"Day of the Woman" (aka "I Spit On Your Grave") ('78)

I know what you're thinking, and I prefer the second title too. The first one is super generic. It sounds like a 50's monster movie involving radiated, 50-foot housewives. The second title sounds a bit more like the film, intimidating, gritty, and shocking. It even has the feel of a "Shock-film." But once you see one of them, you slowly come across the realization: "Hey, I don't feel like my eyes were raped!" After all, there's nothing more shocking then real-life, actual violence, and we're already desensitized to on-screen violence, so what's the fucking problem? On with the fucking show!
Just like I thought, I was a bit intimidated to watch this. My copy sat on the table for a solid 4 weeks before I ventured into it out of pure curiosity. And boy, was I surprised: It didn't suck! It was well-shot, and excitingly paced (especially for the maligned sub-genre of brutal 70's rape/murder movies with shaky, grainy photography that makes you feel a little dirty just viewing them). The movements of the camera seemed coordinated, rather then a sloppy "Just put the two camera's down, we'll cut back and forth every three seconds for the next 10 minutes" style that many, many horror movies seem to lazily adopt. Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming it contains a Malick-level of rolling, beautiful shot after shot, but it definitely showed you everything you wanted and didn't want to see. Speaking of which, the violence is atrocious and disgusting, of course, but isn't gratuitous to the point where you feel like you're the one being violated. I hate that shit, it's total eye-rape.

Jennifer, a struggling author and feminist (adding an interesting touch to latter half of the film), has gone away to her time-share cabin in the woods to finish her first book (Oh, the naiveness of youth). When she's not writing, she commonly spends her scantily-clad time in the hammock or the canoe. But when she goes out to get some gas, she attracts the attention of four local boys, one of which has 'tards or something. Err, I mean, he's... a "Slow learner." Uhm, one day they ambush her, and rape her three fucking times, each time more disturbing and brutal then the last. After they're done with her and she's back at home, they send the 'tard in to finish the job. He comes back with blood from her chin on the blade, and says he killed her. When she gets up, after scrubbing off the shame, you would imagine she's not too happy. She then sets off for revenge in some of the most brutal ways I've ever seen. Did I mention this is a kids movie?

If you're into brutal horror or revenge movies, you definitely have to check this out. It's absolutely brutal and anger-inducing, but completely satisfying by the end. The second half of the film, her revenge, could be summed up in one word: badass. The entire first half of rape and torture are less-painful on second viewings, as you know the balance will return fairly soon in the form of some brutal blood-letting.