Locked Up (2004) User Reviews

Gay prison drama. New boy discovers his attraction to men, and hooks up with one other inmate

[imdb-jeroen · 6/10 · 14 February 2005]

This film was made by a company that usually makes (gay) porn-movies. It shows in the level of the dialogues (acted out a bit weirdly, most actors apparently aren't used to so many words) and the relative explicity of the sex-scenes. (but it never does become porn, it just seems to lack shame).

In spite of all this it is a nice and very romantic drama, that's worth watching. Though the strange dialogues sometimes make one laugh unintendedly, the story keeps being appealing.

I think Marcel Schlutt is to credit for this mostly. He's not just another pretty face (though he is very beautiful) but he acts convincingly even in the most corny-written scenes.

This guy deserves better movies! (anything from action thriller to romantic comedy seems possible).

Good film, but sometimes really hard to watch......!

[gazebo · 5/10 · 21 June 2005]

I think Marcel Schlutt and Mike Seal are really hot! These two actors are the only things that made this grim little film worth watching! This movie takes place in a real prison and it certainly feels very authentic. Dennis (Marcel) is sent to jail and he immediately faces all the dangers and humiliations of being in jail. Dennis falls in love with a very handsome black prisoner named Mike. The first time they see each other, Dennis from his prison window looking at Mike down below, something clicks in both of them. The first scene when they get together in Mike's cell is very moving. Mike and Dennis fall deeply in love. How will they ever survive in this brutal prison and express their love? Well, the look of this movie has a real gay porn look to it, except without any graphic depictions of sex. Practically all of the guys are pretty hot looking and muscular. Some of the acting is really awful but it's not bad at all. I am impressed by Marcel Schlutt and Mike Seal. I think this is the first time either of these men have acted in front of a camera and they handled it extremely well. I wish Marcel Schlutt and Mike Seal all the success as actors because they, if given the chance, can do more mainstream films besides porn and indie films.

The interviews of Mike Seal and Marcel Schlutt on the DVD is really interesting to watch. They talk about getting together, working on scenes and their feelings about being actors. Marcel is really cool! He is totally, totally unlike the character of Dennis, who is a sweet lad. For those who want a little more love scenes, catch the deleted scenes. Man, are they hot! I don't think I'll ever watch another prison film again. Some of this stuff in this film made me cringe and there is this one scene that made me ill (has to do with using someone's mouth as a spit bucket), and there is an absolutely horrific shower rape scene (nothing sexy about that at all!). So I'm warning viewers, be prepared to see some very brutal depictions of prison life. But don't let this scare you from the lovely romance between Mike and Dennis.

Okay film. I'd sure love to see Mike Seal and Marcel Schlutt in another film again.

Interesting, but not well executed

[HermesPan · 4/10 · 11 July 2005]

Not really knowing anything about this movie other than the summary, I went into watching it without any expectation or prejudice. While the subject matter certainly could be interesting, the storyline and directing really left much to be desired. I even think the character played by Marcel Schlutt (who is a total hottie) has some acting potential, but that is unfortunately not exploited by the film's director. There are too many awkward moments in which nothing is happening, and the characters are quite wooden and quite lackluster. Unlike the other post here, I felt that the English translations, while at times good for colloquialisms, left a bit to be desired.

On the other hand, I did think the idea of using real sex scenes is a novel concept, and certainly made for more convincing 'acting'. I wish the reality of the sex moments could have been translated to other parts of the film (or at least make the sex scenes longer :) It certainly doesn't come across as a 'porn film' other than the quality of the (non sexual) acting at times.

I can't say I recommend this as a need to watch, but if you just can't find anything else to put in your netflix cue, it might be entertaining, at least from certain angles.

Good gay prison drama

[guilfisher-1 · 30 January 2005]

This 2004 film, made in Germany, was directed by Jorg Andreas and stars two relatively newcomers as lovers in a prison. When you get passed the improbability of the situation, allowing two gay men to share a cell together, it's really not a bad movie. The two leads, Marcel Schlutt, an absolutely gorgeous gay man playing a gay man, imagine that, and Mike Seal as his black lover, bring a fresh almost natural performance. They work well together and the sexual scenes are quite provocative. The scene in the shower, won't tell you what, was quite realistic and brutal. This is a small film and shouldn't be overlooked. Schlutt should get more work from this. He's that good. His interview is a riot.

