I Spit on Your Grave is certainly one of the more uncomfortable movies to come out of the 1970s and while it’s not ‘entertaining’, there are aspects to respect like the atmosphere along with a brave performance from Camille Keaton.
I Spit on Your Grave
(1978)
Genre(s): Suspense/Thriller, Horror
Ronin Flix | NR – 101 min. – $59.99 | October 5, 2021
Date Published: 11/21/2021 | Author: The Movieman
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Ronin Flix provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
Note: The screen captures were taken from the included Blu-ray disc.
THE MOVIE — 3½/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: Jennifer Hills (CAMILLE KEATON) is a young and beautiful career woman who rents a back-woods cabin to write her first novel. Attacked by a group of local lowlifes and left for dead, she devises a horrific plan to inflict revenge. Quick Hit Review: Admittedly when I first watched I Spit on Your Grave back in 2011, I wasn’t very impressed, sure I was disgusted by the sexual assault scenes but didn’t find all that much very compelling (and interestingly, got a follow on Twitter by the director following posting my review). I never imagined revisiting this movie but having received the new 4K UHD/Blu-ray, decided to give it another watch.
Although I still don’t think it’s great or anything nearing incredible, I do appreciate some aspects. Beyond Camille Keaton who was fantastic in the lead in what had to be an emotional shoot with her brutal scenes, the atmosphere presented by writer-director Meir Zarchi was pretty haunting as there was no score or soundtrack used and instead we’re left with the sounds of nature which gives the film an eerie feeling especially when the vicious and vile assault happens, not to mention Jennifer’s screams of agony which was pretty stomach-churning. That said, the revenge portion which takes up the third act has some brutal moments however these weren’t entirely satisfying considering the torture Jennifer went through. Not sure where I Spit on Your Grave stands in the grand scheme of cinema, or even 1970s cinema which was certainly a great decade. Personally I’m not sure I would revisit this any times soon (perhaps in another 10 years when I’ll be in my 50s) and it’s not at all entertaining as much it’s uncomfortable. Course, maybe that was Zarchi’s point and for that I guess he succeeded.
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SPECIAL FEATURES – 3¾/5 |
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This 3-disc release that is exclusively though Ronin Flix comes with a slip cover. Audio Commentaries (both 4K UHD and Blu-ray)
Each track offers something for the fan; I’m sure, though Briggs, with his Southern accent, provides a far more upbeat track and thus a bit easier to get through versus Zarchi who’s a bit more laid back. Location of I Spit on Your Grave (11:08) takes viewers back to the original locales and what they look like today. The Values of Vengeance: Meir Zarchi Remembers I Spit on Your Grave (29:00) – This retrospective features the writer/director discussing the controversy surrounding the film, its origins and just some general insights mixed in with footage from the movie or trailer. Alternate Main Title (0:16) is the original title card for Day of the Woman before it became I Spit on Your Grave. Also included is the Theatrical Trailer, TV Spots and Radio Spots. The third disc in this set is Growing Up with I Spit on Your Grave, a 2019 documentary featuring new interviews with Meir Zarchi, Camille Keaton, Gunter Gleemann and Eron Tabor. The film was directed by Meir’s son, Terry Zarchi who appeared in the original film. |
4K VIDEO – 5/5, BLU-RAY VIDEO – 4¾/5 |
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I Spit on Your Grave comes to 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray through Ronin Flix and is presented in the original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and given a 2160p and 1080p high-definition transfer respectively. The films, on both formats, receive a new transfer, a 4K scan from Zarchi’s original 35mm print. The picture here looks extraordinary on 4K; detail is incredibly sharp and very nicely defined throughout losing only a minimal amount for some of the more distant shots. Colors are rich with some aid of the HDR, bright and vibrant throughout yet there’s still some solid black levels. The Blu-ray meanwhile also looks fine and I believe also received a new transfer. |
AUDIO – 4½/5 |
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Both discs come with three options: 5.1, 2.0 and Dual Mono DTS-HD Master Audio tracks. I mostly watched this with the 5.1 track but sampled the other two and all of them sound quite good with dialogue coming out the center channel with nice clarity. There were no significant or obvious signs of pops or hisses and there was some fine depth with the sounds of nature or surroundings making the most of the front and rear channels in the 5.1 track. |
OVERALL — 4/5 |
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I Spit on Your Grave is certainly one of the more uncomfortable movies to come out of the 1970s and while it’s not ‘entertaining’, there are aspects to respect like the atmosphere and lack of soundtrack or score alongside some disturbing scenes, along with a brave performance from Camille Keaton. |