Vigilante, city style -- judge, jury and executioner!
The revenge movie is one of the best of all genres, because there are few things more satisfying than seeing a wronged person get bloody justice. It's payback time!
Shohei Imamura's VENGEANCE IS MINE (1979) for the first time on DVD.
Not what I expected from the title: an out-of-chronology police procedural and character study about both a real-life Japanese loser (Iwao Enokuzi, portrayed by an on-fire Ken Ogata) that went on a 78-day crime spree in the early 60's (innocent people were murdered and many more swindled by Iwao throughout Japan) and the Christian family whose black sheep son's actions put through the ringer. Since serial murder wasn't as common a crime in Japan as in the US the movie, which is rather violent and sexually explicit (rape and incestuous father/daughter-in-law moments), feels like its both exploiting its sensationalized subject matter while also trying to make a bigger statement. Ultimately a cathartic revenge happens at the very end, but the suffering endured by the innocents for that to take place seems both realistic and out of proportion. A fine movie but the title sure mislead men.
Spoke about as the archetypal revenge movie in the "rape and revenge" subgenre it certainly delivered on that label. Act one = setup, Act two = rape (x4), Act three = REVENGE. The vulgarity of Act 2 (and it was quite uncomfortable to watch in places) really drove up the satisfaction of Act 3, which probably could have benefited from being a bit more aggressive. I could point out some more ways in which it could have been better, but thats not really the point with this film. She gets raped, then comes back to hang, slice and hack her aggressors in sweet bloody revenge. End of story.
I said I wanted to feel dirty this month, and if this keeps up Im going to be very filthy indeed.
Gadzooks, this movie made me feel dirty. A bunch of repulsive lowlifes rape and murder 2 innocent young girls, only to find themselves spending the night in one of the girls' parents' house. When the folks find out, the bloodbath ensues. Part of what makes this movie so effective is that mom and dad are a typical, nice, normal suburban couple. They don't look like movie stars, they look like average people. And when they finally cut loose on the thugs, one senses that they are also killing their own humanity in the process. The mood at the end isn't triumph, but exhaustion.
A delightful summer romp about four small-town boys who go to great lengths to get their virgin friend laid. Hilarious hijinks ensue, including numerous mean-spirited rape scenes and eventual murderous revenge. For added effect, watch it with your girlfriend who will question everything she thought she knew about you!
Actually, we watched The Impossible where Mother Nature takes some serious revenge against beach resorts. And then Ewan McGregor took revenge on my tear ducts. Not a bad movie.
Classic revenge flick where a guy is raping woman, the police won't help, the woman team up to kick ass. Sometimes comical for it's audacity, but overall a great exploitation film. Probably one of the definitive "rape/Revenge" genre films. I dug it and I'm actually not a fan of that genre.
A bit of trivia - The rapist wears a Hockey Mask 8 years before Jason dons his iconic mask in Friday the 13th pt.3. I have to believe that this is not a coincidence.
Michael Caine just wants some answers: Who killed his brother? Why? What exactly does the English mob deal? (I'm guessing fish, chips, and tea leaves). Nothing a double barreled shotgun can't solve. Who knew that Batman's butler was such a badass!?
Just more proof that 1971 was a great year for movies.
Decided to go a little less exploitative today. Pacing myself.
Steven Seagal is at the height of his smarmy, greasy powers as Mason Storm (gotta love action hero names), a cop left for dead after thugs shoot him and murder his wife. He spends 7 years in a coma, then wakes up with a stick-on beard, bad wig, and a hard-on for Kelly LeBrock even though his wife's murder is literally the last thing he saw. Still, Seagal was damn good at breaking bones (and lots and lots of plate glass) in his prime, so there's plenty of fun action and one-vs-four showdowns. Shout out to friend of F This Movie! William Sadler as the villain who can take that to the bank. The blood bank.
Sentient block of wood Robert Ginty returns to get revenge on Sonny Spoon and a gang of breakdancers. This one lacks even the grungy charm of the original Exterminator, which I don't even like much. Some unintentionally hilarious stuff (including what might be the worst love scene in movie history), but not it doesn't sustain the crazy enough to be fun. My love of '80s exploitation is what got me through...and a couple high points, which are truly high.
This was a poor choice. An Elmore Leonard adaptation that I hadn't seen, Stick stars and is directed by Burt Reynolds. I should have picked something outside the studio system, this one's a Universal movie. It's fine, but it's not great. There are several good moments, such as a fire in a cornfield and Charles Durning falling off a really tall hotel, but it doesn't add up to much entertainment. It feels too legit. Too far within the studio system to really have fun.
I just watched that for the first time about a month ago. I wasn't crazy about it either. Apparently, when that guy that goes over the railing after Charles Durning it's considered one of the best stunts in movie history. It was pretty cool.
