver her catchphrase “crap on a cracker”.

Cast

Production

Wynorski said the idea for the film came to him when he was in the shower. The movie was made at Caverns State Park, and Wynorski enjoyed the location so much that he later used it for CobraGator. [1] The film had a Kickstarter campaign to raise production funds, but at the campaign's end on September 27, 2013, it had only raised $598. [2] In an interview, director Jim Wynorski stated his disdain for crowd funding, saying this of the Kickstarter: "I was forced to try it recently, but I knew in my heart it was going to be a useless venture… which it was". [3]

Release

Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre was released on DVD [4] and Blu-ray on May 3, 2016. [5] The Blu-Ray comes with a feature-length commentary with Jim Wynorski and actresses Cindy Lucas, and Amy Holt, [4] where they share anecdotes from the film's production. It was distributed by Shout! Factory under their Scream! Factory brand. [6]

Reception

The B-Movie Film Vault gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars in a review from around the film's release in 2016. The review states enthusiasm for combination of the two subgenera derived from the title, "women in prison films" and "killer shark films", although states that "unfortunately, this movie failed to meet my (not so lofty) expectations". The review goes on to say that the effects and story are lacking despite the presence of some established actors like Traci Lords and Corey Landis (who's inclusion in the movie, this reviewer concludes, serves no purpose other than to pad the total runtime) and that it could have been "a hugely entertaining exploitation flick, but it just plays things way too safe". [6]

Cinema-Crazed.com gave the film a mostly negative review, saying "the consistent utterance of Dominique Swain’s character to herself of "Crap on a Cracker", just about sums up Jim Wynorski's latest turkey that mixes "Con Air" and "Tremors". The review also references the inclusion of Traci Lords and Corey Landis' characters provide "zero purpose to the overall arc, save for some odd moments". Despite the scattered and confusing plot, ultimately the review argues the film is "a short and sweet piece of trash with endless eye candy". [7]

HorrorNews.net did not recommend the film in their review from 2016. The review states that Jim Wynorski was once reliable when it came to delivering "a good B-movie; pure unpretentious fun – no strings attached" however, he failed to do so with Sharkansas. They argue the film's outrageous title leads the viewer to expect "Piranha 3D, but with bigger, meaner fish", but this is sorely misleading. The review makes note of Wynorski's history in pornographic films and the inclusion of multiple adult film actresses and points out the lack of exploitative nudity (often found in prison films) and violence (with less than 6 victims) as reasons the movie doesn't live up to its title. The "worst part" was the film's open ending meaning a likely inevitable sequel. [8]

CultureCrypt.Com provided an in depth review of the film that initially cites the film's failed Kickstarter campaign as foreshadowing for the disappointing final product. The review also acknowledges continuity errors such as using Mike's name tag inexplicably reading "V. Ghambari" and describes the script as "functional, or, as functional as is required to constitute a basic movie". This review also points out the unnecessary Lords and Landis subplot that "conspicuously as well as somewhat hilariously, never intersects with the women inmates at all". The reviewer concludes that "for movies like Sharkansas Women’s Prison Massacre, a "Does It Really Matter?" or "What Do You Expect?" icon ought to be used instead of stars or a numerical rating system" but ultimately awarded it a 50/100. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traci Lords</span> American actress (born 1968)

Traci Lords is an American actress, singer and former pornographic actress. She entered the adult film industry using a fake birth certificate to conceal that she was two years under the legal age of eighteen. Lords starred in adult films and was one of the most sought-after actresses in that industry during her career. When the FBI acted on an anonymous tip that Lords was a minor during her time in the industry, and that pornographers were distributing and selling these illegal images and videotapes, the resulting fallout led to prosecution of those responsible for creating and distributing the tapes. In addition, all but the last of her adult films were banned as child pornography.

<i>Bad Girls</i> (1994 film) 1994 film

Bad Girls is a 1994 American Western film directed by Jonathan Kaplan, and written by Ken Friedman and Yolande Turner. It stars Madeleine Stowe, Mary Stuart Masterson, Andie MacDowell and Drew Barrymore.

