Nazi exploitation (or Nazisploitation) is an extremely controversial subgenre of exploitation cinema that emerged in the ’70s. These films blend brutal war themes with sleaze, sexual sadism, and shocking atrocities. Many of these films were banned in multiple countries due to their explicit content, and they remain a subject of debate – are they pure exploitative pulp or a social critique of war crimes?
Here are the 10 most notorious Nazi exploitation films ever made.
1. Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS (1975) – The ultimate Nazisploitation classic
If there is one film that defined the face of the genre, it is Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS.
Dyanne Thorne stars as Ilsa, a sadistic camp commander who performs scientific experiments on prisoners while exerting her sexual dominance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OIQg_hk3F4
With excessive violence, torture, and softcore sex, this film is a bizarre mix of horror and exploitation, and the most famous in the genre.
The film was banned in several countries but gained various sequels and cult status.
2. Love Camp 7 (1969) – The first true Nazisploitation film
Love Camp 7 is often seen as the first film that brought Nazi exploitation into the mainstream.
Two female American agents infiltrate a Nazi sex camp, where women are used as sexual slaves and subjected to brutal torture.
Though extremely sexually explicit and sadistic, the film became a cult favorite in grindhouse cinema.
3. Gestapo’s Last Orgy (1977) – One of the extreme ones
If you thought Nazisploitation couldn’t get any more sickening, you haven’t seen Gestapo’s Last Orgy yet.
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The film depicts excessive sadism, murder, rape, and cannibalism, as Nazis perform rituals to demonstrate their power.
This film was banned worldwide and remains one of the most reviled within the genre.
4. SS Experiment Camp (1976) – Pulp with a scandal
This film is so notorious it was banned for a long time in Great Britain as part of the video nasty list.
SS Experiment Camp centers on brutal medical experiments in a concentration camp, involving castrations, sexual oppression, and brutal torture.
The poster featuring a Nazi officer torturing a woman became an icon in grindhouse cinema, though the film remains extremely controversial.
5. The Beast in Heat (1977) – Pure exploitation and absurdity
This film goes further than most Nazisploitation movies by introducing a genetically manipulated beast, used by Nazis to rape and torture women.
With extreme gore, over-the-top acting, and absurd plot elements, this is one of the sickest and most exploitative films within the genre.
6. Elsa Fraulein SS (1977) – The Ilsa rip-off
Following the success of Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS, countless cheap rip-offs appeared, and Elsa Fraulein SS is a perfect example.
The film follows Elsa, a sadistic camp commandant who uses oppression, rape, and torture to dominate her prisoners.
While less shocking than some others, it is filled with pulp and exploitative sleaze.
7. Salon Kitty (1976) – Arthouse and exploitation in one
In contrast to the pure sleaze of many Nazisploitation films stands Salon Kitty, a visually impressive and politically charged film by Tinto Brass (Caligula).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj8HsF63fJ4
The film tells the true story of a Nazi brothel where spies were forced to use sex to gather secrets.
With a blend of historical and erotic elements, Salon Kitty is one of the few Nazisploitation films with an artistic approach.
8. Women’s Camp 119 (1977) – The grim edge of the genre
This film attempts a more serious tone, yet remains entirely exploitation with sexual oppression, torture, and Nazi atrocities.
Where many Nazisploitation films are bizarre and over-the-top, this movie feels darker and more uncomfortable.
Nevertheless, it remains a significant film in the genre due to its raw approach.
9. The Gestapo’s Madmen (1979) – A Nazi film with political undertones
This Czechoslovakian film deviates from standard Nazi exploitation but contains enough shocking elements to fit the genre.
The film revolves around the execution of Nazi Reinhard Heydrich and the Gestapo’s revenge, featuring extreme torture scenes and an oppressive atmosphere.
Because it is more strongly based on history, it has more depth than most films in the genre.
10. Nazi Love Camp 27 (1977) – The last sleazy classic
Nazi Love Camp 27 is a mix of erotica, sadism, and war drama, where a woman is sent to a Nazi sex camp and falls in love with an SS officer.
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Although the film remains fully exploitation, it tries to add character development and a tragic undertone.
This makes it less pure sleaze than many others in the genre, yet just as controversial.
Nazisploitation films are extreme and often morally dubious. Some films, like Salon Kitty, try to offer a political or historical perspective, but most are pure exploitation full of sadism, sex, and violence.
These films are not for everyone, but they remain a fascinating and contentious part of cult cinema.