Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:45 amNOTE: I had to post this separate from my journal entry because it was too long.
I Spit on Your Grave: Millennium Edition (1978) - Director: Meir Zarchi - Reviewed by Winslow Leach
"This woman has just chopped, crippled and burnt five men beyond recognition, but no jury in America would ever convict her!"
INTRODUCTION: I Spit on Your Grave is an infamous film. Ever since I was a young kid I heard my friends talk about the film and how terrible it was. When I saw it myself in the 80s, I was as stunned as everyone else but the cut I had originally saw of the film was edited with most of the graphically violent scenes deleted. Years passed and I hadnt seen the film again since. When I got this new DVD from Elite Entertainment, I was very pleased to know that the film had been completely remastered and was uncut. Well folks, after watching this version of the film I consider I Spit on Your Grave aka Day Of The Woman to be one of the best cult films ever made. Its right up there with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Coffy (1973) and other gems of the 70s Grindhouse era. The film not only packs a solid punch of Exploitation, it is very well directed and acted. The film has almost no music in it, theres only 5 main characters, it takes place entirely in a quiet country setting, and its about a brutal rape and the revenge a woman takes on the scum that ruined her life. On the back cover of the DVD there is a quote asking: is it really "just another Exploitation film to be dismissed?" or is it "truly a masterpiece of cinema?". I consider this film a masterpiece. Back when the film was released in 1979, critic Roger Ebert and his then partner Gene Siskel felt this film was utter trash and that it should be thrown away so noone could see it ever again. As a reader of Ebert's reviews myself, I'm shocked that someone as open minded as Roger would try to ruin a films reputation like that and not just let people judge it for themselves. Ironically many female critics felt exactly the opposite of Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. They considered the film to be a well told, realistic morality tale. If Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel only knew the story behind what inspired Meir Zarchi to create this film, maybe they wouldve saw it differently.
THE REVIEW: Jennifer Hills (Camille Keaton of What Have You Done To Solange?) is leaving New York City for the country. Shes a writer and she needs some peace and quiet so she can work on her new novel. Jennifer is a beautiful, sophisticated woman. As she makes her way out of the city, we can see shes headed for Connecticut. When she arrives in the town shes staying in, she stops at a gas station to stretch her legs and fill the gas tank. The gas station attendant Johnny (Eron Tabor) is polite and tells her to enjoy her summer and she leaves. When Jennifer gets to the cottage, she immediuately relaxes and then decides to go for a swim. She takes her clothes off and hops in the lake that borders her cottage. Jennifer settles in and unpacks her suitcases and she calls the local grocery store for some things. Pretty soon, the delivery boy Matthew (Richard Pace) shows up with her bags of groceries and Jennifer and he converse and we can see that Matthew is slightly ALF. Matthew sweetly asks Jennifer if she has a boyfriend and then asks if he can be her boyfriend. That night Jennifer is in her bed trying to write her novel and she begins to hear noises outside. This part of the film is very creepy. Jennifer walks downstairs and looks around into the night to see where the noises are coming from, but she sees nothing.
