6/10
CONTAINS SPOILERS
Hoffman contributes one of his finest performances and Peckinpah provides his usual intelligent direction. The violence is shocking but not as graphic as Kubrik's "A Clockwork Orange" from the same year (1971). Possibly the main reason that the film caused so much offence on its release (it was subsequently banned in the UK for 25 years) is its neolithic sexual politics - particularly the ambiguous "rape" scene.
Hoffman plays David Sumner, a quiet and passive mathematician locked in an intricate power struggle with his English wife Amy (Susan George). The couple have recently moved to the remote Cornish village where Amy was brought up, ironically to escape the potential for violence in America. During the first half of the film, we see the couple playing a series of chess games, which Peckinpah uses to symbolize the constant mind-games the couple are playing. Although playful, each "player" is intent on gaining the upper hand, with Amy seemingly winning each time.
David also has to contend with a group of local villagers who seem intent on making his life miserable and are responsible for a series of unpleasant acts designed to unsettle him. Perhaps the worst thing for David is that his wife seems to encourage the attentions of the group when they start leering at her. By the end of the film, the relentless provocation from all sides finally pushes David to breaking point as he embarks on an unforgettable spree of violence.
Sumner's transition from mild-mannered husband to ruthless murderer is sudden rather than gradual. His explosive outburst is simply the result of not being able to stand the frustration and humiliation welling up inside him any longer. Peckinpah's triumph is his manipulation of the audience to such an extent that even the most refined viewer is acquiesced to rooting for David as he is reduced to behaving in a way that goes against everything he (and a civilized society) stands for. No matter how much we think we have progressed, the primal instinct of violence is still buried somewhere inside every man.
The film is generally well-acted and Jerry Fielding was nominated for an Oscar for a compelling score. However, Straw Dogs is let down by a slow beginning and the lengthy final scene may be a bit too gratuitous for some people's tastes.
CONTAINS SPOILERS
Hoffman contributes one of his finest performances and Peckinpah provides his usual intelligent direction. The violence is shocking but not as graphic as Kubrik's "A Clockwork Orange" from the same year (1971). Possibly the main reason that the film caused so much offence on its release (it was subsequently banned in the UK for 25 years) is its neolithic sexual politics - particularly the ambiguous "rape" scene.
Hoffman plays David Sumner, a quiet and passive mathematician locked in an intricate power struggle with his English wife Amy (Susan George). The couple have recently moved to the remote Cornish village where Amy was brought up, ironically to escape the potential for violence in America. During the first half of the film, we see the couple playing a series of chess games, which Peckinpah uses to symbolize the constant mind-games the couple are playing. Although playful, each "player" is intent on gaining the upper hand, with Amy seemingly winning each time.
David also has to contend with a group of local villagers who seem intent on making his life miserable and are responsible for a series of unpleasant acts designed to unsettle him. Perhaps the worst thing for David is that his wife seems to encourage the attentions of the group when they start leering at her. By the end of the film, the relentless provocation from all sides finally pushes David to breaking point as he embarks on an unforgettable spree of violence.
Sumner's transition from mild-mannered husband to ruthless murderer is sudden rather than gradual. His explosive outburst is simply the result of not being able to stand the frustration and humiliation welling up inside him any longer. Peckinpah's triumph is his manipulation of the audience to such an extent that even the most refined viewer is acquiesced to rooting for David as he is reduced to behaving in a way that goes against everything he (and a civilized society) stands for. No matter how much we think we have progressed, the primal instinct of violence is still buried somewhere inside every man.
The film is generally well-acted and Jerry Fielding was nominated for an Oscar for a compelling score. However, Straw Dogs is let down by a slow beginning and the lengthy final scene may be a bit too gratuitous for some people's tastes.