This goes down in the annals of rape/revenge films as one of the best in my opinion. It's the story of a mute gal(Zoe Lund) who has a really shitty day, gets raped twice and becomes a man-killing vigilante. The echoes of films like DEATH WISH and I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE are clearly present here and there's even a gang that looks like they stepped out of THE WARRIORS.
I know there has to be some sort of feminist message here but being very far from an expert on feminist theories myself I'm still not sure if it's pro-feminism or anti-feminism or maybe both? I mean the main character starts out as a very sympathetic type and you can basically understand the things she does for the most part(perhaps phoning the police instead of chopping up her attacker in a bathtub would have been a more logical choice) but as the movie goes on she spirals out of control and starts blasting away at men just for being men. As with most great works of art, director Abel Ferrara leaves the interpretation up to the viewer. I think in my twisted, deranged mind I get the idea that feminism can serve a purpose but taken to it's extreme endpoint serves no better purpose than any other radical idea put into action but since I was born with a penis I'm sure my thoughts are meaningless to the masses of hardcore sisters intent on dismantling the evil patriarchy. AKA ANGEL OF VENGEANCE
Agree here- it is one of the best insofar as such a disreputable genre can have a best. One theme that interests me in this one is the idea of an exploited woman without a voice- a theme that has been used a number of times in the past: They Call Her One Eye and Karate Girl. Possibly other times too.
ReplyDeleteThis one seems to be a favorite of at least a few self-described feminists. I guess because it doesn't serve as titillation for would-be rapists like many of these films might be construed to.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen this KARATE GIRL(AKA TURKISH I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE) but it looks pretty crazy so I will have to check it out.