Glorified Porn

[cforkey77 · 1/10 · 31 May 2006]

This film is best enjoyed by fast-forwarding to the sex scenes. If you are expecting good acting, this isn't the movie for you. The acting is atrocious and unbelievable, with the exception in the movie being the mother who must have been fooled into thinking this was an actual serious movie. The rest of the cast is absolutely terrible, unless you are regarding this as a porn movie. For a porn, it's excellent. But as a serious movie for porn stars turned good, it's garbage. If you watch the added features interviews with the characters, it is hard to imagine it is even the same movie they are discussing when you watch it. To reiterate the point made earlier, fast-forward to the sex or don't watch this one.

Soft core Gay Porn at it's worst!

[manowar4576 · 1/10 · 13 January 2005]

C'mon, this film is ridiculous. Lots of full frontal nudity but very light on the plot. I guess they hope you don't notice that the actors can't act (lots of long pause, think bad porn), that the plot is non-existent and the ending doesn't make sense. Cazzo Productions is the producer of hard core gay porn for All Worlds Video in the U.S. They've been making porn for so long that the idea of a straight boy in prison falling head over heels in love with the first guy he meets makes sense. And the language thing (jumping from English to German and back in the same conversation) shows very bad direction and made things even less believable. Skip this film. Rent regular gay porn where you know you get bad acting but real sex. Catch up on your reading or sleeping. Watch Oz. But whatever you do, don't watch this piece of trash.

Painful to watch

[Allendorf · 3/10 · 12 May 2006]

This film proves to be one of the most amateur gay film I ever encountered. The storyline in overall is standard and should be acceptable. It's about a struggle of a new prisonner along with his completely new love with a black prisonner.

Perhaps the resources (budget) in making this film is so low that it only can hire 2-3 prisonners guard with poorly arranged in-door location. The choice of having Mike Scale is also a very poor choice. Not only that he is unfamiliar with his role as being notorious black prisonner - instead he is appearing as this shy,loving,undecided black prisonner.

This movie is in overall very painful to watch. The love development between two real prisonners are only evident when Dennis saw Mike just saw each other two times - that's all. Most of the moment they have together is only spent on the sex-scene/kiss-scene/or nude scene. There seemingly to be no real touching, romantic moment where audience could believe that they're truly in love.

Regardless that Marcel Schlutt (Dennis) has a lot of talent to bring in this film, it seems that he himself can't help the whole scheme catastrophe. This film fails in nearly all aspects, and it seems only appropriate to be called soft porn movies rather than a real movie.

Unworthy of watching.

Not for everyone

[sallyomalleyxxx · 7/10 · 26 August 2006]

I found this movie appealing despite its flaws. Whether you can forgive the flaws depends greatly on what you find hot. Some people find the whole men-behind-bars, dominance/submission, "young pup manhandled by older, bigger dudes" scenario highly erotic. Others will be bored during the long stretches between the explicit sex scenes, and probably shouldn't bother watching. These are the critics who complain about porn with pretensions. What they don't understand is that for some viewers, the pretensions -- the attempts at character development -- are part of the porn.

The flaws are many and serious, lol. This is a low-budget movie rife with silly stereotypes, bad acting and unintentional humor. Oh, and the music is terrible. But the two stars, Marcel Schlutt and Mike Sale, are a pleasure to look at, there are some very hot scenes, and there are also some surprisingly good non-sexual moments. And Schlutt, considering his inexperience and lack of training, is not a bad actor! He's at least twice as good as Keanu Reeves, though admittedly that's not saying much, and is absolutely adorable in the role of the shy, blushing ingénue. (Watch the cast interview afterwards and you can see he was definitely acting.) Also, in the rape scene, he's disturbingly convincing.

Unfortunately, Schlutt's co-star, Mike Sale, can't act to save his life, God bless him. It doesn't help that he's supposed to be American and has a British accent, but in a low-budget movie you can overlook things like that. What you can't overlook is a lead actor who reads his lines woodenly, occasionally glancing at the camera, and who's supposed to be the toughest thug in a maximum-security prison but comes across as cuddly and effete. It's kind of cute in a way, lol. I guess there aren't many black actors to choose from in Germany. To be fair, though, he is attractive, and pleasing to watch during the sex scenes.

