Hello, my darling readers!
Welcome to another entry for Thursday Movie Picks.
It’s a series hosted by Wandering through the Shelves, so if you want to join the party, head over to her blog! It’s pretty easy: check out each week’s topic and come up with 3 to 5 movies that fit the theme.
This week, I’ll show you my favorite revenge films. So let’s get down to it!
#1 Kill Bill (or pretty much any film by Quentin Tarantino)
I’m a huge Tarantino fan and love all of his movies (almost) equally. Revenge is a big factor in his productions more often than not. But I guess the one that screams revenge the loudest is Kill Bill. I mean, just look at the title. It’s not a film for the faint of heart but it’s so iconic, everybody who is able to stomach it should absolutely check it out. Uma Thurman is breath-taking (just like all the other amazing actresses this production), the soundtrack is flawless. The best revenge movie out there!
#2 Carrie
The ultimate high school revenge flick. If you ever hated your schoolmates, if you ever were bullied or found yourself among the outcasts, this Stephen King adaptation is for you.
Carrie is 100% horror but I couldn’t help but feel a bit smug when she went to take down all those who wronged her before.
Just to clarify, I’m talking about the 1976 movie featuring the magnificent Sissy Spacek. If you decide to check out the film, please do me a favor and go for the original, not some remake.
#3 Machete
Just like this list wouldn’t be complete without a Tarantino film, it also needs to have a Robert Rodriguez movie.
While I would consider my first two picks to be more or less classics of the genre, Machete is more of an acquired taste. Many people hate the film and totally get why. However, it’s right down my ally and I just love all the surprises Rodriguez throws our way in this production. The eponymous Machete was set up and no is bound make wreck some havoc.
#4 The Last House on the Left
This one comes with quite a bit of history. First, there was a folk tale, then in 1960 a Swedish movie based on that. Wes Craven picked up the story for his directional debut and revamped it in 1972. In 2009 Hollywood decided we need a remake.
I don’t want to add any spoilers, so let me just say it’s a decent revenge flick that has an interesting story to offer and some surprises in store. I’ve still to see the Swedish movie, but in terms of the 1972 version, the tiny budget killed most of the potential. So please go ahead and check out the 2009 film (which was produced by Wes Craven). It’s a rather smart revenge movie that comes with a twist!
Which revenge movies would you recommend? Let me know in the comments!
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Oooh – you’ve completely sold me on The Last House on the Left! That’s going straight on the watch list 🙂
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I really hope you like it!
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Carrie!!!!!!!!!!!! Such a perfect fit and a terrific film. Sissy and Piper Laurie’s performances could not possibly be bettered and the people behind the remake were fools to try.
I didn’t love Kill Bill #1 so never bothered with the second. It is very stylized but it was just too violent to no real purpose for me. But it is another excellent fit.
I’ve never seen Machete and you’d have to drag me bound and kicking and screaming to see The Last House on the Left. It’s most definitely my cup of tea.
I sat out most of January but with the wealth of choices for this week I had to plunge back in. Since revenge is a major component of film noir I headed right there including one of the earliest examples from the 30’s which was Bette Davis’s return to the screen after her contract battle with Warners,
No Way Out (1950)-Shot during a robbery lowlife criminal Ray Biddle (Richard Widmark) and his brother Johnny are cared for by young black doctor Luther Brooks (Sidney Poitier) at the local hospital. Ray, a virulent bigot, protests loudly and when Johnny dies on the operating table (from an undiagnosed brain tumor) Ray becomes convinced it was murder and swears revenge. In frustration Luther and his mentor Dr. Wharton (Stephen McNally) turn to Johnny’s ex-wife Edie (Linda Darnell) to try and convince Ray of the truth. But despite being jailed Ray sends messages via another brother, the mute George (Harry Bellaver), to his gang and manages to incite the denizens of his ghetto-Beaver Canal-to attack the neighboring black community. Escaping Ray hunts Luther down leading to a nail biting face-off. Poitier’s first film, he’s good if a bit tentative, and overshadowed by Widmark and Linda Darnell both of whom give award level performances. Director Joseph Mankiewicz lead up to All About Eve is a brutal unfortunately still timely film about racial tensions.
Act of Violence (1949)-Frank Enley (Van Heflin) is regarded as a war hero in his small California town where he lives with his wife Edith (Janet Leigh) and young daughter but one day Joe Parkson (Robert Ryan) appears hell-bent on revenge and Frank’s life starts to spiral out of control. The truth is that Frank aided the Nazis during his interment leading to a thwarting of Joe’s escape and a crippling injury as well as the death of several others. Now Joe plans a deadly vindication. Tough, bleak noir.
Marked Woman (1937) – Mary Dwight (Bette Davis) and her four compatriots-Gabby, Estelle, Florrie and Emmy Lou-work as “hostesses” in a Manhattan nightclub that’s just been converted into a clip joint run by mob boss Johnny Vanning (Eduardo Ciannelli). Shortly afterwards they are pulled in by the crusading DA (Humphrey Bogart) and Mary takes the fall with assurances from Vanning that he will take care of her. But things go wrong and Mary’s innocent sister Betty is pulled into the web and ends up dead. When Vanning tries to weasel out of responsibility Mary tells him that she’ll get her revenge “Even if I have to crawl back from my grave to do it!” In response his thugs disfigure her, making her the Marked Woman of the title, which only strengthens her resolve to even the score.
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Most of my choices aren’t everyone’s cup of tea and I totally get why some people wouldn’t enjoy my picks at all.
The films you went with sound sooo interesting, especially the one with Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart! I haven’t seen any of those yet, but will make sure to check them out.
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We share Kill Bill! I picked Vol. 2 only though as it’s my favourite.
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I went with Kill Bill Vol. 1 simply because it’s the very first thing that came to my mind. Had I put more thought into it, it would have been a battle of Tarantino films. So many great movies, most of them somehow linked to the theme. I don’t even know which Kill Bill film I prefer – I need to go back, watch both and evaluate! 😀
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Kill Bill is so good! One of Tarantino’s better films for sure
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Glad you like it too!
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I have seen the original Last House on the Left and though a poor film. Some of it is a little midjudged, ALso the amount of Rape-revenge films is kinda…iffy.
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To be honest, I never really thought too much about the amount of rape-revenge films but now that you mention it, it’s really striking how often that is the main motivation for female protagonists.
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What a fun group of picks. Love all of these!
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Thank you!
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I think I would like to see the Ingmar Bergman film before the House on the Left. Kill Bill is everywhere today and one I still have to see. I love Carrie who totally flips her kanoodle. As for Machete…I must see this since it looks so hokey
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Machete is not everybody’s cup of tea, so I’m always a bit hesitant to recommend it to people but I just love the crazy shit Rodriguez pulls there. Hope you enjoy it too!
I can’t believen I still haven’t seen the Ingmar Bergman film. Back when I first learned about the history of The Last House on the Left, I vowed to check it out … and forgot about it. Shame on me! I hope, this time I’ll remember to finally see it.
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Kill Bill would definitely top my list. Also John Wick, Old Boy, The Crow and, 22 Bullets.
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I completely forgot about The Crow. That’s so embarassing. 🙈
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