Well, let me tell you, since Fremantle have welcomingly began releasing the early episodes of "Prisoner Cell Block H" (episodes made between 1978-1979 - before I was even born!) I have become totally hooked all over again on this cult-classic Aussie soap, set in the fictious womens prison Wentworth Detention Centre.
The episodes on this lavishly and attractively packaged dvd box set, are now over 30 years old. So has it aged well? Incredibly, in its own bizarre yet unique way, yes it has! The essence of the series still holds up, much of it flowing quite well for its age. This is not least due to some splendid acting from certain members of the cast that ignited the show into a red hot hit. Despite the popular myth that "Prisoner Cell Block H" is legendary for its bad acting, shoddy editing and wobbly sets (and at times this is all very true) this is actually the biggest misconception about the series. Though often ridiculed by critics (sometimes with very good reason!) in actual fact the cast are all finely tuned into their carefully prepared and structured characteristations. If anything the actors occasionally had to struggle with some pretty poor and laughable dialogue, but then even that doesn't hamper your enjoyment - it merely adds to its charm and cult status. Rising above the occasionally banal dialogue were some damn good Aussie actors, that breezed into their characters naturally, like ducks to water. And i'm thinking straight away of course of the inimitable Val Lehman in her powerful portrayal as "Queen" Bea Smith, Sheila Florence (Lizzie Birdsworth), Fiona Spence (Vera "vinega tits" Bennett), Colette Mann (Doreen Anderson), Lesley Baker (Monica Ferguson) and, of course, Patsy King (Erica Davidson).
Particularly outstanding in the early episodes of "Prisoner Cell Block H" is Carol Burns as lesbian "bikie" and borderline-psychotic Frankie Doyle, incarcerated for a string of violent offences. Watch in amazment (and horror at times, due to Carol's raw, stark performance) at some of Carol's more harrowing scenes such as when she discovers her beloved brother,
her only remaining family member left, dies, when she literally destroys the entire recreation room just because "her" Doreen is being moved to another cell, contemplates suicide following her brothers untimely death and subsequently climbs to the roof of the infamous Wentworth detention Centre, threatning to jump and then slowly is talked out of it by compassionate ex-school teacher Karen Travers (Peta Toppano). After this incident there follows one particuarly powerful yet tender scene where Frankie reveals her affections for Karen and makes a move on her, abruptly being knocked back and rejected. Frankie spirals out of control even further and escapes with loyal but dumb Doreen and Lizzie (who doesnt get very far, suffering a near-heart attack within minutes of escaping!). Then in episode 20 Frankie and Doreen plot a bank raid which all goes disasterously wrong and Frankie is shot dead by a police officer. Carol Burns truly excells in what is a magnificent performance - oscar worthy! By the time you reach the episode where Frankie meets her demise, you actually feel you know Frankie and start to understand her (and in a strange way LIKE her!) and this is solely down to the depth, compassion, intelligence and sensitity Carol gives in her performance. Its no surprise that Carol was showered with awards for the role.
The opening few episodes are both absolute corkers. Before the show settled down and became a soap opera, the first 20 or so episodes are fine blends of drama (the series was originally only intended to be a 16 part series - considering in total there were 692 episodes made during its run between 1978 - 1986 it did remarkably well). The opening scenes see Karen Travers (played by the beautiful Peta Toppano - who later went on to play the murderous, canniving Jilly Stewart in another legendary Aussie soap "Return To Eden") and irritatingly winsome Lyn Warner (Kerry Armstrong) arrive at the infamous Wentworth Detention Centre. Their first day escalates their nightmare even further where Karen Travers, convicted of stabbing her brutal, abusive, adulterous husband (she stabs him in a shower - reminiscent of course of Alfred Hitchocks famous scene in "Psycho"), witnesses a hanging by a heroin-addicted prisoner unable to cope with "cold turkey", is sexually harassed by the menacing Frankie Doyle, while Lyn Warner, wrongfully convicted of abducting and attempted murder on a baby, has her hand severly burnt in the steam press machine by tough "top dog" Bea Smith. Bea Smith's parole is violated after Lyn reports her (unaware of the rules of "no lagging" to the "screws") but ever-tough Bea "persuades" Lyn to withdraw the complaint of the attack. Bea is subsequently released on paraole thereafter, and for one day lives it up to the hilt, spending the night in a luxury hotel and having some much-needed fun. Then, realising there is no chance of a life on the outside with no family or friends waiting, goes to see her husband to deliver "a present" - a bullet that instantly kills him. She had blamed her husband for the death of her drug-addicted daughter Debbie and is soon made apparent that Bea had been plotting to murder him for many years while inside. And this is all by episode 2!