I won't catalog all the things about the movie that are silly, as other critics have covered that in excruciating detail. I will say I couldn't help noticing that the sole African-American character is portrayed as the toughest, most dominant guy in the whole prison, he's the best basketball player, etc., and uses the word m-----f----- once or twice (with a British accent). Personally, I found this rather cute and quaint. It's like a little slice of sociology, seeing how African-American men appear (exotic! feared! revered!) through German eyes.

I'll just mention two scenes that surprised me. One is the scene in which Schlutt's character, Dennis, returns to his cell after being outed as having an affair with a black man. The other prisoners chant "N----- Whore" over and over again as he's marched down the cell block. It's actually a little scary. And the scene in which the Letarsky character comforts Schlutt's character after the rape is rather touching. Some critics seem to have found that scene funny, so maybe I'm just under-critical or something, but it moved me.

So, to summarize: It's undeniably bad in a lot of ways, but I watched it three times, so am giving it 7 out of 10 stars. (I would so never admit to that if I were posting under my real name!)

Stupid, more stupid, Locked up

[kennethsejersen · 1/10 · 19 June 2006]

The challenge to bring a homosexual love story to the big screen, which ends out being interesting and catchy, for not only a limited gay audience, is a task no many production companies can lift; "Locked Up" is no exception.

Already from the beginning, when Dennis (Marcell Schlutt) arrives in prison, the border between drama and porn is crossed - he has to undress in front of two uniformed macho men. Standing in nothing but his low boxers, one of the guards command him to take "It all" off - so he does, and it leaves you with the question "Am I watching a gay porn movie from Germany?" But before you can crab the DVD-cassette to find out, something that seems like a social realistic story starts; or does it?

Dennis' inmates are quickly introduced; they are all standing in groups in the hallway outside their cells, looking like "We have to talk about something and be rough". The so-called leader presents himself to Dennis, giving him a small lecture in behavior and the must of having a toned masculine body.

The love story between Dennis and Mark (Mike Sale), who by mysterious reason is digging dirt outside Dennis' window, does not work at all. Their "coffee-love-sex" sessions in the prison breaks are both ridiculous and stupid. At no point you get the feeling of attraction; it's simply laughable - especially the scenes where we see them live together in a double cell with carpet, curtains and toilet.

To sum up; more then one hour of stupidity, bad acting and soft gay porn cinematography. The only plus, so to speak, is the extremely funny interview with the to actors.

A random German gay porn movie - just without visible sex.

Fine either way for a watch

[laduqesa · 7/10 · 1 July 2022]

I've seen this film twice - once in the "erotic" version some years ago and just now in the porn release. On balance the latter is the more interesting.

I'll not make a detailed analysis or long review as others have done that previously but content myself with saying that the sex scenes are horny and the storyline around them passable. One can see it's low budget but then so are loads of other films and this one makes the most of its restrictions.

The actors looked as if they were enjoying the porn rather than actually acting which is why i preferred this edition of the film.

Oddly some of the storyline is echoed in the 2021 film Grosse Freiheit - the older prisoner is serving a longer sentence for murder in both films and the endings of both films are absolutely identical down to the type of shop used as a way to return. Coincidence? Who knows?

This film is to be avoided at all costs

[gedlund · 1/10 · 5 October 2008]

Found this in a bargain bin for $1, and thought it was porn, and was highly disappointed. My favourite part of the film was the closing credits. It is a complete copy of 'Shawshank Redemption' (not). Does anyone know where I can buy the soundtrack? I'm glad I can fast forward at 16 times normal play speed, because it got used often. Should make a good drink coaster. "Get to it, undress" One more time... Found this in a bargain bin for $1, and thought it was porn, and was highly disappointed. My favourite part of the film was the closing credits. It is a complete copy of 'Shawshank Redemption' (not). Does anyone know where I can buy the soundtrack? I'm glad I can fast forward at 16 times normal play speed, because it got used often. Should make a good drink coaster. "Get to it, undress"

Surprize! Surprize! Not really a modern "Fortune in Men's Eyes"

[clive-13 · 10/10 · 19 December 2004]

