Directed by:
Sam PeckinpahCinematography:
John CoquillonComposer:
Jerry FieldingCast:
Dustin Hoffman, Susan George, Peter Vaughan, T.P. McKenna, David Warner, Ken Hutchison, Del Henney, Jim Norton, Donald Webster, Len Jones, Sally Thomsett (more)Plots(1)
A young American mathematician, David Sumner (Dustin Hoffman), and his English wife, Amy (Susan George), move to a Cornish village, seeking the quiet life. But beneath the seemingly peaceful isolation of the pastoral village lies a savagery and violence that threatens to destroy the couple, culminating in a brutal test of Sumner's manhood and a bloody battle to the death. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (9)
The seventies in full glory and just the way we like it in the film industry. An intimate tale of cruel psychological harm and its consequences, delivered without unnecessary clichés and with a searing intensity that lies not so much in the final bloody scene as in the way Peckinpah conveys the plot. Repulsive villagers at every turn, a suffocating atmosphere permeating even between the central married couple, all with excellent editing and music, through which Peckinpah lets the viewer experience the story of the main characters far more intensely than just by sight and sound. Also, Hoffman, as a very atypical film hero, confirmed his enormous acting talent and a large part of the film belongs to him. Ironically, my complete satisfaction is prevented by the final thrilling carnage, which, despite all the precision, seemed somewhat unbelievable, and also by the unclear and strange attitude of the female protagonist (whose side was she on in the end?). Otherwise, however, this is an excellent spectacle in all respects, the quality of which is not matched only by the Oscar nomination for music.
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Toying with the viewers and their mind is the best that a movie can offer. Alfred Hitchcock already knew that, just like a number of directors who follow his example and try to base their movies off it. Straw Dogs is a pretty rough movie. The main plus is the young Dustin Hoffmann, who transforms from a scaredy young man into a right butcher throughout the movie; aka basic human instincts win over reason. And that’s what the entire movie unfolds from. It has its charm, it’s worth watching, but in my opinion, the three stars are just enough for it.
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The slow beginning is a shame, this film would deserve the highest score otherwise. The final half hour is brilliant and the depressive aftermaths are really impressive. Straw Dogs is one of the most representative yokels-in-action type of films and, together with Deliverance, is one of the cornerstones of the hixploitation horror subgenre – and that is enough for me to like it.
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A clear example that even someone who seems harmless can become a threat to their oppressors under oppressive circumstances. Dustin Hoffman as a mathematics teacher convincingly portrayed the transformation from a pushover to an individual fighting for survival, and Susan George in the role of his wife matched him in acting skill perfectly. This finely crafted suspenseful film, with a touch of exaggeration, could be considered a small showcase of repulsive bully characters. Watching the film caused very depressing feelings in me, which I am not going to torture myself with again. (75%)
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To view the film Straw Dogs only as a redneck horror movie is definitely short-sighted. It's a film that raises quite interesting questions about what we are willing to do to protect our loved ones. And where is the boundary beyond which we can no longer go? Is there even a boundary that we cannot approve of? Or is it all because we can awaken the beast within us, which lies dormant, and we are even willing to let it rage? It’s very disturbing, even after all this time. Some movies just don't age.
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Gallery (77)
Photo © Buena Vista Pictures
![Straw Dogs - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/158/075/158075333_714aea.jpg)
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