Of the choices listed I'd have to say STRAW DOGS.As a Peckinpah fan I think that it's slow burning structure and sense of unease really gets under the skin.The violence,when it finally errups,is painful.It's also bracing after so many years of lightweight comedies to look back at this and see just how great an actor Dustin Hoffman can be.Making his character an outsider to the community really underlines his alienation. I also admire Zoe Tamerlis's laser like focus in MS. 45 (may she rest in peace) and Bronson's slow descent into cold blooded vengeance in the original DEATH WISH.The other films in that series are fun in a shoot 'em up sense but the original really shows Bronson's character has an arc.He was a far better actor than mainstream critics ever allowed. As a good (if sleazy) romp Linda Blair's SAVAGE STREETS is a low budget kick,very much of it's time but good in that context.
I want Ms. 45 on Blu now fuckers! Seeing the HD clips in Terror in the Aisles is torturous as they look so fucking good, while the real dvd and my custom uncut look just okay. I still can't pick between Ms. 45 and the original I Spit on Your Grave. I'm leaning toward Spit as it was more of an event, like the film you just had to see when I was a teen, but Ms. 45 has some awesome moments I was reminded of last night. I was thinking Savage Streets should be the list as well, even though I woundn't vote for it over my other 2 I still love that one. Need to check Irreversable out again. Only seen it once and recall feeling exceptionally uneasy and disgusted, so maybe it is the best. I own most of them but that one I didn't like at all. Ones I do have: The Last House on the Left (1972) Thriller: A Cruel Picture Straw Dogs (1971) Ms. 45 I Spit on Your Grave (1979) Vigilante The Last House on the Left (2009) I Spit on Your Grave (2010) Only own Last House remake as I got the bd for a song during Blockbuster closing, and it wasn't a rental version disc like so many other titles were. It's growing on me slowly, but the Spit remake is far better.
They just ran MS. 45 theatrically (35 mm) at the Raleigh,N.C. based Colony Theater a couple of weeks ago.Their exploitation screenings are great fun.Sadly I wasn't able to go,ended up in the E.R. with an old back injury.Hated to miss out on seeing it,I haven't seen MS. 45 in years.It's a film that really cries out for a definitive home video release.
Not a fan of rape revenge films, but Death Wish gets my vote. Of the films on this list I have seen, I have only watched once. Death Wish actually has some replay value for me.
So I don't find rape films entertaining. What's so funny about that? I highly doubt I am the only person here who chose a wacky screen name years ago and wishes they could change it.
I wasn't intending to offend. The film Satan's Sadists has a number of rapes in it (of which I believe none are avenged). Rape is central enough to the film that its depicted on the cover. I put a link to the imdb page in my post thinking that would be clear (guess not). So there is some irony in you not being interested in rape/revenge films. Maybe you picked the name based off the novel, my bad. FTR, its a shit movie. Not sure about the book.
I'm not a big fan of these, but I am a fan of David Hess so consequently I've seen: House On The Edge Of The Park Last House On The Left Hitch-Hike (Does this count as being part of the genre?) Also, Last House (Remake), I Spit On Your Grave (Original and Remake), and just this weekend the original Straw Dogs. Like another poster mentioned I would not consider Straw Dogs as part of this genre, while most of the films listed feature a graphic rape scene as the focal point and turning point in Straw Dogs it seemed to be one incident of many that lead to the general uneasiness of the film. The rape scene did not have the feeling of catalyst that it had in a film like Spit. Most of the films that truly fit this genre would fit into the b-movie category at best, usually plagued by pretty bad acting. Straw Dogs with its themes of moral ambiguity on the part of several characters seemed a lot deeper. Of the other ones I've seen: House on the Edge: Pretty forgettable for me, I found it pretty dull actually. Last House: Undeniably a turning point in cinema because of the depictions of graphic violence, but overrated for me, I'm ok with not seeing it again. I Spit: See comments for Last House. Always thought this film rubs elbows nicely with that porn/horror crossover Forced Entry. The rape scene for me blurs the line between repulsion and titillation(the way it's choreographed and filmed, compare to FE to see what I mean), why is one considered porn and the other horror? I don't know. Some people may be upset with my description of this as titillating but look up some fetish porn on the net, you'll see there is a market for this, I did a research project on its impact for the psychology department of my University about two years ago. Hitch-Hike:This one was interesting with a more complex than usual plot, I would not say I really enjoyed it but the chemistry between Hess and Clery was compelling. The remakes I thought were beyond horrid and did nothing for me. I did enjoy Death Wish also, though it seems miles away from something like I Spit or Last House. Anyone remember this obscure entry in the genre called Demented? I seem to remember a plot similar to Spit with attackers wearing creepy masks that remind me of The Strangers.
Night Train Murders should be on the list. i dunno if anyone would vote for it (its a fine film for what it is, but i don't think anyone would call it the best), but it fits pretty well into the genre.
No offense taken. I took the name from the movie based on shock and shlock value. Actually had no idea there was a novel. I'm surprised at that actually. Probably the best way I can explain it is that when I was younger I used to have more of a tolerance for certain things depicted in movies. Long drawn out or graphic rape scenes for example are distasteful to me in films these days. I would prefer get the rape scene over with as quickly as possible and just get right to the revenge! :fire: Satan's Sadists is indeed an awful movie even by director Al Adamson's standards. Inept as it is, I actually enjoy his Dracula VS Frankenstein.