I was reluctant to watch this film because I have never enjoyed films about men in prison. Though brilliant , "Midnight Express" still haunts me and the repellent treatment of homosexuality in "Fortune in Men's Eyes" made me steer clear of this genre. The only other prison film with a "gay:" subtext that I have enjoyed was "Kiss of the Spider Woman" That said, this little German film, "Locked Up", was a rather tender and provocative gay love story. Filmed on video, in an apparent real prison, this film struck me as quite entertaining. The two leads are very good actors and even though it has a somewhat unbelievable ending, I liked it. WARNING SPOILER.............This film has a few graphic scenes that take it close to porn. There is a lot of male on male nudity and a real masturbation sequence. There is also a very graphic rape scene, which, if it had not been integral to the plot line, could never have been acceptable to any audience. Now that doesn't mean all viewers will appreciate this film. No this little hummer is not for the weak at heart or the homophobic. In the end it manages to be quite a charmer. The oddest thing about this film is not the bi-racial love story of the two male leads, but the hauntingly beautiful sound track, which somehow manages to be romantic, meaningful, and surprisingly "new age". The music, coupled with the hideously depressing and stark prison ambiance, raises the emotional impact of this film. It actually brightens up the story line and the romance between the two male leads. Definitely not for everyone. However, if you like the new "Gay Cinema", and enjoy film in general,this little odd duck of a movie will shock, entertain, and bring a tear to the eye as well. 31/2 out of 5 stars.....Clive2

Pointless gay porn, a failure with regard to story-telling and acting

[Horst_In_Translation · 2/10 · 16 July 2017]

"Gefangen" or "Eingelocht" or "Locked up" or "In the Hole" is a German 95-minute movie from 2004, so this one is already over a decade old and it is by far the most known work for writer and director Jörg Andreas. And it is most likely also the most known work for almost everybody else who worked on this film. I am a bit disgusted by the term "film" though when describing this piece of garbage really. But not as disgusted as I was during the watch. The film starts with a man coming to prison and everything afterward is basically about his relationships with guards and inmates and pointless sex scene. There is really a clean structure here. One sex scene. One scene about the characters. One sex scene. One scene about the characters. One sex scene etc. The guards only seem to be happy with the inmates having sex when they are part of the action too, which is apparently not too rare. Eventually, you can come to the conclusion that everybody in this jail is gay. As a heterosexual male, I must say that I did not find the sex scenes pleasant to watch at all, but I sat through them for the love of cinema. So lets talk a bit about the non-sex scenes. Honestly, these were at least as much of a failure as the explicit scenes I would say. The acting is horrible and you could easily say that almost everybody in the cast here has almost no acting experience at all and if they have been in other films, then these were other porn movies or films where they probably only acted in one single scene for a few seconds.

So as a whole, this was really a despicable film. I am genuinely baffled what makes this film different compared to the hundreds (if not thousands) of other (gay) porn movies on the internet. Yes there are many of these on IMDb too, but they don't have almost 1,000 rating. Or over 20 reviews. This is nothing other than porn. This is not a credible drama, thriller or crime movie. It is a failure from start to finish. If I really dig deep here and look for something positive to say, then maybe this would be that they did not include a hetero sex scene just for the sake of it as it would have been impossible to include this one with a credible explanation. But no worries. They still messed up on all kinds of occasions. The way they are trying to convince us about the relationship between the protagonist and the African American is a failure too. I cannot even say they have no chemistry, but they have nothing really. The way they (did not) build/ up this relationship towards the very end is amateurish to say the least. As amateurish as the entirety of production values in here. As amateurish and for the sake of it as the shocking scenes about rape in here. But the biggest joke is probably that somebody here on IMDb in the "View content advisory" section wrote that this movie is probably rather NC-17 than R. I can only imagine that this was a troll or somebody who worked on the production and wanted more people to see it. This is a hardcore gay porn movie packed with unsimulated sex scenes from start to finish. But this should not even play a role in your decision whether (not) to watch this one. The crucial aspect is that it is complete garbage and lacks any kind of creativity. Yes it is as bad as the word plays in the title. Stay far far away.

