5/5 Deeply startling and terrifying
  by Tristan (Kansas, USA)
This is a very unpleasant picture, yet it takes it's subject matter seriously and doesn't camp it up or sugarcoat the disturbing material. It's a confrontational film to be sure, so it's not for everyone. Definitely only for those with very strong stomachs. It isn't so much the explicit nature of the film that's disturbing, but rather the emotional tone and quality the film decides to take. The performances are simply fantastic, especially considering the low-budget of the film in question. The opening scene shows a man in a dank room after he has tortured the life out of a young boy. You can really see the humanity drained from both of their faces. It's truly chilling to watch, and the film never really lets up at any point afterward. It's very graphic, but in a rather honest way, so the film avoids becoming pornography. If you're a horror film fan it's a must-see. One scene pays a rather unique homage to Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA. If you like challenging films or you like shock films, this is required viewing. This ranks up with Guillermo del Toro's films as one of the best films that Spain has to offer. It's shocking, it's challenging, it's honest, it's brilliantly directed and acted, and it's one of the best films you are ever going to see.

The DVD picture quality is surprisingly sharp, though to be sure it's not perfect. It's a non-anamorphic transfer, though adjusting the picture quality shouldn't affect the pixels too much really. It's somewhat grainy, but not enough to be distracting. I was able to see the film just fine. The sound quality is pretty good as well, though not a lot is done with it. There isn't any echoing, but the distortion is a bit noticeable. Overall, it's good but it could have been better. The picture and sound quality are both is fine form. In terms of extras, there is a pretty fascinating interview with director Agustin Villaronga in which he talks about his inspirations for the film and what his intentions were. It's pretty surprising at times. Definitely check it out if you're a fan. The case also says there are linear notes, though my DVD copy that I purchased new didn't come with any. My guess is that my copy is a reprint from the company and they just neglected to put them in. Oh well. Overall, the DVD is passable.

Film - 10/10

DVD - 5/10

4/5 Psychological horror way too dark too fathom
  by C. Christopher Blackshere (stalking you from the shadows)
If IN A GLASS CAGE was a simple revenge flick, it would offer a small glimmer of hope for the viewer to cling to. No such luck here. For those wanting to sink down to the lowest level of human atrocities, this is your movie. An absolutely horrible glimpse at the total decay of human decency.

It's the story of Klaus, an ex-Nazi pedophile who momentarily became overwhelmed by guilt and attempted suicide. His effort failed, but he was left paralyzed from the neck down. Then he was placed on life support and confined to an Iron Lung, or glass cage.

Then the real horror begins.

A handsome young nurse named Angelo is hired to care for Klaus. And yep, you guessed it, the two have met before.

So now it's payback time, right? Angelo has plans to abuse his past tormentor? If only it was that easy.

"Horror, like sin, can be fascinating."

That quote is from Klaus. Unfortunately, Angelo knows this all too well. It is utterly disturbing to contemplate an evil that is so demoralizing. One that will vaporize all hope. A dark power that will overwhelm your senses, paralyze your mind, and control the very fiber of your being.

This is one sick movie. It has unsettling images of child abuse, homosexuality, pedophilia, murder, and torture. But the most bothersome part of this story is the mental aspect. Many will shrug this off and dismiss the events as ridiculous. Hey, what ever helps you cope.

Watch this with extreme caution.

2/5 Great idea, awful execution
  by Fallout Girl (Brooklyn, NY United States)
I felt very conflicted about this film. First of all, from the synopsis I expected a revenge piece, and I hesitate to call it that. The intent and the main idea behind this story completely lost me. It's not to show how an evil man's deeds are bound to catch up to him like a boomerang. It's not to show that every action has consequences, or that everything happens for a reason. Heck, after two days of contemplating this I still can't understand what's the main idea of this film. That evil begets evil? Assuming it is (which is most logical), there's no sense of redemption here. I don't understand why this movie was filmed in the first place, rather than to shock and offend. That it succeeds in doing just fine. I feel that told in any other medium (a book, for example) it could work brilliantly. But on film, it simply crosses the line. I could not stop thinking about the fact that the victims in this movie are CHILDREN, not adults playing children or even teenagers playing children, but children playing children. And I see no justification for the way these child actors are treated in the film. It's completely unnecessary. Many other films dealing with pedophilia have succeeded in disturbing the heck out of me without going into gory details. This film isn't art. It's as close to child molestation on film as it can get.

3/5 Intriguing look at how evil begets evil
  by Bakerman (Iowa)
If you've seen the movie Apt Pupil this movie goes along the same lines. The difference is, in In A Glass Cage the story focuses more on the student's obsession with the unwilling mentor who, because of his physical confinement is unable to stop the evil. There are murder scenes of children in this film that actually are necessary for the true realization of evil. These scenes are not over the top or overly graphic, if that makes any sense at all. I did like this movie more than Apt Pupil but it wasn't a great film for me. The phychologist in me found the relationship between the "mentor" and student intriguing. The ending was somewhat confusing for me but all-in-all I'd say this movie was okay to watch once.

4/5 It will shake you violently to your core....
  by Grigory's Girl (NYC)
I saw this film on a "sick, twisted film" list (possibly here on Amazon), and being a bit of a film fan, I had to check it out. Many have compared this to Pasolini's Salo. The only real thing they have in common is that they are immensely disturbing films. This is one of the most intense, disturbing, and shocking (even for jaded viewers) films I have ever come across. And the fact that it was made nearly 20 years ago (in 1986, around when John Hughes was popular in American "cinema", so that shows how conservative tastes were getting back then) is even more remarkable. The film has an undeniable power to it, a strange, surreal, Iron Maiden like grip that really is hard to explain. The subject matter is grueling, and the film isn't a simplistic revenge drama either, which is probably why many have found the film so disturbing. It has a lot in common with J-horror, 10 years before the fact.

The plot is about a former Nazi who sexually abused boys when he was an officer. During a fit of remorse, he tries to kill himself by jumping from his estate, but fails, and ends up paralyzing himself. He has to be in an iron lung (aka a glass cage) in order to survive. One day, a new male nurse arrives. It's one of his victims, but the officer doesn't know it. Enough said on the plot...

Normally, a subject as intense as this wouldn't even be discussed by a Hollywood studio (especially in 1986). As one reviewer pointed out, it has some things in common with Apt Pupil, except this film is much more graphic and intense than anything Hollywood could have come up with. The film gets a little sloppy at the end (a chase scene near the end of the film is kind of derivative), but overall the film is quite powerful, unique, and intensely disturbing. If you are brave and not squeamish, watch this. It's not just for shock value, even though it may rock you to your core.