Meanwhile, Johnny and his pals Stan (Anthony Nichols), Andy (Gunter Kleeman) and Matthew are on the lake fishing. While they fish they begin talking about Jennifer and how sexy she is. They also talk about how Matthew needs to get laid and that they are going to help him out by visiting Jennifer. The next day, Jennifer is laying in her hammock trying to write and we hear the buzzing of a motorboat coming closer. Its Stan and Andy. As they drive by Jennifer's house, they both stare at her and she looks at them back. The roaring of the motor annoys Jennifer and she quickly gets up and walks back to her cottage. Jennifer decides to go for a canoe ride and as she paddles across the lake, the sound of the motorboat comes back and we see its Stan and Andy again. This time they fly right near Jennifers canoe and they begin to taunt her by driving back and forth and whistling and hooting at her. Jennifer grabs an oar and tries to bat them away, but Stan grabs the canoes towline and pulls Jennifer in the water. Meir Zarchi shoots the action from below Stans legs in an almost phallic way, and we see that this the rape beginning to take place. They pull Jennifers canoe as she screams and they bring it to the shore. The boys grab and grope Jennifer as she gets out of the canoe, they are like wild animals, they chase her through the swamp into the forrest jumping and yelling all the way. Jennifer tries to throw a tree branch at them but its no use. When she gets to a clearing she runs into Johnny, we now know see hes the leader of the gang. He throws Jennifer to the ground and the others hold her legs open while he begins to undress. We see that Matthew is there as well, hiding in the brush and he calls him over to help to keep her down. Pretty soon Johnny is on top of Jennifer and he begins to rape her. The men look on like they are entertained and we can feel the extreme horror Jennifer is feeling. Aaron sweatily pumps and pushes himself on Jennifer over and over until hes spent. He rolls off her and they let Jennifer get up. Shes now bloody and muddy and she slowly walks zombie-like into the woods. When Jennifer gets to a clearing, we hear the sound of a harmonica playing (this scene actually reminded me of the theme of Harmonica in Once Upon a Time in The West. That eerie, ominous tone rings through your ears letting you know something bads going to happen). We see its Andy, sitting on a rock, playing a harmonica. Then we notice that the other men are there too. They arent finished with Jennifer yet. This sequence in the film is the most graphically brutal rape scene Ive ever seen. Andy proceeds to not just rape Jennifer, he really wails and pounds on her sexually like shes a piece of raw meat. He gets off on this over and over and Jennifer is just used up. She falls on the rock passed out from the brutal beating shes taken. The men all walk off saying nothing. Jennifer finally has the strength to get up and she makes it back to her cottage, shes REALLY beaten and bloody now. She crawls into the house and goes to reach for the phone, suddenly a boot comes into frame and kicks it away from her. This scene made me jump right out of my seat. It was VERY effective! The men all begin to grab Jennifer again and this time they bait Matthew into raping Jennifer. Matthew gets undressed and they all tell him to do it. As Matthew tries to have sex with Jennifer he begins to whine that he cant concentrate, that he cant do it. He gets off Jennifer and Stan takes a glass bottle anmd just shoves it into Jennifer. She screams and then Stan grinds his crotch on her face and backhands her a few times. Now I thought the first rape scenes were harsh, but this one just took the cake. If that wasnt enough, Andy picks up Jennifers manuscript and reads aloud from it, then tears it up and throws it on the ground. These men not only raped Jennifer 4 times, they ruined her work as well. These scenes only add to the extreme anger we have been feeling for Jennifer and how her rampage of revenge afterwards is completely justified. The scumbags leave, but then send Matthew into the house to finish Jennifer off. Matthew hesitatantly goes into kill her, but he just cant bring himself to do it, so he wipes some of Jennifers blood onto his knife to make it look like he did what he was told (On the commentary by Joe Bob Briggs he explains that this is the longest rape scene in cinema history. It times in at 25 minutes 19 seconds).
Jennifer begins to recooperate, she washes herself off and she breaks down completely. *We can feel the pain shes feeling, but we also have a sense that Jennifer is strong willed and she will overcome this. She tapes her manuscript back together torn piece by torn piece. We then see Jennifer sitting outside on the shore of the lake. She is dressed all in black and with her hair she looks just like Frigga in Thriller aka They Call Her One Eye sans eyepatch. I really loved that little touch, I dont know if it was done on purpose or not, but its just a cool little accent. Jennifers next plan is to get back at her rapist tormenters. Before she goes on her revenge spree, Andy and Stan drive by on their boat to check on her. As they pass by, Jennifer stares right at them with daggers in her eyes. In the next scene, all the guys are beating the hell out of Matthew for not doing what he said he did. They call Matthew names and throw his bike in the street and tell him to get lost and never come back.