Gay prison fantasy

[willev1 · 8 January 2005]

All the standard ingredients of a brutal prison film are here, interwoven with a very tender gay romance. The action takes place in a German institution, but among the inmates are some British and American prisoners, so there is a substantial amount of dialog in English as well as German, which is well translated in the subtitles. The chemistry of attraction between the newly arrived young German prisoner and the muscular Caribbean-American man of color is palpable and exciting. The plot alternates between brutal realism and romantic fantasy, with lots of eye candy along the way. Never a dull moment! The extras on the DVD include candid interviews with the two gay actors who play the leads so effectively. Hugely enjoyable for the target audience.

It was certainly different, but definitely a huge leap forward for both homosexuality and male nudity in film

[tomphillips2010 · 3/10 · 6 July 2013]

I was quite shocked by this film. The acting was poor, and there was very little in the way of any parental guidance, which is quite alarming considering the content of this film. I can't edit the parental section, so i'll detail below all points regarding the content.

There are few films that show male nudity, but this film is certainly excluded from that category. I think the first shot of a penis is after about 60 seconds when Dennis has to strip out of his clothes upon entering the prison. There are quite a lot of nude scenes, featuring both flaccid and erect penis shots.

This leads on to the sex scenes. There are multiple sex scenes, scattered throughout the film. They are all very explicit, and I believe all unsimulated. At about 7 mins into the film, we encounter the first gay sex scene. Both men's fully erect penis' are clearly visible throughout the scene, with oral sex and very graphic anal sex (using a condom). You can also clearly see ejaculation.

A little over 20 mins in, there is a blowjob scene. Mike is clearly seen sucking Dennis' fully erect penis. They then swap, with Dennis sucking Mike's penis.

Immediately after that, a man is seen masturbating in his cell. He is then removed from his cell by 2 prison guards, and the three men engage in explicit oral and anal sex. The man can be seen lying on his back, whilst one of the prison guards inserting his penis into his anus. The man simultaneously give the other guard a blowjob. Various camera angles are used, so you see full penetration (condom used). Again, ejaculation is clearly seen, as one prison guard ejaculates over the prisoners chest.

This scene is followed by Dennis lying on his bed thinking about Mike. This is shot from overhead. He pulls his shorts down revealing his already erect penis and masturbates. The shot then changes to be next to the bed, and pans down to show him working his penis. He then tenses and groans implying ejaculation, although it's not visible.

A prisoner urinated in the mouth of another prisoner infront of several men. Another man then does the same, followed by a third.

Two men are then shown having oral and anal sex. Penetration is clearly visible, and ejaculation is shown as one man comes over the others shest.

Dennis is caught sneaking into Marks cell - a prison guard follows him and spies through the window in the cell door. The two men strip and kiss, then notice the guard. They both have semi-erect penis'.

In another scene, several men walk into a room where a man is stroking his erect penis. The men then engage in anal and oral sex together. One shot is a close up and clearly shows a penis penetrating another man. A man is lying on a table receiving the anal sex. One man ejaculates on his chest, and the man penetrating then withdraws and ejaculates onto the receiving mans penis.

Dennis is then taken to a room to shower. Another man is also there, and you can see both men's flaccid penis'. 4 other men then come into the shower room and throw the one man into a cubicle, leaving Dennis with them. Three of the men then grab Dennis and hold him still whilst the 4th man stuffs his penis into Dennis' bum and rapes him. The other men then do the same. Plenty of thrusting is shown, and you can see Dennis' penis and testicles flapping about whilst he screams. The men then leave him lying on the floor.

Following the shower scene, we see Dennis and Mike alone on a bed together. They begin engaging in oral sex with each other. This sex scene is probably the most extended. You see Dennis sucking Mike's penis for several minutes whilst also fondling his testicles. There is also deep throating. Dennis then lays on a table - mike plays with his nipples - the camera then pans out and we see Mike inserting his penis into Dennis. Dennis curls his toes and winces as Mikes penis goes in deeper. We then see from overhead as mike gently thrusts and Dennis masturbates his own penis. The thrusting increases and we see Mike's groin slapping against Dennis' butt - we also see him continuing to masturbate and his testicles bouncing around as Mike pumps. From here, the camera pans around to Dennis' point of view as he ejaculates. At this point, Mike is still thrusting rapidly, and you can see the semen spurting out of Dennis' penis and drip down his hand. Mike then withdraws his penis and masturbates against Dennis' semi erect penis until he ejaculates over Dennis' penis and balls. You can clearly see the two men's penis' rubbing in each others semen.

