Plot: What’s it about?
Jennifer Hill (Camille Keaton) is a writer working on her new novel, but the city landscape isn’t an optimal place to work on such a project. All the hustle & bustle creates a lot of noise and distractions, so Jennifer decides to take a break from the urban realm and head out to the countryside for a while. She figures that the peace and quiet will be perfect, as she will be able to relax, clear her mind, and finish her novel. A spacious house right on the water turns out to be her destination, which means ample escapes are available. If her work becomes too much or her mind locks up, she can take a quick swim, go for a serene trip down the river, or just relax in her hammock, taking in the fresh air and country scenery. In other words, it seems as though Jennifer has chosen the perfect spot for her little vacation away from the urban landscape. But her arrival draws the attention of some local thugs, including a sadistic gas station attendant and a mentally slow grocery delivery worker, as well as their two buddies. Soon enough, Jennifer finds herself chased down by these men, who then strip off her clothes to allow the delivery boy to have intercourse with her. She resists of course, but the men brutalize her and when the delivery boy won’t mount her, the others decide to take turns. This continues through a series of attacks and though the men think she is dead, Jennifer is still alive, though not by much. After she cleans up and rests up, her mind turns to revenge and not the kind you find in a courtroom. But can she manage to overcome the same men who tortured, raped, and almost killed her?
One of the most notorious movies of all time, I Spit on Your Grave has been cut, censored, and even banned since its original release. This release includes a new transfer of the uncut version of the film, plus returns all the previous editions’ supplements. So now, we can all watch the uncut, uncensored version of I Spit on Your Grave, listen to Zarchi’s own comments on the picture, and decide for ourselves if it deserves the horrific reputation it has been branded with. When the film was first released, critics cried foul and berated the movie, with Siskel & Ebert even lobbying to have it banned here in America, which of course, didn’t happen. As rape is as sensitive a subject as you can name, and this movie deals with it in graphic fashion, its sure to offend most who watch. But it never glorifies this deed and as the plot unfolds, its obvious to see that quite the opposite is true. The violence isn’t too bad, at least by modern standards, though one infamous scene remains as wince inducing as ever, but trust me, you’ll be glad when it happens. Whether you love it or hate it, I Spit on Your Grave is an important movie and thanks to Anchor Bay’s great work on this disc, we have the definitive release and now we can all judge for ourselves.
Video: How does it look?
Video- I Spit on Your Grave is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen. I have to admit, I never expected to see this movie released in high definition, but it looks good. This movie is never going to look pristine of course, but then it shouldn’t. The gritty visuals remain intact here, but the image also looks sharper, which is great. The colors look as good as can be expected, while contrast is stronger than previous home video editions. In short, this looks very good, all things considered.
Audio: How does it sound?
Audio- A new Dolby TrueHD 5.1 option is here, but the audio is as no frills as possible. This works well, because the mood of the movie never calls for audio depth or surround presence. The dialogue is clear, the background noise sounds fine, and no real problems seem to surface. Not a dazzling audio presentation, but it gets the job done. This is exactly how I Spit on Your Grave should sound. This disc also includes English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Extras- These extras might not be new, but its nice to have them on deck. Director Meir Zarchi provides his comments on the film’s creation and legacy, while Joe Bob Briggs offers a lighter take on the material. Both commentaries are worth a listen, but of course Zarchi’s proves to have more insight and merit. You can view an alternate credit sequence, which makes a nice inclusion. This disc also includes an interview with Zarchi, some promotional artwork materials, radio ads, television spots, and two of the film’s theatrical trailers.