Jennifer puts on a dark oufit, bandana and dark sunglasses (she looks like a cool hit-woman) and goes to the gas station where Johnny works. She sees he has a wife and two kids (played by Meir Zarchis own two kids). Jennifer goes to the local church and kneels down and asks for forgiveness for what shes about to do (look for Writer-Director Meir Zarchi as the organ player). Jennifer calls the local grocery store for a delivery. Matthew hears this and realizes he has to protect himself just in case. He grabs a knife off the supermarkets counter and hides it in his shirt, then gets on his bike and rides to Jennifers house. When he gets there, he takes out his knife, then suddenly Jennifer appears from behind a tree. Shes dressed in a white see through dress and she lets Matthew know she wants him by staring at him and running into the woods. Matthew takes out his knife and runs after her. When he sees Jennifer, he begins to whine and cry and tell her that she ruined his life and that he has no more friends left because of her. She slowly opens the front of her dress and tells Matthew to come closer. Matthew moves up to her and Jennifer sexily unzips his pants and then pulls him ontop of her. Matthew begins humping Jennifer wildly. Jennifer lets him get going, then she grabs something and puts it around Matthews neck in mid-coitus. She pulls the end of the rope and Matthew begins to choke and get up from her. Jennifer quickly yanks on the rope, towing Matthew up and towards the water, she pulls harder and harder as Matthew loses his balance and starts to choke. With one last pull, Jennifer ties Matthew up around the tree and he hangs there. Jennifer lets him die completely, then she pulls him down, letting him fall in the water. She takes his bike and throws it in the water too. Score #1 for Jennifer!!
Her next victim is Johnny the gas station attendant-scumbag. Jennifer drives right up to the pump and when Johnny comes to the car he doesnt even blink. Jennifer looks at him with the sexiest lust-filled eyes. She motions for him to get in the car and he hops in. Jennifer drives down a side road and then Johnny gets out and she pulls her gun out on him. Aaron knows hes in trouble but he says "I dont like women giving me orders!". Jennifer tells him to undress and he does. Then he tells her WHY he raped her. This guy is the biggest male chauvenist pig Ive ever seen in a movie! He truly believes because hes a man he is entitled to rape women when he wants. The reasons he gives for raping Jennifer are hilariously ALF. She begins to act like shes buying this and she even lets him take her gun! She invites him to her place and in the next scene, she is naked, doing her hair up all sexy while he takes a hot bath. Jennifer gets in the tub with him and begins to massage his neck and rub his chest. As he enjoys this with his eyes closed, we see Jennifer has a little surprise. She reaches down and grabs a knife and quietly brings it into the bath. As Johnny lays back enjoying her hands, she gets him aroused and we hear a slice noise. Johnny doesnt realize it, but hes been CASTRATED!! When the first splurt of blood shoots from the water, thats when he fully realizes somethings not right. Johnny begins to scream and freak out like a maniac as Jennifer slowly puts on her robe leaves the bathroom and locks the door behind her. She goes downstairs, puts on some classical music and sits down. With an evil look in her eye she rocks back n forth enjoying her handiwork. Jennifer takes his clothes and burns them in her fireplace and stores his body in the basement.
Meanwhile, the next day Johnnys wife is looking for him, her kids are with her and she asks Stan and Andy where he is, but they dont know. She curses them and tells them to go find him. Back at the lake, Andy throws an axe into their boat and they decide to go finish off Jennifer once and for all. Andy gets in the water and Stan is by himself in the boat. Suddenly, Jennifer swims up to Stan and hops on the boat, she acts like shes coming on to him, then just pushes him off into the water. Jennifer starts the motor as Stan is left screaming in the middle of the lake. Jennifer opens the motor up[ and begins to speed around the lake wildly just like they did at the beginning of the film. Jennifer is now in charge and shes not going to relent now. She sees Andy trying to help Stan get out of the water and she revs up the boat and takes off towards them. She looks down and sees the axe that was meant for her. As she speeds towards the men Jennifer picks the axe up in one hand ready to bash it into whoevers closest. She brings it down right into Andys back. Score # 2!! Then she stops the boat and Stan swims over to it and begs her to stop. As hes clutching for his life onto the boats engine, Jennifer looks at him and says" Suck THIS bitch" and starts up the motor and tears Stans manhood to shreds, blood fills the water and she has killed her last scumbag. Score #3!! Jennifer cranks up the motorboat, she stares defiantly forward and triumpantly speeds along the lake as the end credits roll. Now THATS how you end a revenge movie!!!
* Sidenote: I reviewed the Swedish hardcore revenge film Thriller: A Cruel Picture (1974) about a month or so ago and I was really not fully convinced by the acting in the film by Cristina Lindberg. With I Spit on Your Grave, I did feel convinced by the acting by Camille Keaton, by her showing the strong character and emotions Jennifer felt. Even though much like Frigga in Thriller, she hardly speaks for much of the film. It is just done in a better way by Director Meir Zarchi.