That was actually the highlight of the movie for me. He hung there forever.
But for the movie as a whole, I think maybe it's a victim of the era in which it came out in. It was too far into the 80s to have a really cool vibe, and it seems to be (deep) in the shadow of Scarface
I would like to try and examine the film a little, but that goes into spoilers and would probably break length rules. Besides, the film is so dense that it would take hours to discuss it properly.
It's still pretty good though, you should maybe see it if you haven't.
An estranged member of a noble English family plots to murder eight relatives who stand between him and the title of Duke after they shun his mother for marrying below her class. I love the perfect blend of British dry wit and black comedy, as well as the one and only Alec Guinness portraying the octet of doomed nobility. A different kind of selection for Junesploitation, but death by hot air balloon? How can you resist!?
Bloody, bloody Korean revenge. It should be hideous, repulsive and the worst sort of torture porn, but it's filmed so damn well and the story is so effective about how badly revenge can destroy the revenger. Two great performances in Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik. I'm loving Junsploitation already for finally getting me to see this (heh, I see now Patrick reviewed it for DVD Verdict).
Hong Kong revenge movie that every time it looks like its going somewhere completely slows down to a crawl. Also squib shots that are actually just red paint. While I am sure there are some great foreign revenge movies next time I'm going American.
LADY VENGEANCE. Everybody calls this one a masterpiece, but… I don’t know. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautifully-filmed, beautifully-acted movie, and the camera certainly does love actress Yeong-ae Lee (Eyeshadow-sploitation!). Yet the movie lacks the raw power and overall “OMG!” factor of the director’s previous film, OLDBOY, which itself also a stellar revenge flick. The thing is, most revenge movies are pure emotion – all about satisfying the ol’ bloodlust. LADY VENGEANCE instead takes a cerebral approach, delving into the psychology of revenge. That’s interesting and all, but this is the type of movie that you concentrate on, as it no doubt rewards repeat viewing. It’s not exactly “It’s Sunday afternoon, let’s watch a trashy exploitation flick” viewing.
Definitely not the kind of exploitation movie we've been talking about the last week, but I'm a big believer in the Greatness of Lady Vengeance. I think Oldboy is more exciting (??) in the moment, but Lady Vengeance stuck with me way more in the days afterwards. It's just...so...sad...
Eyeshadowsploitation should be added to next year's list.
Never having seen it before, I went in assuming it was OLDBOY 2, and instead I got something very different. But I did like it.
Also, today on my blog, I posted a review of DEATH MACHINES. Now that’s some revenge exploitation: http://macmcentire.com/2013/06/03/ten-cent-movies-death-machines/
Heavenly Creatures (1994) On the surface, it may seem a stretch for the “Revenge” category, but those girls did get their revenge for the wrong they thought was done against them. Melanie Lynskey and Kate Winslet were super good and super creepy.
And sun dresses have never looked more terrifying.
Oldboy (yeah, yeah--I've never seen it) Business man is jerk. Imprisoned for 15 years, with only 5 days to exact revenge. But not even vengeance can undo the evils the baddie administers. Watch for cool frizzy hair, live octopus consumption, creative dentistry and an ending set piece that would make Shane Black proud.
Billed as a gorilla payback movie but more a complete ripoff of King Kong with the revenge only coming in the last 20 minutes. It's funny for a while but man does it get tedious. Part of Quentin Tarantino's Rolling Thunder collection. Dude's got weird taste.
Not an exploitation film and barely a "revenge" film, BUT it came up under the Netflix category of revenge, and since I really enjoyed the preview, I thought I should watch it.
Uh, skip it. Some really interesting performances and camera work, but pretty boring overall. I think the movie's trying to say something deep, I'm just not sure what. Very quirky.
Shohei Imamura's VENGEANCE IS MINE (1979) for the first time on DVD.
ReplyDeleteNot what I expected from the title: an out-of-chronology police procedural and character study about both a real-life Japanese loser (Iwao Enokuzi, portrayed by an on-fire Ken Ogata) that went on a 78-day crime spree in the early 60's (innocent people were murdered and many more swindled by Iwao throughout Japan) and the Christian family whose black sheep son's actions put through the ringer. Since serial murder wasn't as common a crime in Japan as in the US the movie, which is rather violent and sexually explicit (rape and incestuous father/daughter-in-law moments), feels like its both exploiting its sensationalized subject matter while also trying to make a bigger statement. Ultimately a cathartic revenge happens at the very end, but the suffering endured by the innocents for that to take place seems both realistic and out of proportion. A fine movie but the title sure mislead men.
MISLED ME... A fine movie but the title sure misled me. I need a vacation! :-)
DeleteI Spit on Your Grave (1978)
ReplyDeleteSpoke about as the archetypal revenge movie in the "rape and revenge" subgenre it certainly delivered on that label. Act one = setup, Act two = rape (x4), Act three = REVENGE.
