I Spit on Your Grave

1978 feminist movie

Rating: 6/20

Plot: A writer retreats to the woods to work on a novel but is repeatedly assaulted and abused by four thugs. After they rape and humiliate her, three-fourths of them think she's been left for dead. Unfortunately for them, she's still alive. And pissed!

Trashy. There's a thin line, and the prolonged scenes of rapin' and killin' in this throw it firmly in the trashy category. The lack of budget isn't really a problem; as a matter of fact, if anything, it adds to the tension. So does the complete lack of music, though I suspect that it's because the makers of this couldn't afford any music or just forgot that movies are supposed to have music. This is a movie in two halves. The degradation of the protagonist goes on and on in the first half. Her story of revenge takes up the second, and the reason it didn't work for me is likely because the violence seems so unrealistic compared to what happened to her in that first half. I bet you a dollar, by the way, that I don't ever see the remake of this one.

5 comments:

Barry said...

I believe that Mr. Cory thinks this is the worst movie ever made. I cannot remember if it was him, or another of my friends, that was angry and flat out hated this movie.


Whatever it is, this is the purest form of cheap, grotesque exploitation ever put on a non XXX-rated film. Its just disgusting and repellent in every way. I give it a three, simply because it has given me the entertainment of having some friend in my past get very angry about it. Was it Cory? Maybe he can clear that up for me.

Shane said...

You're probably right. My rating might be way too high.

cory said...

This is one of the worst movies ever made. I watched this with Barry II, and felt so ashamed for renting it that I turned it off after the second horrific rape scene. Barry I has it right that it is the purest form of shameful exploitation. A 1.

Shane said...

So you guys didn't like this one?

l@rstonovich said...

saw as a teenager. still scarred. as with the original "last house on the left" i don't do rape well.