THE DVD
REGION: 1
STUDIO: Elite Entertainment. Visit them online at: www.elitedisc.com.
FILM SPECS: Presented in (1:85:1) THX Remastered Certified Anamorphic Widescreen. Enhanced for 16 X 9 TV Screens. Picture is beautifully restored, colors are bright although the film has a specific hue that dulls out the bright colors and brings them down to a muted look. This film looks like a summertime nightmare. Beautiful but Deadly.
EXTRAS: A very interesting and touching Audio Commentary by Writer/Director Meir Zarchi. Anyone who wants to know why and how this film was made has to listen to this. Its one of the best commentary tracks Ive heard on DVD. Second Bonus Commentary by Joe Bob Briggs: Joe Bob is a really entertaining and informative person to listen to. I've been a fan of his since Monstervision on TNT in the early 90s. He totally gets the film and explains in detail many things and ideas about the film that critics like Roger Ebert completely ignored. This is definitely one of the best commentary tracks on any DVD I own. Its a must hear! Joe Bob is both funny and completely honest about the films content. The Extras also include: Animated Motion Menus, Theatrical trailers (Pure Grindhouse style!), TV Spots, Still Photo Gallery, Reviews (Including Roger Ebert and Gene Siskels original reviews of the film), Foreign and Domestic Art.
AUDIO: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 Surround Sound, Original Mono soundtrack. Its THX Surround Sound. Theres nothing negative to say, its perfect! Turn off the lights, turn up the sound and freak out!
THE FINAL WORD: In my opinion, I Spit on Your Grave is THE best rape-revenge film ever made. I feel its much better than Thriller: A Cruel Picture, Ms .45 and Last House on The Left. Ive seen them all and this one is more creepy, more graphically brutal, more entertaining, more downright shocking and just better crafted. Meir Zarchi created a masterpiece of Exploitation cinema with this film and didnt relent on any of the violent sequences. This is a DEFINITIVE Exploitation film and it should be on every cult film lovers shelf.
I Spit on Your Grave: Millennium Edition (1978) - Director: Meir Zarchi - Reviewed by Winslow Leach
"This woman has just chopped, crippled and burnt five men beyond recognition, but no jury in America would ever convict her!"
INTRODUCTION: I Spit on Your Grave is an infamous film. Ever since I was a young kid I heard my friends talk about the film and how terrible it was. When I saw it myself in the 80s, I was as stunned as everyone else but the cut I had originally saw of the film was edited with most of the graphically violent scenes deleted. Years passed and I hadnt seen the film again since. When I got this new DVD from Elite Entertainment, I was very pleased to know that the film had been completely remastered and was uncut. Well folks, after watching this version of the film I consider I Spit on Your Grave aka Day Of The Woman to be one of the best cult films ever made. Its right up there with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Coffy (1973) and other gems of the 70s Grindhouse era. The film not only packs a solid punch of Exploitation, it is very well directed and acted. The film has almost no music in it, theres only 5 main characters, it takes place entirely in a quiet country setting, and its about a brutal rape and the revenge a woman takes on the scum that ruined her life. On the back cover of the DVD there is a quote asking: is it really "just another Exploitation film to be dismissed?" or is it "truly a masterpiece of cinema?". I consider this film a masterpiece. Back when the film was released in 1979, critic Roger Ebert and his then partner Gene Siskel felt this film was utter trash and that it should be thrown away so noone could see it ever again. As a reader of Ebert's reviews myself, I'm shocked that someone as open minded as Roger would try to ruin a films reputation like that and not just let people judge it for themselves. Ironically many female critics felt exactly the opposite of Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. They considered the film to be a well told, realistic morality tale. If Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel only knew the story behind what inspired Meir Zarchi to create this film, maybe they wouldve saw it differently.