The vulgarity of Act 2 (and it was quite uncomfortable to watch in places) really drove up the satisfaction of Act 3, which probably could have benefited from being a bit more aggressive. I could point out some more ways in which it could have been better, but thats not really the point with this film. She gets raped, then comes back to hang, slice and hack her aggressors in sweet bloody revenge. End of story.
I said I wanted to feel dirty this month, and if this keeps up Im going to be very filthy indeed.
JUNESPLOITATION!
Roger Corman approved!
Last House on the Left (1972)
ReplyDeleteGadzooks, this movie made me feel dirty. A bunch of repulsive lowlifes rape and murder 2 innocent young girls, only to find themselves spending the night in one of the girls' parents' house. When the folks find out, the bloodbath ensues. Part of what makes this movie so effective is that mom and dad are a typical, nice, normal suburban couple. They don't look like movie stars, they look like average people. And when they finally cut loose on the thugs, one senses that they are also killing their own humanity in the process. The mood at the end isn't triumph, but exhaustion.
I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
ReplyDeleteA delightful summer romp about four small-town boys who go to great lengths to get their virgin friend laid. Hilarious hijinks ensue, including numerous mean-spirited rape scenes and eventual murderous revenge. For added effect, watch it with your girlfriend who will question everything she thought she knew about you!
"Honey, can we watch Rape Squad next?"
DeleteActually, we watched The Impossible where Mother Nature takes some serious revenge against beach resorts. And then Ewan McGregor took revenge on my tear ducts. Not a bad movie.
Really good kid performance by the older boy.
DeleteHilarity indeed. With zingers such as "suck it bitch" all it's missing is a few Boi-oing sound effects and it could rival revenge of the nerds.
DeleteErgh, I feel bad just joking about it.
Joseph Finn - Absolutely - kid leads always make me apprehensive but he nailed it.
DeleteBrad - Heheh - oh man, I was trying to make stupid jokes the whole time just to ease the tension but it didn't really help!
Act of Vengeance a.k.a Rape Squad (1974)
ReplyDeleteClassic revenge flick where a guy is raping woman, the police won't help, the woman team up to kick ass. Sometimes comical for it's audacity, but overall a great exploitation film. Probably one of the definitive "rape/Revenge" genre films. I dug it and I'm actually not a fan of that genre.
A bit of trivia - The rapist wears a Hockey Mask 8 years before Jason dons his iconic mask in Friday the 13th pt.3. I have to believe that this is not a coincidence.
Get Carter (1971)
ReplyDeleteMichael Caine just wants some answers: Who killed his brother? Why? What exactly does the English mob deal? (I'm guessing fish, chips, and tea leaves). Nothing a double barreled shotgun can't solve. Who knew that Batman's butler was such a badass!?
Just more proof that 1971 was a great year for movies.
Hard To Kill (1990)
ReplyDeleteDecided to go a little less exploitative today. Pacing myself.
Steven Seagal is at the height of his smarmy, greasy powers as Mason Storm (gotta love action hero names), a cop left for dead after thugs shoot him and murder his wife. He spends 7 years in a coma, then wakes up with a stick-on beard, bad wig, and a hard-on for Kelly LeBrock even though his wife's murder is literally the last thing he saw. Still, Seagal was damn good at breaking bones (and lots and lots of plate glass) in his prime, so there's plenty of fun action and one-vs-four showdowns. Shout out to friend of F This Movie! William Sadler as the villain who can take that to the bank. The blood bank.
In 1990, Kelly LeBrock could have woken anyone out of a coma. Probably with a hard-on.
DeleteThe Exterminator 2 (1984)
ReplyDeleteSentient block of wood Robert Ginty returns to get revenge on Sonny Spoon and a gang of breakdancers. This one lacks even the grungy charm of the original Exterminator, which I don't even like much. Some unintentionally hilarious stuff (including what might be the worst love scene in movie history), but not it doesn't sustain the crazy enough to be fun. My love of '80s exploitation is what got me through...and a couple high points, which are truly high.
Stick
ReplyDeleteThis was a poor choice. An Elmore Leonard adaptation that I hadn't seen, Stick stars and is directed by Burt Reynolds. I should have picked something outside the studio system, this one's a Universal movie. It's fine, but it's not great. There are several good moments, such as a fire in a cornfield and Charles Durning falling off a really tall hotel, but it doesn't add up to much entertainment. It feels too legit. Too far within the studio system to really have fun.
Oh, I should have typed:
DeleteStick (1985)
I just watched that for the first time about a month ago. I wasn't crazy about it either. Apparently, when that guy that goes over the railing after Charles Durning it's considered one of the best stunts in movie history. It was pretty cool.
