I Spit on Your Grave (film review)

Does I Spit on Your Grave really serve a point as director Meir Zarchi would point out? About an innocent young women who is hard-core and viciously Gang Raped by 4 Red-Necks (or 5 by the poster). And decides the only way to better herself is by graphically killing them?

Maybe on all accounts by Roger Ebert – But then again in my opinion it is worth watching by Males and Females alike.

Considering the critical backlash ageist what Meir Zarchi says it does still hold one of the largest followings in terms of the Rape and Revenge genre.

The film follows Jennifer, a writer who is working on a new novel and needs to get out of the city to finish it. She rents a riverside cabin in upstate New York to work on her novel, attracting the attention of a number of rowdy male locals. They catch Jennifer one day and strip her naked for the village idiot (Matthew) and rape her. Jennifer is later attacked and raped a further two times by the four degenerates, and her novel is also destroyed. But Jennifer recovers, and in her now-twisted, psychotic state, she begins to seek revenge on the men.

The Story is riddled with Plot holes and some things that are never explained once mentioned, And it does stereo-type females. But then again I liked it, it’s a classic to me. I have seen worse but I Spit on Your Grave gives what it promises and the lengthy rape scene.

The acting is horrible and we have Buster Keaton’s grand-daughter Camille, althought she was by far the only decent one in my opinion besides the dud dialogue. The most controversial Rape scene ever? Not really to be fair nothing much happens it’s just how we intemperate it as it seems controversial… We don’t see “In and Out” or anything it just looks wrong (and it takes FOREVER but still fun enough to watch)

The special effects aren’t too bad for their time but pretty dated today… But I still have troble watching the part where she cuts of the guys dick… Though Regardless Meir Zarchi has direction.   

Here are some facts I found

The film was passed uncut in Australia until December 1997. It was banned from December 1997 until June 2004.

Meir Zarchi prefers the title "Day of the Woman".

When this film was first released in 1978, the original title was "Day of the Woman" and was poorly received at the box office. In 1981 distributor Jerry Gross renamed it "I Spit on Your Grave" - after a 1959 French drama - for re-release. Under the new title the film received greater publicity and became a key target of Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel's campaign against films featuring women in danger.

The film has no music score. Director Meir Zarchi intended to add some library music to his film, but found none that was suitable, so the only music we hear in the film comes from the church organ, a snatch of Giacomo Puccini on record, background music in the store and a few stray riffs from Johnny's harmonica.

The complete and uncut version of this film was originally classified 'R' in Australia in July, 1982. It was released on the Palace Explosive Video label in 1984. A conservative classification board banned it in March, 1998. However, copies of the video are still easily available from many video stores across the country. Moreover, it was re-released on video in early 1998, just prior to its ban. This uncut re-release just added to the futility of banning the film, since hundreds of copies are still in existence around Australia.

Overall it’s fun trash that is slightly stupid but fun no doubt, Bad Acting, story – ECT. God it’s just pure Exploitation

Jesse’s I Spit on Your Grave score 75-100%