Review of Thriller: A Cruel Picture (1973) by Josh M — 16 Feb 2009

One of the most infamous revenge exploitation pictures, Thriller (honestly, I like the title They Call Her One-Eye! better) is not only more engaging than I expected, but more interesting, too. Notorious for its sexual content (which, admittedly, is a lot worse than I expected), Thriller also works as a great little grindhouse revenge picture, anchored by a great lead actress.

Lindberg's not only stunningly gorgeous, but her mute victim becomes an icon in its own right, something all the more remarkable for playing the part without dialogue. The film becomes more than a tad incoherent by the second half; for long sections, I wasn't really sure who was being fought or why, exactly.

That being said, the film's certainly worth seeing for any true cult movie fan. It's not for all tastes, and it's a good deal rougher than many people will be able to handle. But as a revenge picture that not only provides the catharsis of revenge but subtly undermines the effectiveness of it, Thriller works far better than you might expect.

For those who can handle it, it's a fascinating piece.