Terrible but Funny movie!!!

[circularnine · 1/10 · 2 October 2009]

I really can't add much to the already illustrative comments that have been posted on this site but I have to say that this movie was SO BAD!! that I actually found myself laughing out loud many times, particularly when both leads were locked up under "arrest" in adjoining cells and touched hands through their respective windows -- now that is cinema!! You should by all means watch this movie if you want a good laugh!!! It appears that low budget was the rule here and I agree with another comment on the site and EVERYONE in the prison was obviously gay, even the staff. This truly is subject matter for gay porn but to have a chance at some believability it helps to cast the film well. Or it could be that the cast worked for free or next to nothing on this project.

A Different Kind of Love Story

[gradyharp · 8/10 · 18 August 2005]

GEFANGEN (LOCKED UP) is a testy little German film that dares to push the envelope of NR rating, and given the concept of the story and the background of the writer/director Jörg Andreas making his first legitimate (ie non-porn) movie, it succeeds despite some technical shortcomings. No, it is not a film for those with issues concerning same-sex films, but for the target gay audience and for that audience eager to see innovative independent film-making adventures, LOCKED UP is well worth watching! The setting is a prison somewhere in Germany and the story begins with the handcuffed young credit card fraud 'criminal' Dennis (Marcel Schlutt) encountering his first entry into a prison. The tone of the film is set at the induction desk where Dennis is stripped and zealously 'inspected!' by the eager prison guards. He is then placed in a cell and begins his two-year prison term. Naturally the other prisoners (all body builders) on his bloc intimidate him into submission to their rules of the house. Through his cell window Dennis gazes on a fellow inmate, an African American hunk named Mike (Mile Sale), in prison for a fifteen-year sentence for the murder of his wife, digging trenches. They make eye contact and there is a mutual interest. Gradually the two meet under the rigid time frames for the prisoners, talk, share coffee in Mike's room, and eventually respond to their mutual attraction. During one interlude they are observed by a guard envious of Mike's attention and affection for Dennis. And as the routine prison dramas go, the inmates polarize over the two men's connection. Dennis is brutally raped, talked into cooperating with the drug ring, but Dennis' growing love for Mike is stronger than the resistance of both inmates and prison officials and they are eventually able to share a cell.

Dennis' mother visits her son, encourages him, and arranges for a lawyer to gain a shortened term for Dennis, a favor that Dennis greets with mixed emotions, as he does not want to leave his lover Mike as others have done. But in a tender scene Mike convinces Dennis that he is young and should accept the early release, an act of love that Dennis finally accepts. Dennis is released, but continues to visit Mike whom he loves and his love is reciprocated. The manner in which the film ends is yet another act of sacrifice and love and is best left unsaid.

Both Marcel Schlutt and Mike Sale are handsome of face and body and spirit and the story benefits from their on-screen chemistry. In an extended Feature on the DVD each actor (both openly gay) discusses his approach to making the film, and as in the movie itself, these dialogues are in both German and English. The men speak frankly and bravely about their participation in gay porn movies, stating the sex scenes in the film are real-time and not simulated. People will argue about the propriety of this but keep in mind the story and the director's background and perhaps the film will be more readily viewed as an experimental genre. This is a different kind of love story and I think it works! Grady Harp

There's two DRASTICALLY different films available...

[VinnieRattolle · 11 October 2009]

I picked up "Locked Up" a few years ago and like most everyone else who's commented, I was kind of shocked to discover it was frequently on the verge of veering into porn. Watching the deleted scenes and interviews, it was clear that they'd shot some hardcore scenes but other than thinking it was typical that they'd cut the hardcore footage from the American print, I didn't give it much more thought. "Locked Up" has more than its fair share of flaws, but as a movie I've certainly seen much worse, and as a softcore flick it wasn't bad.

Totally by happenstance, I just stumbled onto "Eingelocht" (aka "In the Hole"), the XXX version of the film. I did a bit of a double-take when I saw the cover, so I had to give it a viewing. Not since "Superman II" have I seen two such radically different versions of the same movie! I was expecting a longer version of the same film, but instead the hardcore version is almost a completely different movie with a slightly shorter running time.