<i>Amazon Women on the Moon</i> 1987 film

Amazon Women on the Moon is a 1987 American satirical science fiction film that parodies the experience of watching low-budget films on late-night television. The film, featuring a large ensemble cast including cameo appearances from film and TV stars and even non-actors, was written by Michael Barrie and Jim Mulholland, and takes the form of a compilation of 21 comedy skits directed by five different directors: Joe Dante, Carl Gottlieb, Peter Horton, John Landis, and Robert K. Weiss.

<i>Into the Night</i> (1985 film) 1985 film by John Landis

Into the Night is a 1985 American black comedy action thriller film directed by John Landis, starring Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer. The film has many cameo appearances made by various filmmakers and directors, including Landis himself. The soundtrack features the songs "Into the Night", "In the Midnight Hour" and "Lucille", performed by B.B. King.

<i>Chopping Mall</i> 1986 film by Jim Wynorski

Chopping Mall is a 1986 American techno-horror film co-written and directed by Jim Wynorski, produced by Julie Corman, and starring Kelli Maroney, Tony O'Dell, John Terlesky, Russell Todd, Paul Bartel, Mary Woronov, and Barbara Crampton. It focuses on three high-tech security robots turning maniacal and killing teenage employees inside a shopping mall after dark.

Jim Wynorski is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. Wynorski has been making B-movies and exploitation movies since the early 1980s, and has directed over 150 feature films. His earliest films were released to film theaters, but his later works have predominantly been released to cable or the straight-to-video market. He often works under pseudonyms such as "Jay Andrews," "Arch Stanton," "H.R. Blueberry," "Tom Popatopolis," and "Noble Henry." His movies often spoof horror films: Cleavagefield, for example, parodies Cloverfield, The Bare Wench Project parodies The Blair Witch Project, and Para-Knockers Activity parodies Paranormal Activity.

<i>The Slumber Party Massacre</i> 1982 film by Amy Holden Jones

The Slumber Party Massacre is a 1982 American slasher film directed by Amy Holden Jones and written by Rita Mae Brown. It is the first installment in the Slumber Party Massacre series, and stars Michelle Michaels, Robin Stille, and Michael Villella. The film follows a high school senior who gathers her friends for a slumber party, unaware that an escaped power drill-wielding killer is loose in the neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dustin Milligan</span> Canadian actor (born 1985)

Dustin Wallace Milligan is a Canadian actor, known for his role as Ethan Ward on the teen drama television series 90210 from 2008 until 2009, Tom Cummings in the Canadian spy thriller television series X Company from 2015 until 2016, Ted Mullens on the Canadian television comedy series Schitt's Creek from 2015 until 2020, and Josh Carter on American television comedy series Rutherford Falls from 2021 until 2022. He has also appeared in a number of films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim South</span> American pornography recruiter and agent

James Marvin Souter, Jr., known professionally as Jim South, was an American recruiter and agent in the pornography industry.

<i>Drive-In Massacre</i> 1976 American film

Drive-In Massacre is a 1976 American B-movie slasher film written and directed by Stu Segall, and co-written by John F. Goff and George Buck Flower.

<i>Abbott and Costello Go to Mars</i> 1953 American science fiction comedy film directed by Charles Lamont

Abbott and Costello Go to Mars is a 1953 American science fiction comedy film starring the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and directed by Charles Lamont. It was produced by Howard Christie and made by Universal-International. Despite the film's title, no character in the film actually travels to the planet Mars

<i>Sorority House Massacre II</i> 1990 film by Jim Wynorski

Sorority House Massacre II is a 1990 American slasher film directed by Jim Wynorski, featuring scream queens Melissa Ann Moore and Gail Harris. It follows five sorority sisters who are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant after purchasing a large house. Much like its predecessors, Sorority House Massacre II has received a cult following over the years.

