Review of Straw Dogs (1971) by Katja L — 27 Dec 2007
The apotheosis of carnage. Sam Peckinpah creates a Tchaikovskian ballet of bloodshed and sadism. Never before has such animalistic violence been brought so unnervingly to the silver screen. One will likely never see a film more viciously spiteful to viewers' sensibilities.
Like Lars von Trier's shattering Dogville, this film slashes one's ethical reasoning. After an hour of masterfully constructed tension, this potboiler has one essentially craving the cataclysmic finale; the terrifying transition of Dustin Hoffman's mousy mathematician from chilled academic to bloodthirsty savage reaches an almost Wagnerian level of heroism.
Susan George (excelling particularly in the notorious rape scene, still gut-wrenching, still a revolting combination of the erotic and the obscene), Peter Vaughan (nauseatingly loutish), T.P. McKenna, Del Henney, and Colin Welland are all pitch-perfect as well.
A disturbing masterpiece.
This review of Straw Dogs (1971) was written by Katja L on 27 Dec 2007.
Straw Dogs has generally received positive reviews.
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