"Locked Up" has a very clear and concise plot revolving around prison newbie Marcel Schlutt's romance with fellow inmate Mike Sale. While there are still remnants of that in "In the Hole," there's really only splinters of the story left. Many of the remaining scenes are edited in a completely different order, and it includes several extended scenes (the timid inmate who gets spit upon in "Locked Up" is further humiliated by being urinated upon in "In the Hole") and seemingly random hardcore scenes with the prisoners and guards (hinted at in the deleted scenes of the "Locked Up" disc). Schlutt and Sale's romance is still the through-line, but the bulk of the dialogue/confrontation scenes are missing (along with a few actors!) and instead of (*ahem*) climaxing with Schlutt's release from prison, the story merely builds to him having sex with Sale, which is how the film ends (Schlutt never even gets released in the hardcore version).

Having seen "Locked Up" first, I thought "In the Hole" had the potential to be an above average, plot-filled porn flick. Nope -- though as mere prison porn it's probably above average. Contrarily, if I'd seen the hardcore version first, I never would've known there was enough material there for an actual movie.

I liked "Gefangen!"

[larryz2 · 8/10 · 15 September 2006]

I saw "Gefangen" yesterday. I generally don't give much regard to what others may say about a film before I've seen it. Yes, it's true, some of the acting may not be 'world class,' but the film still has a story to tell and, even without the sex scenes, I believe they did just fine. I did enjoy the sex scenes.....and, with all the heterosexual sex scenes in todays films, I would hardly consider this movie "porn." Erotic sexual scenes do not a porn film make. So, if you see this flick without any preconceived expectations and just follow the story, enjoy what you will...I think you will come to the same conclusion as I: It was fine; I enjoyed it. And then move on.

"Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

[robdcx · 3 January 2005]

I've had the opportunity to watch several gay-themed romances over the past few weeks and found most to be as banal, unrealistic, and outright silly as their heterosexual counterparts. Gefangen, aching to be taken seriously, is no exception - it plays like romanticized gay porn.

We meet Dennis as he is summarily striped and ushered into a dreary German prison. Inside is what we've come to expect from every film of this sort: guards on the make, skinny punks forced to service their more aggressive cell mates, hair-raising shower scenes, ineffectual and uncaring management, etc. Dennis quickly adapts to the routine of prison life and finds a deep and enduring love with fellow convict Mike. And to think I've been wasting my time in gay chat rooms, when I should have been haunting government facilities!

The main problem with Gefangen is its tone. Dennis and Mike's love affair is played with an earnestness impossible to believe and they move through prison like petulant adolescents. When guards forcibly separate the pair after a romantic tryst, Mike fumes "You can't keep us apart!" as though meddling parents had burst through his bedroom door. The characters themselves are one-dimensional puppets, imprisoned not so much by the German authorities as by the plot's machinations. As a result, the hero's final decision is laughable rather than touching. Only the truly sentimental could take this film - with a vision of love lifted straight from the diary of a thirteen year old girl - seriously.

Powerful, yet tender

[larapha · 8/10 · 20 August 2015]

Somewhat twelve years after releasing, the freshness of this film can be considered one more proof of the theory that independent gay cinema has much to offer to Hollywood. This is one more example of technical development of the language of cinema, and doesn't fear to show sex scenes in a climate of sensible love. Rough sex is adequate to the ambiance of the film: rudeness, fear, anger, drugs. The sex scenes are hardly inadequate to this world, where men do sex with other man as a way of passing time, frequently in rude ways The interpretations are sore. Sauf Charlie Schmutt, actors hardly can deliver their lines. Schmutt chooses an acting way that valorizes his curly angel body, and gets easily the audience sympathy. In the end, it's a simple low budget film that shows sex is so much, or even more, important than violence in prisons, often coming combined. Hollywood is good at showing violence, but lacks the sex.

reasonable

[Kirpianuscus · 5 September 2020]

In this case, the significances of the term "reasonable" are many . From the expected prison atmosphere, more a sketch, and the portrait of a forbidden relation - so familiar- to the brutal graphic scenes. From violence, in different forms, to the image of self discover.Yes, it is just that kind of film - easy dialogue, easy story, sex scenes as axis . But it has the virtue to try be little more, with reasonable succes. The romance is more significant than sex scenes, the pornography is not more than price to attract some kind of public, Mike Sale and Marcel Schlutt are good options for the roles and the delicacy of relation remains touching. A reasonable film ,mayb provocative for few reasons, giving the fair story, acting and romance.The sin - maybe the end who can be too much , against its poetry. The good points- Ulrike Schirm

It's great when you realize what you are actually watching...sexually

[italbarenow · 9/10 · 7 October 2016]

90% of the reviews calling it "soft core porn" or "bad porn" are unaware of this unique film.