THE REVIEW: Jennifer Hills (Camille Keaton of What Have You Done To Solange?) is leaving New York City for the country. Shes a writer and she needs some peace and quiet so she can work on her new novel. Jennifer is a beautiful, sophisticated woman. As she makes her way out of the city, we can see shes headed for Connecticut. When she arrives in the town shes staying in, she stops at a gas station to stretch her legs and fill the gas tank. The gas station attendant Johnny (Eron Tabor) is polite and tells her to enjoy her summer and she leaves. When Jennifer gets to the cottage, she immediuately relaxes and then decides to go for a swim. She takes her clothes off and hops in the lake that borders her cottage. Jennifer settles in and unpacks her suitcases and she calls the local grocery store for some things. Pretty soon, the delivery boy Matthew (Richard Pace) shows up with her bags of groceries and Jennifer and he converse and we can see that Matthew is slightly ALF. Matthew sweetly asks Jennifer if she has a boyfriend and then asks if he can be her boyfriend. That night Jennifer is in her bed trying to write her novel and she begins to hear noises outside. This part of the film is very creepy. Jennifer walks downstairs and looks around into the night to see where the noises are coming from, but she sees nothing.
Meanwhile, Johnny and his pals Stan (Anthony Nichols), Andy (Gunter Kleeman) and Matthew are on the lake fishing. While they fish they begin talking about Jennifer and how sexy she is. They also talk about how Matthew needs to get laid and that they are going to help him out by visiting Jennifer. The next day, Jennifer is laying in her hammock trying to write and we hear the buzzing of a motorboat coming closer. Its Stan and Andy. As they drive by Jennifer's house, they both stare at her and she looks at them back. The roaring of the motor annoys Jennifer and she quickly gets up and walks back to her cottage. Jennifer decides to go for a canoe ride and as she paddles across the lake, the sound of the motorboat comes back and we see its Stan and Andy again. This time they fly right near Jennifers canoe and they begin to taunt her by driving back and forth and whistling and hooting at her. Jennifer grabs an oar and tries to bat them away, but Stan grabs the canoes towline and pulls Jennifer in the water. Meir Zarchi shoots the action from below Stans legs in an almost phallic way, and we see that this the rape beginning to take place. They pull Jennifers canoe as she screams and they bring it to the shore. The boys grab and grope Jennifer as she gets out of the canoe, they are like wild animals, they chase her through the swamp into the forrest jumping and yelling all the way. Jennifer tries to throw a tree branch at them but its no use. When she gets to a clearing she runs into Johnny, we now know see hes the leader of the gang. He throws Jennifer to the ground and the others hold her legs open while he begins to undress. We see that Matthew is there as well, hiding in the brush and he calls him over to help to keep her down. Pretty soon Johnny is on top of Jennifer and he begins to rape her. The men look on like they are entertained and we can feel the extreme horror Jennifer is feeling. Aaron sweatily pumps and pushes himself on Jennifer over and over until hes spent. He rolls off her and they let Jennifer get up. Shes now bloody and muddy and she slowly walks zombie-like into the woods. When Jennifer gets to a clearing, we hear the sound of a harmonica playing (this scene actually reminded me of the theme of Harmonica in Once Upon a Time in The West. That eerie, ominous tone rings through your ears letting you know something bads going to happen). We see its Andy, sitting on a rock, playing a harmonica. Then we notice that the other men are there too. They arent finished with Jennifer yet. This sequence in the film is the most graphically brutal rape scene Ive ever seen. Andy proceeds to not just rape Jennifer, he really wails and pounds on her sexually like shes a piece of raw meat. He gets off on this over and over and Jennifer is just used up. She falls on the rock passed out from the brutal beating shes taken. The men all walk off saying nothing. Jennifer finally has the strength to get up and she makes it back to her cottage, shes REALLY beaten and bloody now. She crawls into the house and goes to reach for the phone, suddenly a boot comes into frame and kicks it away from her. This scene made me jump right out of my seat. It was VERY effective! The men all begin to grab Jennifer again and this time they bait Matthew into raping Jennifer. Matthew gets undressed and they all tell him to do it. As Matthew tries to have sex with Jennifer he begins to whine that he cant concentrate, that he cant do it. He gets off Jennifer and Stan takes a glass bottle anmd just shoves it into Jennifer. She screams and then Stan grinds his crotch on her face and backhands her a few times. Now I thought the first rape scenes were harsh, but this one just took the cake. If that wasnt enough, Andy picks up Jennifers manuscript and reads aloud from it, then tears it up and throws it on the ground. These men not only raped Jennifer 4 times, they ruined her work as well. These scenes only add to the extreme anger we have been feeling for Jennifer and how her rampage of revenge afterwards is completely justified. The scumbags leave, but then send Matthew into the house to finish Jennifer off. Matthew hesitatantly goes into kill her, but he just cant bring himself to do it, so he wipes some of Jennifers blood onto his knife to make it look like he did what he was told (On the commentary by Joe Bob Briggs he explains that this is the longest rape scene in cinema history. It times in at 25 minutes 19 seconds).
