They Call Her One Eye aka Thriller: A Cruel Picture (Bo Arne Vibenius 1974)
Originally called Thriller: A Cruel Picture this low budget shocker was banned outright in it's native Sweden, and hacked to pieces for the American drive in circuit under the title They Call Her One Eye. It was not only the graphic scenes of slow motion violence that had upset the Swedish censors, but Vibenius' inclusion of hardcore pornographic inserts during one of the film's rape scenes which would condemn his original vision to semi-obscurity for the next thirty years. They Call Her One Eye proved to be a cult hit in the US, but much of the slow motion violence had been trimmed, and the real sex (in which a body double had stood in for it's star Christina Lindberg) was a distant memory making the film almost twenty minutes shorter. That is until the original film (Thriller: A Cruel Picture) was released uncut as a limited edition DVD by Synapse films back in 2004. The following year Synapse released an alternative 'Vengeance Edition' cut of the film (pictured above right) under the title Thriller: They Call Her One Eye. This new version retained all of the slow motion violence and rape scenes, but left out the hardcore porn inserts. For reasons of good taste I opted for this newer release and watched the subtitled version of the film...
Essentially a basic rape revenge tale, Thriller is the story of Madeleine (or Frigga if you watch the dubbed version) a young woman who was abused as a child and left mute as the result of mental trauma. Growing up on a rural farm she misses her bus one day and takes a ride from a stranger who subsequently kidnaps and drugs her forcing her into a life of prostitution. When a terrified Madelaine attacks her first client, her pimp (Tony played by Heinz Hopf) gouges out one of her eyes with a scalpel as punishment. Dependent on heroine, and with no escape Madeleine gradually uses her ''one day off a week'' to learn martial arts, weapons training, and driving skills in order to exact merciless revenge on Tony and her clients...
Clearly a primary influence behind Abel Ferrara's Ms.45 (one of my favourite films), I found Thriller grim yet compelling viewing from start to finish. Nude starlet Christina Lindberg has no lines in the movie, but (like Zoe Lund in Ferrara's flick) easily convinces through her body language and facial expressions. Her transition from shy vulnerable victim, to ruthless (and clearly insane) killer is contrived and ridiculous, but gripping stuff nevertheless. Vibenius shot the film in a semi-documentary style with an experimental score (comprising of long high notes, and garbled screams), giving it a hauntingly bleak atmosphere all it's own. Best of all however, are the ultra slow motion scenes of violence (I believe Vibenius used a special motion capture camera) in which Madeleine wreaks havock. I particularly liked the sequence in which she beats two police officers to a bloody pulp in lengthy surreal detail. Also excellent are the scenes in which she learns Karate, which far from being cheesy montage sequences, are very well edited and authentically portrayed. To sum up I loved everything about this movie, and am only sorry I didn't see it years ago. It's not going to appeal to everyone, what with it's gritty low budget production values and depressing subject matter. But I fell in love with it instantly and stand by my lofty rating, even if most of you would probably only give it a generous or less. It was that eye patch that sold me, but enough rambling.
Keoma (Enzo G. Castellari 1976) +
Made at the end of the Spaghetti western cycle, Keoma is considered by many to be the last of the greats, and a fitting swan song of the genre. Marking one of Franco Nero's many collaborations with his friend and prolific action director Enzo G. Castellari; it has a reputation as being downbeat, violent and depressing, but also visually striking and thought provoking, with allegorical undertones.
Keoma is the name of Nero's title character, an idealistic, yet deadly 'half breed' Indian returning home to his plague ridden town after (what I presumed to be) the American civil war. Waiting for him are his three racist half brothers and scheming land owner Caldwell (Spaghetti regular Donald O'Brien) who are holding the town in a strangle hold, blocking medical supplies and food to treat the sick. Keoma's only allies are his aging philosophical father (William Berger), and boyhood hero George (Woody Strode), now a broken alcoholic.
Of the seven or so Castellari films I've seen, this is my favourite by far. Right from the striking wind swept opening sequence in which Keoma rides through a dusty abandoned town as an old woman cries his name; it's clear this is no ordinary Spaghetti. Playing like a dark twisted variation on the Prodigal Son parable, Keoma is a deep and brooding western, which explores themes of freedom, race, nostalgia, sacrifice and violence. The dialogue is often memorable and the performances from both Nero and Berger are fantastic and very moving. Keoma excels Visually too, with lush mountain vistas by day, and the decrepit old town lit up by torch carrying bandits and blue tinged lightening by night. Perhaps most notable of all however is the bizarre haunting soundtrack from Guido and Maurizio De Angleis, with it's out of tune yet melodic guitar strings, and operatic warbling vocals. It really does give the film it's own identity even if the basic story is a little on the predictable side.
Also watched...
Night Train Murders aka Late Night Trains (Aldo Lado 1975)
Lado's Giallo Short Night of Glass Dolls didn't exactly knock my socks off, but had enough visual flair and interesting ideas to make me want to check this out too. Described as Italy's answer to Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left, it's an exact retread with the only difference being the majority of the film takes place on board a train (duh). In fact that's not really fair; this is well made stuff (the lighting and editing is especially excellent), with some truly harrowing scenes to rival Craven's film (which I've never liked). Particularly effective is the way in which Lado quickly cuts to footage of the girls parents enjoying dinner with friends during the murders. The performances are all rather good too, especially Macha Meril as a twisted nymphomaniac, and Ginafranco De Grassi as a crazed knife wielding rapist (pictured). On the downside the film is a little on the slow side, and the victims characters aren't fleshed out enough for you to really care about them. Oh yeah and you'd never guess the soundtrack is from Ennio Morricone because it's completely forgettable. Still better than Craven's effort in my opinion though.
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100 Favourites From The Future: REWIRED
100 Favourites From The Future: REWIRED
Last edited by Used Future; 08-19-09 at 07:55 AM.