Frauengefängnis

Producer Erwin C. Dietrich put his faith in director Jesús Franco and left him to make the film in peace, he did not see any footage until the film was finished. When Franco screened the completed film to him, he was horrified by the quality. The shots were too blurry and no movie lighting was used, it was rough and raw. Franco defended the film and explained it was the style he was going for. Still dissatisfied, Dietrich told Franco it was a terrible film and wasn't sure if he would be able to sell it to theaters. However, much to Dietrich's surprise, he managed to sell it to numerous European cinemas and the film was a decent success at the box office and received several good reviews at the time. Many years later, in an interview, Dietrich thought more highly of the film and said it was the first film to use the Dogme 95 style before Lars von Trier. Franco went on to make 16 more films for Dietrich over a three year period, and he told Dietrich they were the best years of his life.

When Dr. Moore gives an injection to Bertha, He jabs the syringe into her buttock and quickly removes the needle without depressing the plunger.

The film was rejected for cinema (as "Caged Women") by the BBFC in 1976 and then passed with heavy cuts under the same title the following year. The 2004 Anchor Bay DVD release (as "Barbed Wire Dolls") was cut by 41 secs to remove shots of explicit sexual penetration.

Edited into Les gardiennes du pénitencier (1981)