S.S. Experiment

Before Nazis became a regular fixture in our day to day lives again, we used to love using them as cinema fodder. Sadly, now looking back on our staples of bad b movies often makes us cringe because they're no longer funny mockeries of villains and instead actual people once again hurting everyone in the current day and age. That's really what's hurt the most from this influx of modern day Nazism, is that they're ruined Hitler as a comedy icon for the rest of time. Anyway, this time, we're looking back at yet another awful b horror movie, S.S. Experiment, or, as it's titled otherwise, "S.S. Experiment Love Camp" which might be the funniest fucking movie title I've ever heard bar none.

I have to admit, the Jewish part of me is appalled at this artwork, but the lesbian part of me is in love with it. That's a pretty hot visual, not gonna lie, even if it is somewhat male gazey. I think, though, what bothers me the most about this artwork is how it's just so very mediocre. So very low effort. They clearly didn't give two halves of a whole crap when putting this thing together. Yeah, sure, someone managed to draw up a nice image for the front, but that alone isn't even to save it. The font is bland, the two random screenshots on the back with just walls of text beneath them is an awful layout concept, and frankly the title - at least for this release in particular - leaves quite a bit to be desired. I'm all for leaving things to the imagination, but at least give me enough to warrant my imaginations interest to put in any effort.

That's why "S.S. Experiment Love Camp" is way fucking funnier, because it's so over the top that it's hard to be offended by it. It's like calling a dramedy, "My Dinner With Adolf". There's absolutely no way in hell to take it seriously, and if you do, then that's your problem, buddy. That isn't to say the film didn't have its detractors, obviously.

In fact, it caught quite a bit of flack for its rather upfront abrasive artwork, featured on posters advertising the film as well, as well as its clearly controversial themes. The film was eventually banned in some countries, including the UK. For once, in favor of censorship, I could understand how the artwork featured on this version might be slightly upsetting to everyone of every faith. It's quite tasteless, really. A virtually nude woman hung upside down crucifix style while a Nazi solider looks on in the background. The font is at least fantastic this time, but that's a fairly obscene visual it's paired with, and the images on the back don't help. Especially the one that's a literal Nazi soldier aiming his gun at a group of women lined up against the wall. Yeah. I don't usually say this sort of thing, but this is kind of in bad taste. I'm a lover of filth, a purveyor of trash, but this is almost too awful to even find remotely entertaining in the slightest. Is it better than the first box? Hard to say. I mean, I have to give credit where credit is due and say that it's good something as simple as imagery and imagery alone still has the ability to shock and awe in the day and age we live in where everything is trying nonstop to assault our senses. But that doesn't make the imagery good, either. Personally, this is a tough one, because while it's an effective image, one that certainly captures the eye, it's also not a good image, and between you and me, I prefer the first box to this one, even if this has the better font and overall layout.

But you know what I can say in this boxes defense? I greatly prefer it to the one that you're about to see.

Talk about tasteless. Clearly this is a foreign box, but that's an explanation, not an excuse. First of all, where to begin with this visual atrocity? I suppose I should ask the question why the fuck the title on the spin is not centered the correct way? Why it's straight across, not up and down? And this font is just as bad as the first one! In fact, it might even be WORSE because it's slightly chunkier and less appealing to the eyes. But we all know what the real sin of this box is, and that's the artwork. Where the first box was a tad bland but enticing enough, and the second was over the top but interesting at least, this one is just plain awful. In what appears to be a watercolor cover for a bad dimestore pulp novel, this is not interesting, it's not enticing, and it's certainly not worth your retinas taking the time out of their day to look at it. For the record, I didn't censor this, this came censored. I would prefer to show you this affront to nature in all its full tittied glory, but alas, someone out there seems to have a much broader sense of decency than even I do, so here we are.

I can't even begin to explain how bad this is. I've covered a lot of awful box arts on this blog since its inception well over a year ago now, but this has to rank right up there with the absolute worst of them all. Hell, even the ones that I've stated were awful, like Galaxy Invader, are still so bad they're entertaining. This isn't that. This is just bad. This is the laziest visualization of anything I think I've ever seen on a mainstream release (and by mainstream, I mean, you know, public, not popular). I think half the problem is that it's just completely visually incoherent. The style in which its done lends itself to nothing short of confusion, and while you can ascertain the first part of it, what the flying fuck is going on in the background? Is that someone caught on a barbed wire fence? Is that another woman in the back, and is she being confronted, assaulted or comforted by this other Nazi soldier? WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE???

I have too many questions and far too little answers.

The film was banned for its supposedly explicit nature and suggestive themes, but really, it should've be banned for this piece of artwork. This thing is a criminal offense. And why is 70% of it blue?! Where's the consistency for layout work?! You just have this god awful piece of art on the front, and then the rest of the box is just goddamned blue! There's no other artwork, there's no screenshots, the font on the spine is the wrong fucking direction, and none of it works together at all! This box makes me wanna commit war crimes, which I suppose is nice that it at least keeps my hatred in line with the theme.

I'm far more offended as a graphic designer than a Jewish woman about all of this, and frankly, who could blame me.