1971
Directed by Sam Peckinpah
I am a huge fan of horror films. It is by far my favorite genre; I stream a few crappy Netflix movies a week. There are many sub genres that I love (found footage, slasher, supernatural, etc) and only a few that I can't stand. The home invasion genre is one of them. The other is exorcism films, but that's a whole other post.
David and Amy are a young couple that have just moved to Amy's hometown. This seems to upset the "townspeople". Graphic rape ensues and David is forced to unleash his violent side.
Frequent readers of the blog know that I don't cope well with films that have rape in them. There seems to be some rather shocking messages in this movie as well that definitely have issues with. In one scene, Amy takes off her top in front of a window, in full view of the workmen. What was the point of this scene? Was it supposed to show that in some ways, Amy was "asking" for it? And then there is the rape scene itself, where Amy seems to be enjoying herself, at least for part of the time. Yikes. That seems damaging.
I know people love movies from the seventies, but a lot of the seventies seems to be about ultra violence, which I just don't enjoy. Anybody have thoughts on the remake?
RATING: *----
Interesting Facts:
Dustin Hoffman said that he only took this role for the money.
One-third of the audience walked out of this film during a preview.
Trailer:
I think the point of her 'flashing' from the window was to show her - well, both of them's outsider status.. that they don't understand the mindset of the people they are amoung.
ReplyDeleteOh yes.. the 'locals' don't get them either.. sure .. but she thinks that something like that is a bit of harmless fun, soon to be forgotten about .. and totally fails to realise what forces it unleashes.
As for her 'enjoying it' .. well I think that is to show she is relishing a bit of rough, what SHE perceives as 'real man' reaction .. so different to her nice, mild husband.
Just to be clear .. I'm not at all saying I agree with that.. but it's what I think the film wants to show as the reasons and mindset of the characters.
The thread of the film seems to be that 'nature will out'.. and that men shouldn't be nice and mild.. partly because they are repressing their own true nature, and partly because their 'woman folk' don't wont it.
Pretty much fits with most of Peckinpah's output and message.
Interesting. I agree that that is probably what the director is going for. What a horrifying and incorrect stance.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think so .. but I've always been the weedy specky guy getting beaten up by 'real men'. Hey, I don't do sports or watch Top Gear. Picture me as an older, less genius leonar Hoffstetter. (Do you watch Big Bang Theory). But I deny all other connections with the other guys.
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly I liked Straw Dogs better than anybody else. Maybe because I had prepared myself for something much worse, maybe because I think I got it. Or at least caught some meaning that made sense to me. Hillbillies getting their asses kicked is a guilty pleasure of mine...
ReplyDeleteI again lay claim to being 'unknown'.. Damnit, why did that happen? These used to be a facility to edit ones own comments, (a couple of typos I'd like to correct, as well and getting my identity back!)
ReplyDelete