I Spit on Your Grave (1978) — Film Review
When and why we make a film is an important question that every director confronts. When creating anything and putting it out there in the world, we must be cognizant that our art is an embodiment or image of ourselves. The director of I Spit on Your Grave, Meir Zarchi, created this film due to his personal experience with sexual violence. Does representing the truth behind rape make great art? Or does it further perpetuate and spread the violence and horror when dealing with this subject? Sometimes, it is both of these things, but more than likely, when dealing with a topic of this magnitude, it will never be entertaining or enjoyable for the viewer.
I Spit on Your Grave has a simple plot that revolves around a writer, Jennifer Hills (Camille Keaton), getting out of the city and working on her novel in an isolated cottage. After attracting the attention of local men, her relaxing vacation turns to hell thanks to the ignorant philosophies and opinions of the men around her. After being traumatized, Hill seeks revenge on the men who hurt her.
This film more than likely touches on each of us personally, thanks to the revolution of women’s rights and the fight against sexual violence. The ignorant idea that a woman deserves what she gets because of what she wears and how she acts is brought up throughout the film. Then, questions about handling personal trauma are brought up at the film’s end…