Have you ever been just a little turned on watching actors do a sex scene, and become really voyeuristic...hence every actor always being obsessively asked if sex scenes were hot or just bullshit?

Well this pretty mediocre gay prison love story is actually much, much more than people who stumble upon it on Amazon or Netflix realize.

You are about to lose your mind because I'm going to compare this film to some classic. Lars Von Trier innovative techniques regarding sex scenes. He innovated blending real sex integral to a story with mainstream actors who would never have sex on film..by filming porn actor look alikes and merging the bodies using CGI.

After I watched the movie, I thought the male leads chemistry was a little intense, while they were also both incredibly hot. Can an erection be "sincere"?

Well it turns out, this film is a deliberate brilliant attempt to bridge the gap between cock-teasing gay art films with nudity of the young and pretty....and actual gay porn. It's 2 films with different names, and if you are anyone who likes a little backstory with your hot guys really enjoying sex.... I'm about to make your day. Watch THIS film "Locked Up "first.

Then go find "In The Hole" (Eingelocht) by Cazzo Films....and see all the real footage cut out of all these actors filming the hell out of some German porn.

How can I give this 9 stars? Originality...marketing...and the unanswered question....is the point that people who watch one film never know about the other one?

HOT

Laughable plot and terrible acting

[Gordon-11 · 23 March 2007]

This film is about the life of a young gay man who has been sentenced to prison for credit card fraud. In prison, he meets the love of his life and strives to maintain the relationship.

The film obviously has a very low budget. From the state of the set, the number of actors, lack of cinematography and soundtrack shows the incredibly low budget.

The plot is so unbelievable. I know it is an erotic fantasy, but still it is laughably unrealistic. Everyone in the prison, including the guards are gay! Prison guards spying on the inmates' gay sex...that's not very likely to happen in the real world.

The dialog is bad. The acting is bad, apart from the lead actor Marcel Schlutt. He is the only one who showed acting skills in the whole movie. All other characters are unable to handle more than 2 lines of script.

The film tries not to be viewed as porn, so it has no hardcore sex scenes. However, it is filled with various fantasies, including spit, power and submission. Oh there was conveniently a scene of a man pissing down the toilet. It is a scene which could have been cut out, and was not because of the sexual appeal.

Though the thought of a gay romance story in the prison is appealing and even a turn on for some people, this film fails to ignite in any aspect.

A film with a severe identify criss

[ApolloBoy109 · 23 October 2005]

As this reviewer has often said; it's neither fish nor fowl. In short it does not know if it wants to be a step above a softcore film or a serious foyer into dramerotica. Without a gripping storyline, it fails at both and comes up too short handed to recommend, unless you like men of color rearing fair-skinned young men with nice butts. Mike Sale is the only cast member who acts and that's not saying much. He sulks a lot and pouts but he merely suggests we pity him and his situation without truly convincing us. The American, Marcel a fine looking Brit who sports the worst American accent since Frankstein's monster in Van Helsing (yikes!) Even writing that horrible movie's name makes me cringe at how bad Ven Helsing was and it had millions for a budget, this Prison-doco-drammer cum erotic film was made on about 200 bucks and every dollar spent shows. From a bad German gay porno-styled rape scene, to a somewhat ridiculous arc story (dialog: You can't keep us apart, we love each other) odd developments, and predictable plot conclusions. (Bad guy gets his, punk rocker who likes getting spat upon is the sacrifice and out hero lovers reunite) I must say at this point, the romantic pair share not an ounce of chemistry with each other even in their vapid sex scenes. What did I expect with dialog so outdated and cliché. ("What are you in for?" to "I 've been a bad boy" and the ever popular "I'll get you for this") May I suggest choosing a straight- forward softcore film, a real gay drama (OZ) or download good old-fashion porno.