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Reviews
Thriller - En grym film (1973)
much more than exploitation
Yes, this is an ugly film. Yes, it has all the earmarkings of trash. But beyond the obvious violent, rape/revenge exterior, lurks a truly thought provoking film. I recently rented the "uncensored" DVD, and I'm glad I did. Seeing this without the controversial hardcore shots would be a totally different experience. We've all seen nudity or sexual scenes used to "spice up" a cheesy film. This is obviously NOT the case here. When you have a beautiful lead actress, you could certainly make her abusive plight more attractive and titillating than what was done here.
***SPOILERS********
When you are confronted with the explicitly ugly closeups of penetration, you cannot simply look away, or laugh away, what you are seeing. The unexpectedness of these (few) jarring shots cannot be denied. They are meant to disgust and shock you, but not in a gratuitous way. When you compare the "in your face" directness of these shots to the extreme slow motion killing sequences, you can appreciate the directors intent. The very "slowness" of the violence the heroine exacts has only one effect: it takes you out of the moment, making her revenge, which should be the cinematic high point, seem meaningless and ineffective. The point is being made, I believe, that no amount of revenge can balance what has been done to her. Consider that the pimp's final moments are not even displayed! Wouldn't you expect to see some gory end to such a heinous character? By not even letting us see it, we are made to feel it is unimportant to what has preceded it. And what about her forcing seemingly innocent drivers off the road? Are we made to believe that she viewed all of society as guilty? Obviously this is not a perfect film, or necessarily even a GOOD film, but it is, IMHO, much more than just a "video nasty."
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1973)
does Wilde a great disservice
I was supremely disappointed with this one. Having just read the wonderful Oscar Wilde story, I had hoped for at least a little of the magic to translate onto the screen. Well, there was none. This version played like a condensed, dumbed down Reader's Digest movie. Not only did it feel rushed, it was cheapened and needlessly re written. Major characters and plot points were either changed or completely removed. I appreciate the difficulties in trying to bring a novel to the screen, especially on what may very well have been a limited (TV) budget, but there is no excuse for mangling a great story in this way. I thoroughly recommend reading Wilde's tale of the depravity that exists under even the most beautiful exteriors. But I cannot advise anyone to rent this travesty.
Curse of the Headless Horseman (1972)
laughably terrible fun
Can't argue much with the previous reviewer, only to add if you like REALLY bad movies, you might get a few kicks out of this one. Featuring some unintelligible dialog, seriously cheesy visual "effects", and beyond confusing plot developments, this movie contains enough dated "hippie" music and catchphrases guaranteed to make you laugh. Plenty of technical goofs abound, like shooting at night (or is it day? hard to tell with all the colored filters), head scratching jump cuts, and awful voice overs. Throw in some drug use, thoroughly unexciting gun play, and curious "blood less" gore, and you've got a great way to snicker for an hour and change.
Death Bed: The Bed That Eats (1977)
hysterically funny or just god awful?
OK, this is one strange film! Fans of Ed Wood Jr. will appreciate the "inventive" techniques director George Barry utilizes, like stock footage and cheesy voice overs. He can make a crack in the wall into a plot device! There is more humor than horror here, but I found it an uneven blend. You will be laughing and crying, and probably wondering why you got your hands on this. Barry explains in the introduction that filming began on this movie in 1972, and was completed in 1977, at a cost of $10,000. That's 59 months and $9,900 too much! If you like your cheese on the campy side, with vintage '70s "gore", you might find this an irresistible and freaky snack.