Nazi exploitation (or “Nazisploitation”) is an extremely controversial subgenre of exploitation cinema that emerged in the 1970s. These films mix brutal wartime themes with sleaze, sexual sadism, and shocking atrocities. Many were banned in several countries due to their explicit content, and they remain a topic of debate—are they pure pulp exploitation or a critical take on 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 one film defined the face of the genre, it’s Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS.
Anita Thorne plays Ilsa, a sadistic camp warden who conducts scientific experiments on prisoners while exercising her sexual dominance.
With excessive violence, torture, and softcore sex, this film is a bizarre mix of horror and exploitation, and the most famous in the genre.
It was banned in multiple countries but spawned several sequels and earned cult status.
2. Love Camp 7 (1969) – The first true Nazisploitation film
Love Camp 7 is often regarded as the first film to bring Nazi exploitation to the mainstream.
Two female American agents infiltrate a Nazi sex camp where women are used as sex slaves and subjected to brutal torture.
Though extremely explicit and sadistic, the film became a cult favorite in grindhouse cinema.
3. Gestapo’s Last Orgy (1977) – One of the most extreme
If you thought Nazisploitation couldn’t get any sicker, then you haven’t seen Gestapo’s Last Orgy.
The film features excessive sadism, murder, rape, and cannibalism as Nazis perform rituals to assert 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 was so notorious it was banned in the UK for years as part of the ‘video nasty’ list.
SS Experiment Camp focuses on brutal medical experiments in a concentration camp, including castrations, sexual oppression, and torture.
Its poster, depicting a Nazi officer torturing a woman, became iconic in grindhouse circles, though the film remains extremely controversial.
5. The Beast in Heat (1977) – Pure exploitation and absurdity
This film goes further than most by introducing a genetically engineered beast used by Nazis to rape and torture women.
With extreme gore, over-the-top acting, and absurd plot elements, it’s one of the sickest and most exploitative in the genre.
6. Elsa Fraulein SS (1977) – The Ilsa rip-off
After the success of Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS, dozens of cheap rip-offs followed, and Elsa Fraulein SS is a prime example.
The film follows Elsa, a sadistic camp commandant who uses rape, torture, and domination to rule over prisoners.
While not as shocking as others, it’s packed with pulp and exploitative sleaze.
7. Salon Kitty (1976) – Arthouse meets exploitation
Standing apart from pure sleaze, Salon Kitty is a visually stunning and politically charged film by Tinto Brass (Caligula).
It tells the true story of a Nazi brothel where spies used sex to extract secrets from high-ranking officers.
Blending historical and erotic elements, Salon Kitty is one of the few Nazisploitation films with artistic ambition.
8. Women’s Camp 119 (1977) – The grim edge of the genre
This film attempts a more serious tone, yet remains full-on exploitation with sexual oppression, torture, and Nazi cruelty.
While many Nazisploitation films are over-the-top, this one feels darker and more disturbing.
Still, it remains significant in the genre for its raw approach.
9. The Gestapo’s Madmen (1979) – A Nazi film with political undertones
This Czechoslovak film diverges from typical Nazi exploitation but contains enough shocking content to belong in the genre.
It revolves around the assassination of Nazi officer Reinhard Heydrich and the Gestapo’s revenge, with extreme torture scenes and an oppressive atmosphere.
Because it’s more grounded in 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 mixes eroticism, sadism, and war drama as a woman is sent to a Nazi sex camp and falls in love with an SS officer.
While fully exploitative, the film tries to incorporate character development and a tragic undertone.
This makes it less sleazy than others, but still just as controversial.
Nazisploitation films are extreme and often morally questionable. Some, like Salon Kitty, attempt to offer political or historical perspective, but most are pure exploitation filled with sadism, sex, and violence.
These films aren’t for everyone, but they remain a fascinating and provocative part of cult cinema history.
