Amazon.com: Writer-director Meir Zarchi's controversial story of rape and revenge has lost none of its ability to shock viewers since it first gained notoriety in the late '70s. Camille Keaton (grand-niece of Buster Keaton and, later, Zarchi's wife) stars as a young woman who is terrorized and then brutally assaulted by four men while on vacation. After slowly pulling herself together, she methodically tracks down and butchers each of the perpetrators. Zarchi's film has been consistently accused of celebrating violence against women, and while the rape scenes are graphic, they also lack the voyeuristic qualities that earmark other similarly plotted exploitation films. If anything, Zarchi is guilty of awkward scripting; the dialogue is leaden, and Keaton's transformation from victim to avenger is too swift. But to label him a pornographer is wrong, and while the film is challenging--perhaps more than most audiences can bear--its depiction of the psychology of violence is undeniably powerful. --Paul Gaita
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Unappreciated Cinematic Gem
I can see why this film was scorned back in the 70's. It is hard to sit down and watch this film without wondering if there is something wrong with you. The rape scenes are long, brutal, and unrelenting. What makes this film so tough to watch is the fact that the actress is raped not once, twice, three, or four, but five times! Worse, the rape scenes make up the bulk of the movie, so basically you're watching a woman being raped at length for most of the film's running time. No wonder Roger Ebert was moved to call this film "vile garbage"!
Still, the film is brilliant in that it clearly ... Read More
Rating: - Absolute Mega Classic
For the ultimate in sexploitation & vulgar violence, see I Spit On Your Grave. The first 50 minutes, you get a giant rape scene, the remaining 50 minutes she kills and castrates the guys.
Any slasher movie connoisseur will appreciate the subtleties of I Spit On Your Grave. The characters are memorable and fully developed. Much of the dialogue consists of zingers that you will remember long after watching the film. The hickish chauvinism of the men and the goofy grocery delivery guy are hilarious...not as hilarious as the tub scene mind you.
Rating: - Great movie and a classic revenge flick!
If you did not see this classic movie in the 70s, you should grab this right now and enjoy it at home . I can't imagine all these great flicks will be made available on screw-ray or whatever useless DRM format is coming up so don't wait. Highly recommended if you like 70s movies.
Rating: - Infamous but potent and worthwhile (for some)
Originally released in 1978 as "Day of the Woman" and re-released in 1980 with the more popular title (which writer/director Meir Zarchi hates), "I Spit on Your Grave" is a low-budget film telling a simple story of rape-and-revenge. Jennifer Hill, a magazine writer from New York City, rents a country house for the summer to write her first novel. Four low-lifes catch wind of her and brutally rape her, leaving her for dead. She survives, however, and executes revenge on each, using their weaknesses against them (pride, lust and lack of intelligence).
The film is notorious. Roger Ebert and Gene ... Read More
Rating: - I Spit on Your What???
So this was one of the 'video nasties' that were supposed to be so terrible and that we should be protected from. Well I have to say that after finally seeing this film I found it quite tame. The most disturbing part is the extended multi-rape section which is quite relentless and unpleasant. However, the revenge part of the story is just daft and not at all the gory holocaust that I would have liked. This isn't a horror film at all but a rape drama. Quite well put together but presented as something that it is not. The title means nothing (merely a sensational way to say "I'll get my revenge on you") ... Read More
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