Looking back, the 1970s were quite a wild decade. A period, some might say, was one of excess and decadence; it has also been described as the ‘me decade,’ which, ironically, appeared to be the beginning of a future societal outlook. An era where cocaine was also used at a more accelerated pace, in the world of cinema, Hardcore Pornographic films were also in heavy production for the first time. At the same time, other, less mainstream film subgenres began popping up.
Referred to as exploitation film, there was the arrival of Blaxploitation (with those like 1971’s Shaft and 1972’s Super Fly), Cannibal films (with those like 1972’s Man from the Deep River and 1978’s Slave of the Cannibal God), and Sexplotitation films (with the likes of 1970’s Eugenie… The Story of Her Journey into Perversion), perhaps the most extreme of all was the Nazisploitation genre that began to emerge.
Arguably, the most controversial of the exploitation genres, Nazisploitation often triggered a reaction from people of all walks of life as a trivialization of the atrocities the Nazis committed against humanity. An extremely valid argument, the Nazi genocide (often called the Holocaust) that took place over a decade between the 1930s and 1940s in German-occupied Europe is one of the worst crimes against the human race ever. A piece of history which should be studied, recognized, and never forgotten to guard against such events repeating, again, you can understand why a sub-genre of film called Nazisploitation (which often involved themes of Nazis sexually exploiting prisoners) would upset many people.
With this all in mind, the Nazisploitation became a thriving sub-genre during the 1970s among viewing audiences, perhaps mainly due to the taboo nature. With early entries like 1969’s Love Camp 7, the extended list of features included 1975’s Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS, as well as 1976’s SS Experiment Camp. The latter, also known as SS Experiment Love Camp, was a part of a growing list of Nazisploitation to come out of Italy at the time, which also included 1976’s Salon Kitty and 1977’s SS Hell Camp. Known in Italy as il sadiconazista, 1976’s SS Experiment Love Camp was one of the most stirring of the era, leading it to be banned in many places, including the United Kingdom.
A part of the original 72 titles on the UK’s ‘video nasties’ list from the 1980s, the film’s theatrical art of an SS soldier shadowed in the backdrop of a semi-nude woman hanging upside-down on a crucifix upfront certainly does look rather extreme. Clearly, a marketing technique to shock the senses and draw you in, it did not accurately depict the context of SS Experiment Love Camp. Released in Italian theaters on November 16, 1976, while it was not a success there, it found a cult following in the Grindhouse Film Circuit, which screened it alongside other low-budget exploitation films.
Directed by Sergio Garrone (who worked in Spaghetti Westerns, but also dabbled in Horror), SS Experiment Love Camp’s commercial success led to his second delve into the sub-genre in 1977 with SS Camp 5: Women’s Hell. Acknowledging the demand for these types of films led him into this genre; in archive interviews, Garrone also expressed pride in his work. Still, he admitted that the final cut of SS Experiment Love Camp included extra footage (which could be referencing more graphic nudity) that was inserted without his knowledge, and this was obviously meant to draw more eyes to the screen.
As it is, SS Experiment Love Camp’s mood is a mix of sensationalism and Horror, with a heavy hand of nudity, but also a bizarre underlying plot of the leading Nazi officer named Colonel von Kleiben (Giorgio Cerioni) seeking a testicle transplant as part of sexual experimentation on those imprisoned. Something you cannot make up, Garrone even stated at one point that a counter objective of making a film like SS Experiment Love Camp was a way to confront the real Nazi horrors that took place during World War II, because he believed many were ignorant in Italy of the real history.
Certainly not a film for everyone, and one many would think takes things too far, SS Experiment Love Camp is still a part of cinema history. Released on DVD in 2005 and 2015, there is now a 4K Ultra HD edition out through 88 Films. A UK-based company specializing in releasing cult films for over a decade, SS Experiment Love Camp was released globally in 4K on October 14, 2025. The most complete edition of the film out there, it was remastered in 4K Ultra HD from the original camera negatives and, as a result, provides improved, consistent color and contrast.
The first-ever 4K Ultra HD release of SS Experiment Love Camp, the set includes two discs (one 4K, the other Blu-ray with a 4K edition of the film). Beyond this, there is also a list of extras, including the archival Sadistically Yours, Sergio G. interview with Sergio Garrone, additional interviews, and an extremely well-designed package. Looking at this presentation more closely, you get a nice slipcase with new artwork on one side and a depiction of the infamous original art on the other, along with a well-written book within the case that offers insight and perspective into the film.
Altogether, if you are a fan of sleazy offbeat exploitation cinema, the 4K Ultra HD edition of SS Experiment Love Camp from 88 Films might be right up your alley. That is why Cryptic Rock gives this new release 4 out of 5 stars.
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