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One of Sam Peckinpah's most controversial efforts, this film came out at a critical moment in the early 1970s, released in the same month as both Dirty Harry and A Clockwork Orange, causing a furor over film violence. Based on a little-known British novel, the film casts Dustin Hoffman as a bookish American mathematician on sabbatical in rural England, in the town where his young bride (Susan George) grew up. He finds himself forced to defend his home against an assault by local toughs, and discovers a frighteningly feral and vicious side to himself. Though Straw Dogs has a reputation for graphic violence, it actually looks tame by contemporary standards. Instead, the violence is psychological, and the suspense and shocks are induced by the editing--you're more terrified by what you think you see than by what you are actually shown. --Marshall Fine
Customer Review: Blown Away
Dustinf Hoffman was very good, and the final scenes of the movie were exciting and thrilling to watch.
Customer Review: The greatest film ever made (Region 2 Prism DVD)
STRAW DOGS (1971) Directed by Sam Peckinpah Starring Dustin Hoffman and Susan George Unfortunately, most films over the year would have lost their power, and can only be considered tame by todays standards. Most of these films were spawned in the seventies, when cinema was taking a turn, and for the good. The controversy of many films - including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Exorcist and A Clockwork Orange - led them to be banned by the BBFC and made unavailable for video and VHS release. Finally available, they have lost their power, and one wonders why they were banned in the first place. However, Sam Peckinpah's disturbing and thought-provoking 1971 classic STRAW DOGS still holds us in its grip. The film can be read on many different levels and fits into many different genres. It is a love story - STRAW DOGS explores the intriguing relationship between two people who although have immense love for each-other were never made for each-other and can never get along. The woman - in this case Amy Sumner (played brilliantly by Susan George) - only wants attention from her husband, who only wants to concentrate on his mathematical work. It's also an extremely tense thriller. When the wife continues to flirt and tease the men working on the garage her and her husband want built, she is brutally raped in a powerful scene which led to the films 18-year banning. She fails to recover from this and is haunted by flashbacks when when attending a party. David (the husband) drives her home, but accidentally hits the town freak (Henry Niles) with his car and takes him into the house to heal. Drunken villagers then become obsessed with killing Niles, and the couple are forced to defend themselves and their home. The film is finally a portrayal of violence and the transformation of a man's character. David begins a quiet man, unsuccessful at confrontations and overly friendly (to anyone except his wife, of course.) But when the vilagers break into his house, he goes mad and does whatever he can to defend himself, including beating people to deaf with golf clubs and shooting off their feet. The reason that it remains shocking all these years is that the violence is graphic, tense, unexpected and shocking. Peckipah, a notorious director, turns the last 30 minutes of destruction into a bloodbath including slow-motion shots of people being blasted with shotguns and beaten to death. The huge but realistic transformation of David makes it all the more shocking and disturbing, and the refusal of co-operation from his wife Amy helps to. The performances in this film are perfect. Dustin Hoffman, who is equally brilliant in films such as THE GRADUATE and MIDNIGHT COWBOY, delivers a gripping, realistic and memorable portrayl of violent David Sumner. He comes across as obsessed and frightening during the last 30 minutes. The performance is brilliantly realised. Susan George is just as good, and is heart-breaking during the controversial rape scene. We are forced to sympathise and feel her sympathy. He also comes across as funny and childish in some scenes, maybe as was intended. Other cast members are decent too, expecially the villagers to attempt to break into the house. They are furious and insane. The direction by Sam Peckinpah is notoriously misogynist. He possibly portrays Amy as rather weak and in the wrong. His view of violence, supported by the shocking slow-motion shots and characterization, is undoubtedly thought-provoking and simply excellent. The film deserves a good DVD release, but unfortunately doesn't get one in terms of extras. There isn't one shred of behind-the-scene information, or even a trailer. There isn't even a scene selection!!! However, the picture quality makes up for it. There is very little grain and colours are spot on. The picture is crystal-clear. However, there are moments with heavy print damage, mostly towards the end of the film. The artefacts can come across as slightly distracting, or would, if the film wasn't so gripping and compelling. This remastered tranfer appears to have been ported straight from the Fremantle DVD, which has alot more extras, including commentaries and interviews. The sound quality is also very good. Dialogue can be a little bit quiet occassionally, but still remains very clear. Sound effects and music are very loud, although there's a moment where the music suddenly goes from fairly loud to extremely quiet. Despite the lack of extras, this is a brilliant DVD. It holds the greatest film ever made of course, and has very good picture and sound quality. It might be better to get the Fremantle DVD.


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