I Spit on Your Grave

This is a hard flick to watch. When it was shown in theaters, people walked out after seeing certain scenes. Rape and castration are not everyone's cup of tea. Revenge flicks are hot right now with The Brave One and Death Sentence. Of course, there is the Death Wish series that defined the genre. I originally saw this film after it came out on VHS. I've seen it many times, but that is a long story. I decided to revisit it after not seeing it for 17 years. The rape scenes are brutal, especially the one on the rock. The revenge scenes are also harsh, but satisfying in a vengeance sort of way. Arkansas native Camille Keaton, who is a grand-niece of Buster Keaton, gives a stirring performance as the victim. She even won a Best Actress award at the Catalonian International Film Festival. The rest of the cast only have this one film in their resume.

I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE is a straightforward rape/revenge drama with the tone of a documentary. The coverage is plain, there is no music, there are no "stars", there are no concessions to a mainstream audience. The exploitation film audience may be served, although the rape sequences are neither dynamic nor stylish. Camille Keaton (Buster's granddaughter), a writer, drives to the country to stay at her house on the river. Local losers stalk her and rape her and rape her again. The rest of the film details the victim's bloody revenge. Labeled rubbish by the ignorant, this is very restrained exploitation that is often perversely effective and confronting. The rape sequences are nasty and ugly, not enhanced by camera moves, rich sound effects or lurid angles. On the other hand, the revenge sequences are more cinematically manipulative and poorly executed. An intriguing document of merit.