Review of Day of the Woman (1978) by Jose M — 03 Aug 2011

Warning, the following review is very vague. I have left out a number of important things. I never thought I would see the legendary and notorious I Spit on Your Grave and now that I have seen this, I can say it has been over emphasized.

I Spit on Your Grave has been mistakenly and over interpreted even though this flick is simple. A woman goes into the woods to camp out and write a book, but is raped multiple times by a group of guys.

She gets her revenge by luring them one by one. It's that simple, but people have managed to take text and go further. There is no real message here other than rapist deserving to die. That's it.

This film has been considered a feminist statement, sickest film of all time, vile bag of garbage, and as a backlash to slasher films. I am going to clear this up. First, this is in no way the sickest film.

The logic is flawed, but there were sicker flicks than this like Cannibal Holocaust or I Drink Your Blood. Second, this is not really a feminist film unless you think feminism is another word for man hating.

It would equivalent to saying cock fights are pro-chicken because in the end the winner will be a rooster. I wouldnâ(TM)t say this is a vile bag of garbage as much as it is moronically made. Writer and director Meir Zarchi demonstrates us does not know how to make a film because it felt like I was a skit.

His heart was sort of in the commendable place, but he clearly does not know how to demonstrate or express it. Heck, he cannot even show that vengeance is valuable and doesnâ(TM)t even know revenge is sort of a death sentence which makes the church scene repulsive and offensive.

There was a saying one has to make to dig two graves when he embarks on a journey for revenge: one for the person and the other one for themselves. Fourth, the film has been mistakenly as a backlash for the slasher films that came out in 1980.

This is not true. I Spit on Your Grave came out in 1978 as Day of the Woman. The film went by without recognition until it was rereleased with a new moniker in 1980. This happened because there was easy money to be made because audience where flocking to the big screens to see these types of flick.

A lot of flicks contained violence against women like The Boogeyman, Donâ(TM)t Answer the Phone, Donâ(TM)t Go in the House, and others of its ilk. Heck, Raging Bull had a lot of scenes like that too although donâ(TM)t that statement and use it as an argument or attack.

This of course followed into a moral panic in cinema with the belief that these films would cause men to cheer rape and commit similar actions themselves. Bullcrap, rape and violence have part of history, so it is pretty irresponsible and arrogant to say this flick would be emulated.

There is another issue too with fear that viewers will cheer and become aroused by the rape scenes. I will have to grudgingly say that we shouldnâ(TM)t complain if a person was aroused or entertained by the rape scene.

Itâ(TM)s okay, be honest. Some reviewer in Fangoria didnâ(TM)t think so. Yes, violence against women is still an issue today, but that will always be around and will not disappear. The issue of course comes to the other half of the flick which is the woman inflicting her revenge.

The scenes are mostly cartoonish and laughable in some respect, but I guess they will be accepted which may say something about someone. I love the scenes of revenge. I didnâ(TM)t know how to response to the rape scenes other than watch and say a smart aleck remark that famed critic Roger Ebert had quoted someone saying.

I believe people have accepted cartoonish violence a lot, but are uncomfortable when sexuality is added. I donâ(TM)t want to judge on how rape is depicted, but it didnâ(TM)t strike me really hard because I have seen other flicks that more disturbing and uncomfortable depictions (both Last House on the Left and Halloween, just to name a few examples).

The reason has to do with Zarchiâ(TM)s direction. He is unable pull the scenes off, so the scenes dulled my scenes except for the violent scenes that had chuckling. I will have to say that people are pretty touchy with this subject because our society condemns it so much that weâ(TM)ll make huge fuzz if it is shown.

We have to remember that we are watching a flick.