Jennifer begins to recooperate, she washes herself off and she breaks down completely. *We can feel the pain shes feeling, but we also have a sense that Jennifer is strong willed and she will overcome this. She tapes her manuscript back together torn piece by torn piece. We then see Jennifer sitting outside on the shore of the lake. She is dressed all in black and with her hair she looks just like Frigga in Thriller aka They Call Her One Eye sans eyepatch. I really loved that little touch, I dont know if it was done on purpose or not, but its just a cool little accent. Jennifers next plan is to get back at her rapist tormenters. Before she goes on her revenge spree, Andy and Stan drive by on their boat to check on her. As they pass by, Jennifer stares right at them with daggers in her eyes. In the next scene, all the guys are beating the hell out of Matthew for not doing what he said he did. They call Matthew names and throw his bike in the street and tell him to get lost and never come back.
Jennifer puts on a dark oufit, bandana and dark sunglasses (she looks like a cool hit-woman) and goes to the gas station where Johnny works. She sees he has a wife and two kids (played by Meir Zarchis own two kids). Jennifer goes to the local church and kneels down and asks for forgiveness for what shes about to do (look for Writer-Director Meir Zarchi as the organ player). Jennifer calls the local grocery store for a delivery. Matthew hears this and realizes he has to protect himself just in case. He grabs a knife off the supermarkets counter and hides it in his shirt, then gets on his bike and rides to Jennifers house. When he gets there, he takes out his knife, then suddenly Jennifer appears from behind a tree. Shes dressed in a white see through dress and she lets Matthew know she wants him by staring at him and running into the woods. Matthew takes out his knife and runs after her. When he sees Jennifer, he begins to whine and cry and tell her that she ruined his life and that he has no more friends left because of her. She slowly opens the front of her dress and tells Matthew to come closer. Matthew moves up to her and Jennifer sexily unzips his pants and then pulls him ontop of her. Matthew begins humping Jennifer wildly. Jennifer lets him get going, then she grabs something and puts it around Matthews neck in mid-coitus. She pulls the end of the rope and Matthew begins to choke and get up from her. Jennifer quickly yanks on the rope, towing Matthew up and towards the water, she pulls harder and harder as Matthew loses his balance and starts to choke. With one last pull, Jennifer ties Matthew up around the tree and he hangs there. Jennifer lets him die completely, then she pulls him down, letting him fall in the water. She takes his bike and throws it in the water too. Score #1 for Jennifer!!
Her next victim is Johnny the gas station attendant-scumbag. Jennifer drives right up to the pump and when Johnny comes to the car he doesnt even blink. Jennifer looks at him with the sexiest lust-filled eyes. She motions for him to get in the car and he hops in. Jennifer drives down a side road and then Johnny gets out and she pulls her gun out on him. Aaron knows hes in trouble but he says "I dont like women giving me orders!". Jennifer tells him to undress and he does. Then he tells her WHY he raped her. This guy is the biggest male chauvenist pig Ive ever seen in a movie! He truly believes because hes a man he is entitled to rape women when he wants. The reasons he gives for raping Jennifer are hilariously ALF. She begins to act like shes buying this and she even lets him take her gun! She invites him to her place and in the next scene, she is naked, doing her hair up all sexy while he takes a hot bath. Jennifer gets in the tub with him and begins to massage his neck and rub his chest. As he enjoys this with his eyes closed, we see Jennifer has a little surprise. She reaches down and grabs a knife and quietly brings it into the bath. As Johnny lays back enjoying her hands, she gets him aroused and we hear a slice noise. Johnny doesnt realize it, but hes been CASTRATED!! When the first splurt of blood shoots from the water, thats when he fully realizes somethings not right. Johnny begins to scream and freak out like a maniac as Jennifer slowly puts on her robe leaves the bathroom and locks the door behind her. She goes downstairs, puts on some classical music and sits down. With an evil look in her eye she rocks back n forth enjoying her handiwork. Jennifer takes his clothes and burns them in her fireplace and stores his body in the basement.
