Review of Straw Dogs (1971) by Nick S — 10 Oct 2008

Made infamous by a controversial double rape scene, this film has all the makings of a classic thriller. Some people label it so, but no, not I. As legendary as Hoffman would become, this wasn't one of his finest roles.

Dull, uninteresting and difficult to get behind as the protagonist. The violence in the film has dated very well indeed, the closing sequence admittedly cranking the volume right up. What hasn't dated well at all is the sound, the effects here were pretty lacklustre.

And before people bitch, ("Oh, lay off! It was 1971!) that's no excuse. Lots of films from that era and even before could use sound effects in a more professional way if they wanted to. For historical purposes you may want to give it a looksee, and that's fine.

But be prepared to wait for what seems like hours on end for the the more entertaining scenes.