Episode 3 is another highlight and classic in the series as Frankie stages a terrifying, violent riot in battle to reign "top dog" following Bea Smiths abrupt return to Wentworth. Some strong, emotionally-charged scenes in these episodes and your heart will go out to Elspeth Ballantyne as "Saint" Meg Jackson, when her husband, Bill, the prison psychatrist, is stabbed with a pair of scissors by man-hungry Chrissie Latham (Amanda Muggleton).
Top accolades must go the endlessly fascinating, and always riviting portryal of Bea Smith by the excellent Val Lehman who deservedly scooped many awards for her startlingly real performance. What Val Lehman shrewly achieves is showing a realistic range of dimensions to the character, including a vulnreable side, which makes the character all the more endearing and always beleavable to watch.
Then there's loveable Sheila Florence in her spirited performance as chain-smoking, alcoholic, kleptimaniac "old lag" Lizzie Birdsworth who is, to say the least, vastly amusing in practically every scene shes in. Lizzie had been incarcerated for poisoning a bunch of shearers after they complained about her cooking (in later years it was revealed that she wasnt actually responsible for their death's and had been set up) while Colette Mann is also endearing as thumb-sucking Doreen Anderson, on the inside for forgery. Then later on in the series enters Lesley Baker as husband-beater Monica Ferguson. The winning ingredients to "Prisoner Cell Block H" is that it often struck an even balance of drama - which is often tense, harrowing and violent - and comedy - think Lizzie, Doreen, Monica and and in a darker sort of way, Bea.
And last, but certainly by no means least, who can forget the ever-superb Fiona Spence who is riviting in her portrayal of sadistic warder Vera "vinega tits" Bennett. What is most interesting in Fionas characterisation is where Vera's home life explored, which at points is like watching documentary realism. This was also later the case for the legendary Maggie Kirkpatrick as Joan "The Freak" Ferguson - another vicious "screw". In the prison, Vera is brash and brutal (hence why she is rewarded with the charming nickname "vinega tits") with every prisoner, seeing them all as "animals", obsessed with "more discipline" while secretly having her eye on the governors job. Fiona certainly injects humour into the role but a sad, vulnreable side to Vera is revealed in the scenes of her home life and its here where Fiona Spence shines to utter perfection. Excellent actor and one of the true legends of the series.
This box set contains episodes 1-32. There's already a 2nd volume out on the shelves containing episodes 33-64 and, at the time of writing this review, a third volume is due to be released in late 2009. So it looks as though the entire series will be released (the entire series has already been released in Australia). Of the extras, there are many picture galleries as well as cast and character profiles. Very nice job and I for one am welcoming the opportunity to see the series all over again. Fun, often compelling, at times funny, poignant, sad, shocking and harrowing drama that despite its laughably dated look (we are talking the late 1970's here) somehow is timeless in its entertainment factor. This, and another cult-classic Aussie gem "Sons And Daughters", too me reigns as the definitive Australian soap . And any Aussie soap fan will lap up this dvd box set.
Ian Phillips August 2009
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
exceptional by (15%):
very helpful by (85%):
