I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, Meir Zarchi's
notorious shocker
ISLAND OF DEATH, unintentionally
hilarious Greek nasty
Joining Driller Killer
(1979) as the film most often brought to account during the video nasty
furore of the early eighties, Meir Zarchi’s I Spit On Your Grave
deserves Kim Newman’s description of it as “being among the most loathsome
films of all time”.
Ostensibly a revenge drama — Camille
Keaton (grand-niece of Buster) plays a victim driven to take revenge on
the four low-lifes who raped her — the film is merely an excuse to show
a sleazy, lingering 45 minute gang rape scene followed by several badly
handled scenes of gratuitous violence.
If you need any further indication
of the soulless misogynistic depravity of I Spit On Your Grave,
look no further than the film’s most famous scene in which Keaton castrates
one of her attackers, leaving him to bleed to death in the bath tub. The
only recommendation that can be made for the film is that if you liked
Bill Lustig’s equally obnoxious Maniac (1980) the chances are you’ll
go for this one.
In July 1996 a somewhat tardy sequel
was announced.
Dir. Meir Zarchi; Prod. Meir Zarchi, Jospeh
Zbeda; Scr. Meir Zarchi; Star. Camille Keaton; With
Anthony Nichols, Richard Pace, Eron Tabor
ISLAND
OF DEATH
aka A Craving for Lust (US); Greece, 1975; 100
min
Unbelievable. In this absolutely inept dross, two lovers
decide to rid a picturesque Greek island of its more decadent elements
and embark on a bloody and depraved crusade. Highlights include buggery,
bestiality and in a risible twist ending — incest — all set against a confused
backdrop of gory killings.
Notable only as Greece’s only entry
on the “video nasties” list, the film has a certain geek-show attraction
and is admittedly — though unintentionally — hilarious.
Required viewing for students of bad
cinema. Strong-stomached Plan 9 fans form a queue here.
Dir. Nico Mastorakis; Star. Bob Belling, Jane Ryall; With Efi Banny, Jessica Dublin, Gerard Gonalons, Clay Huff, Jeremy Kousseau, Janice McConnel, Mike Murfagh, Mario Tatras, Ray Zuk
UK Vid. Hokushin, QRT. 100 min (unrated) , Beta
& VHS
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