Savage Vengeance

I found "Savage Vengeance" after sifting through several thousand DVDs at a nearby second-hand electronics store--with a cover baring the badly pixelated image of a chick with a chainsaw, and the title "I Will Dance on Your Grave," I imagined the millionth "Last House on the Left"/"I Spit on Your Grave" variation...and, at $1.99, picked it up without a second thought. I made it through about 40 minutes before my computer locked up, left with a pervasive sense of familiarity with the lead female (who gets raped at least 6 times during the film's 65 minutes)--dyed red hair, and the facial features of Camille Keaton, who played Jennifer Hills in Meir Zarchi's seminal feminist revenge film, "I Spit on Your Grave" (aka "Day of the Woman"). After perusing the IMDb comments, I was shocked to find out that this was no mere doppleganger, but the long-dormant actress herself. Part of me was happy just to see her in something after all this time, but felt sorry at the overall quality of the product. "Savage Vengeance" is a savage rip-off of "I Spit," though by comparison, actually puts Zarchi's film on a much higher plane (I've always had a respect for the film, even if the screenplay is severely flawed)--the writing, direction, acting, editing, lighting, and pacing were much better in that 1978 film than this 1993 shot-on-video effort. The blame for this zero-budget schlock-fest falls on writer-director-actor Donald Farmer's shoulders--apparently filmed on a VHS camcorder, the image has the quality of a second-generation bootleg, the musical score is terrible (and relentless, even when nothing is happening), and the performances are laughably amateur (even Keaton, who at least had something of a career prior to this, is stuck in a mis-directed role). Under the dubious distributor name 'Eden Entertainment,' I was at least thinking some soft-core porn would be thrown into the mix (what often sells low-budget stuff like this), but was sorely mistaken--while Keaton once again bares her chest to the world (one tasteless touch has her running around the woods with her shirt unbuttoned), the rapes themselves are implausible, fully-clothed acts carried out by guys who make the original "I Spit" gang look Oscar-worthy. But what can I say? At 65 minutes, "Savage Vengeance" kept my not-so-easy-to-keep interest, and made good use of authentic locations (even though the supporting cast of non-actors proves that even something like this needs at least a LITTLE professionalism)...and hell, it's a chance to see the rarely-seen Camille Keaton again!

Let me start by saying that this movie was HIDEOUSLY awful! Everything about it was terrible! Recently, I attended a horror movie convention and Camille Keaton, star of the original "I Spit on Your Grave" was in attendance. I asked Miss Keaton a direct question about whether or not she truly was in this film and her response was "I'm very sorry but I can't talk about that!". She then went on to tell me about another sequel that was written by Meir Zarchi (director of the original)which she was supposed to also star in but never came to fruition. There was also a recent interview with Miss Keaton published in "Ultra Violent" magazine which makes mention of the fact that there is one film that Miss Keaton "is believed to have appeared in under an alias but cannot speak about". I can't say that I blame Miss Keaton for not wanting to discuss this film or for using another name while appearing in this film, I would never admit to such a thing either! The writers, directors, and producers of this film should truly be ashamed of themselves for making such a piece of worthless garbage. A kindergärtner with a camcorder could make more compelling cinema!

Can it get any worse than this..? Okay, the budget probably wasn't all that high, but this looks like some kids have been at it. The only thing that convinced me that this is not the case is that there are actual grownups on screen. The locations (i.e. a dark living room with a bit of colored light and a girl singing is supposed to be a bar),the special effects (papier-mache heads, Halloween toy knives etc.) and the music are even worse than the actors.

I bought this movie for $1, somewhere in a shopping mall in Nevada. It resides in my DVD collection only to be taken out sporadically to prove to people how bad it really is.

This movie is not good at all. These kind of movies never really are, but it's usually fun to watch anyway.

This one had long scenes where nothing at all happened, rape scenes where nobody even took off any clothes, and some parts of the audio are out of sync. Even the editing and some of the lighting was bad.

Apparently, Jennifer learned nothing from I Spit on Your Grave. One would think that after her last hellish vacation in the woods, she'd look to the city when she needs some respite from the stress of being recognized by her professor at the junior college. Small wonder she and the friend she drags with her get raped. Well, "raped" because through some apparently in the country, when you have consensual or non-consensual sex, you leave your clothes on. In all three rape scenes, the filmmaker doesn't even pretend to suggest sex. This is just one of the laughably lame aspects of this video. (Calling it a movie is like calling Kim Kardashian talented.)

How about this little exchange?

Sam: I'm carrying 18 credits this semester! I can't just up and leave! Jennifer: I'll buy the beer. Sam: O-o-o-o-OK

There's not a decent inch of tape in the whole proceedings. After Jennifer gets dry-humped, Tommy takes out a knife and cuts into her chest with a bargain basement blood knife which may actually be plastic. Jennifer gets left for dead (I think...it's not clear). When Jennifer resurrects, GOD BE PRAISED, she's completely healed! PRAISE HIM!

The soundtrack (give me a minute to bang my head against broken glass....thanks) sounds like it's improvised by a six year old who just got a synthesizer. "Oh! Look! This button turns on the flange! On! Off! On! Off!" The keyboardist can't even keep time and occasionally resorts to just banging on the keyboard.

Originally billed as I Spit on Your Grave 2, the resemblance ends at the name. The power of I Spit on Your Grave sprung from its realism and brutality. This one is the wrong kind of cringe-worthy.