DeleteThat was actually the highlight of the movie for me. He hung there forever.
DeleteBut for the movie as a whole, I think maybe it's a victim of the era in which it came out in. It was too far into the 80s to have a really cool vibe, and it seems to be (deep) in the shadow of Scarface
Inglorious Basterds
ReplyDeleteYeah, we know all about this one.
I would like to try and examine the film a little, but that goes into spoilers and would probably break length rules. Besides, the film is so dense that it would take hours to discuss it properly.
It's still pretty good though, you should maybe see it if you haven't.
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
ReplyDeleteAn estranged member of a noble English family plots to murder eight relatives who stand between him and the title of Duke after they shun his mother for marrying below her class. I love the perfect blend of British dry wit and black comedy, as well as the one and only Alec Guinness portraying the octet of doomed nobility. A different kind of selection for Junesploitation, but death by hot air balloon? How can you resist!?
You just sold me on watching this movie from your take of it. :-)
DeleteEXCELLENT choice! One of the best of the Ealing comedies, black as night comedy.
DeleteI Saw The Devil (2010)
ReplyDeleteBloody, bloody Korean revenge. It should be hideous, repulsive and the worst sort of torture porn, but it's filmed so damn well and the story is so effective about how badly revenge can destroy the revenger. Two great performances in Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik. I'm loving Junsploitation already for finally getting me to see this (heh, I see now Patrick reviewed it for DVD Verdict).
It's been sitting on my Netflix queue for way too long. Sounds like I need to check it out soon!
DeleteNot only did Patrick review "I Saw The Devil" for the Verdict, he also named it (going from memory here) his #2 favorite movie of 2010.
DeleteYes I did. I love that movie.
DeleteVengeance (2009)
ReplyDeleteHong Kong revenge movie that every time it looks like its going somewhere completely slows down to a crawl. Also squib shots that are actually just red paint. While I am sure there are some great foreign revenge movies next time I'm going American.
LADY VENGEANCE. Everybody calls this one a masterpiece, but… I don’t know. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautifully-filmed, beautifully-acted movie, and the camera certainly does love actress Yeong-ae Lee (Eyeshadow-sploitation!). Yet the movie lacks the raw power and overall “OMG!” factor of the director’s previous film, OLDBOY, which itself also a stellar revenge flick. The thing is, most revenge movies are pure emotion – all about satisfying the ol’ bloodlust. LADY VENGEANCE instead takes a cerebral approach, delving into the psychology of revenge. That’s interesting and all, but this is the type of movie that you concentrate on, as it no doubt rewards repeat viewing. It’s not exactly “It’s Sunday afternoon, let’s watch a trashy exploitation flick” viewing.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not the kind of exploitation movie we've been talking about the last week, but I'm a big believer in the Greatness of Lady Vengeance. I think Oldboy is more exciting (??) in the moment, but Lady Vengeance stuck with me way more in the days afterwards. It's just...so...sad...
DeleteEyeshadowsploitation should be added to next year's list.
Never having seen it before, I went in assuming it was OLDBOY 2, and instead I got something very different. But I did like it.
DeleteAlso, today on my blog, I posted a review of DEATH MACHINES. Now that’s some revenge exploitation: http://macmcentire.com/2013/06/03/ten-cent-movies-death-machines/
Heavenly Creatures (1994) On the surface, it may seem a stretch for the “Revenge” category, but those girls did get their revenge for the wrong they thought was done against them. Melanie Lynskey and Kate Winslet were super good and super creepy.
ReplyDeleteAnd sun dresses have never looked more terrifying.
Oldboy (yeah, yeah--I've never seen it)
ReplyDeleteBusiness man is jerk. Imprisoned for 15 years, with only 5 days to exact revenge. But not even vengeance can undo the evils the baddie administers. Watch for cool frizzy hair, live octopus consumption, creative dentistry and an ending set piece that would make Shane Black proud.
And now you can see I Saw The Devil, where frizzy hair is the villain instead of the lead!
DeleteThe Mighty Peking Man
ReplyDeleteBilled as a gorilla payback movie but more a complete ripoff of King Kong with the revenge only coming in the last 20 minutes. It's funny for a while but man does it get tedious. Part of Quentin Tarantino's Rolling Thunder collection. Dude's got weird taste.
This Must Be the Place (2011)
ReplyDeleteNot an exploitation film and barely a "revenge" film, BUT it came up under the Netflix category of revenge, and since I really enjoyed the preview, I thought I should watch it.
Uh, skip it. Some really interesting performances and camera work, but pretty boring overall. I think the movie's trying to say something deep, I'm just not sure what. Very quirky.
I should mention that the songs in the film (original music by David Byrne) are pretty great. As is David Byrne's short scene.
Delete