<i>Sorority House Massacre III: Hard to Die</i> 1990 American film

Sorority House Massacre III: Hard to Die is a 1990 American slasher film written by Mark Thomas McGee and James B. Rogers, directed by Jim Wynorski, and starring Gail Harris and Melissa Moore. The film features a similar storyline and many of the same actresses from its predecessor, and Wynorski's previous film Sorority House Massacre II, of which Hard to Die is essentially a remake.

<i>Not of This Earth</i> (1988 film) 1988 film by Jim Wynorski

Not of This Earth is a 1988 American science fiction horror comedy film, directed by Jim Wynorski and starring Traci Lords in her first mainstream role after her departure from the adult film industry. It is a remake of Roger Corman's 1957 film of the same name, written by Charles B. Griffith and Mark Hanna.

<i>The Lost Empire</i> (1984 film) 1984 American film

The Lost Empire is a 1984 American fantasy adventure film directed by Jim Wynorski. It was the first feature Wynorski directed.

<i>Cheerleader Massacre</i> 2003 American film

Cheerleader Massacre is a 2003 American B-movie slasher film directed by Jim Wynorski and written by Lenny Juliano. It is the seventh installment in the Massacre franchise and was originally meant to be a direct sequel to The Slumber Party Massacre (1982).

<i>976-Evil II</i> 1992 American film

976-EVIL II is a 1992 American direct-to-video supernatural horror film directed by Jim Wynorski. The film is a sequel to the 1988 horror film 976-EVIL. It was referenced in Invasion of the Scream Queens (1992).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traci Lords filmography</span>

Traci Lords is an American actress. After having appeared in dozens of pornographic films between 1984 and 1986 while she was underage, Lords made a transition to mainstream films. She made her mainstream screen debut in Not of This Earth (1988), a remake of Roger Corman's 1957 film of the same name, playing the leading role of Nadine Story. She followed with Fast Food (1989) and the John Waters' teen comedy, Cry-Baby (1990), where she appeared alongside Johnny Depp. The film received positive reviews and the part of Wanda Woodward remains Lords' most notable role. Around the same time, she also appeared in many television series, including Wiseguy, MacGyver, Married... with Children, Highlander and Tales from the Crypt.

<i>Sins of Desire</i> 1993 American film

Sins of Desire is a 1993 erotic thriller directed by Jim Wynorski and starring Tanya Roberts. The film was one of the first of many low-budget erotic thrillers inspired by the success of Basic Instinct (1992) and made primarily for the video market. Wynorski went on to direct a number of others in the genre, such as Body Chemistry III (1994) and Body Chemistry IV (1995).

The Massacre films are three interconnected series of slasher films executive-produced by Roger Corman: the Slumber Party Massacre series (1982–1990), the Sorority House Massacre series (1986–1990) and the Cheerleader Massacre series (2003–2011), distributed by New World Pictures and New Concorde. The series also features the standalone film Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre (2015), and the reboot film Slumber Party Massacre (2021).

References

  1. ↑ Hinson, Mark (27 June 2014). "Beware CobraGator Caverns State Park". Tallahassee.com.
  2. 1 2 Sedensky, Ian (2016). ""Sharkansas" CultureCrypt.com Review". Culture Crypt LLC. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  3. ↑ Wynorski, Jim (September 19, 2013). "Jim Wynorski" (Interview). Interviewed by fakeshemp.net. Written Interview: FakeShemp.net. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre (DVD) (Motion Picture). Shout!/Scream! Factory. 2016. OCLC   945382392 . Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  5. ↑ Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre. Shout! Studios (DVD). Los Angeles: Shout! Factory. May 3, 2016. ASIN   B01BHCPQFS . Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  6. 1 2 "BMovieFilmVault.com Review Sharkansas". bmoviefilmvault.com. 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  7. ↑ Vasquez, Felix (May 11, 2016). ""Sharkansas" Cinema Crazed Review". CinemaCrazed. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  8. ↑ Grzeca, Kuba (April 5, 2016). ""Sharkansas" HorrorNews.net Review". HorrorNews.net. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.