Meanwhile, the next day Johnnys wife is looking for him, her kids are with her and she asks Stan and Andy where he is, but they dont know. She curses them and tells them to go find him. Back at the lake, Andy throws an axe into their boat and they decide to go finish off Jennifer once and for all. Andy gets in the water and Stan is by himself in the boat. Suddenly, Jennifer swims up to Stan and hops on the boat, she acts like shes coming on to him, then just pushes him off into the water. Jennifer starts the motor as Stan is left screaming in the middle of the lake. Jennifer opens the motor up[ and begins to speed around the lake wildly just like they did at the beginning of the film. Jennifer is now in charge and shes not going to relent now. She sees Andy trying to help Stan get out of the water and she revs up the boat and takes off towards them. She looks down and sees the axe that was meant for her. As she speeds towards the men Jennifer picks the axe up in one hand ready to bash it into whoevers closest. She brings it down right into Andys back. Score # 2!! Then she stops the boat and Stan swims over to it and begs her to stop. As hes clutching for his life onto the boats engine, Jennifer looks at him and says" Suck THIS bitch" and starts up the motor and tears Stans manhood to shreds, blood fills the water and she has killed her last scumbag. Score #3!! Jennifer cranks up the motorboat, she stares defiantly forward and triumpantly speeds along the lake as the end credits roll. Now THATS how you end a revenge movie!!!
* Sidenote: I reviewed the Swedish hardcore revenge film Thriller: A Cruel Picture (1974) about a month or so ago and I was really not fully convinced by the acting in the film by Cristina Lindberg. With I Spit on Your Grave, I did feel convinced by the acting by Camille Keaton, by her showing the strong character and emotions Jennifer felt. Even though much like Frigga in Thriller, she hardly speaks for much of the film. It is just done in a better way by Director Meir Zarchi.
THE DVD
REGION: 1
STUDIO: Elite Entertainment. Visit them online at: www.elitedisc.com.
FILM SPECS: Presented in (1:85:1) THX Remastered Certified Anamorphic Widescreen. Enhanced for 16 X 9 TV Screens. Picture is beautifully restored, colors are bright although the film has a specific hue that dulls out the bright colors and brings them down to a muted look. This film looks like a summertime nightmare. Beautiful but Deadly.
EXTRAS: A very interesting and touching Audio Commentary by Writer/Director Meir Zarchi. Anyone who wants to know why and how this film was made has to listen to this. Its one of the best commentary tracks Ive heard on DVD. Second Bonus Commentary by Joe Bob Briggs: Joe Bob is a really entertaining and informative person to listen to. I've been a fan of his since Monstervision on TNT in the early 90s. He totally gets the film and explains in detail many things and ideas about the film that critics like Roger Ebert completely ignored. This is definitely one of the best commentary tracks on any DVD I own. Its a must hear! Joe Bob is both funny and completely honest about the films content. The Extras also include: Animated Motion Menus, Theatrical trailers (Pure Grindhouse style!), TV Spots, Still Photo Gallery, Reviews (Including Roger Ebert and Gene Siskels original reviews of the film), Foreign and Domestic Art.
AUDIO: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 Surround Sound, Original Mono soundtrack. Its THX Surround Sound. Theres nothing negative to say, its perfect! Turn off the lights, turn up the sound and freak out!
THE FINAL WORD: In my opinion, I Spit on Your Grave is THE best rape-revenge film ever made. I feel its much better than Thriller: A Cruel Picture, Ms .45 and Last House on The Left. Ive seen them all and this one is more creepy, more graphically brutal, more entertaining, more downright shocking and just better crafted. Meir Zarchi created a masterpiece of Exploitation cinema with this film and didnt relent on any of the violent sequences. This is a DEFINITIVE Exploitation film and it should be on every cult film lovers shelf.
