Product: Day of the Woman (1978)
Rating: 4.0
Great Great horror film
After watching "Last House on the Left","Zombie",and "The Beyond," it's good to finally see a horror film that's taken seriously and done extrememly well. Wes Cravens LHOTL just seems to hold back a lot on the extreme, not to mention being in dire need of a good script, and the Fulci films seem to have good story ideas and a good effort, but in the end, it's executed a little poorly.I Spit on Your Grave is the cure.To keep it short, the story takes us to a summer house rented out by a quient, very kind and really attractive Jennifer (Camille Keaton). She is kidnapped by a few hillbillies, raped, beaten and left for dead. She then plots revenge and goes on to kill each attacker one by one. This film will upset a lot of people. The scenes where Keaton is raped and beaten are pretty intense, mostly because she acts through them with such brilliance, her screams sound so real you'll almost feel like she really was being raped. What also adds to your sympathy for her is her figure. I think it was a concious effort to try to get a very thin and weak looking women to play the part, b/c let's face it, as pretty as Keaton is, curves she has not. It's surprising her character didn't die during this ordeal. What I also liked in this film and as stated by other reviewers is how her wardrobe changes after she is almost killed. She stops wearing skimpy clothing and opts for a more conservative look. I also love the lack of a soundtrack, which may sound like it'll ruin the film but actually adds to its realism and makes it so much better.Even though the revenge plot is what makes the film and is the film it is not without its share of uncredibility. This is the reason I took off one star. For example, unless her main attacker is a real idiot, why would he trust this woman who he has just raped and almost killed to fall for him and want to get naked in the tub with him?? Also, in real life if a woman was in the same situation and was raped, do you think she'd still stay in that summer house for the remainder of the summer instead of going back home knowing full well her attackers are still somewhere nearby? I know in reality some people would be too ashamed to admit what happened to them which is understandable but what exactly kept Keaton's character in that house? Did she not want her money to go to waste or something? Com'on!Besides these flaws which will have you rolling your eyes at the screen, the film is incredible and although may not scare you with dark murky lighting or monsters and such, it's not that type of horror film. What's frightening about it is how easily the attackers were able to get their hands on this woman. It's scary because it shows you just how vulnerable you really are. I'd definitely recommend this film to any true horror fan, you won't regret it. I love this movie!