I Spit on Your Grave (film series)

Last updated

I Spit on Your Grave
Created by Meir Zarchi
Original work I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
Years1978–2019
Films and television
Film(s) List of films

I Spit on Your Grave is an American rape and revenge film series that comprises two films written and directed by Meir Zarchi and three remake films, each installment following a woman who exacts revenge on each of her tormentors after four men gang rape and leave her for dead. [1] The original 1978 film has gained a large cult following. Jennifer Hills (portrayed by Camille Keaton and Sarah Butler) is the only character to appear in every film, with the exception of the 2013 film I Spit on Your Grave 2 .

Contents

Films

FilmU.S.
release date
DirectorWriter(s)Producer(s)
I Spit on Your Grave November 22, 1978 Meir Zarchi Joseph Zbeda
I Spit on Your Grave May 1, 2010 Steven R. Monroe Stuart Morse Lisa M. Hansen and Paul Hertzberg
I Spit on Your Grave 2 August 25, 2013 Thomas H. Fenton and Neil Elman
I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine October 23, 2015R. D. BraunsteinDaniel Gilboy
I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu April 23, 2019Meir ZarchiJan O'Connell and Terry Zarchi

Original series

I Spit on Your Grave (1978)

After a young writer (Camille Keaton) is brutally raped and left for dead by four men, she systematically hunts them down one by one to exact a terrible vengeance.

I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu (2019)

Forty years after a woman (Camille Keaton) gets revenge on her attackers, she faces the wrath of the families of the men she killed. She and her daughter (Jamie Bernadette) are kidnapped and have to face off against a gang of degenerates overseen by a violently unhinged matriarch.

Remake series

I Spit on Your Grave (2010)

Jennifer (Sarah Butler), a writer, rents an isolated cabin in the country so she can work on her latest novel. The peace and quiet is soon shattered by a gang of local thugs who rape and torture her, then leave her for dead. But she returns for vengeance, trapping the men one by one. Jennifer inflicts pain on her attackers with a ferocity that surpasses her own ordeal.

I Spit on Your Grave 2 (2013)

A young woman (Jemma Dallender) embarks on a merciless path of revenge after three men rape and torture her.

I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine (2015)

After joining a therapy group for rape victims, a woman (Sarah Butler) seeks grisly revenge against the perpetrators of the crimes.

Derivative works

The first film was followed by a slew of imitators and unofficial followups, including the unofficial remakes Turkish I Spit on Your Grave from 1979 and 1985's Naked Vengeance . Naked Vengeance film inspired the name of the unofficial sequel to the original film named Savage Vengeance (also called I Will Dance On Your Grave: Savage Vengeance) which starred Keaton once again as a woman named Jennifer. Other derivatives include the spoof I Spit Chew On Your Grave (2008) and the German I Piss on Your Cadaver (1999). [2]

Principal cast and characters

List indicator(s)

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.

CharacterOriginal seriesUnofficial filmRemake series
I Spit on Your Grave I Spit on Your Grave:
Deja Vu
I Will Dance On Your Grave:
Savage Vengeance
I Spit on Your Grave I Spit on Your Grave 2 I Spit on Your Grave III:
Vengeance Is Mine
197820191993201020132015
Jennifer Hills
Angela Jitrenka
Camille Keaton Sarah Butler Sarah Butler
Johnny StillmanEron TaborMentioned Jeff Branson MentionedJeff Branson A
Matthew DuncanRichard Pace Chad Lindberg Chad Lindberg A
Stanley WoodsAnthony Nichols Daniel Franzese Daniel Franzese A
Andy ChirenskyGunter Kleemann Rodney Eastman Rodney Eastman A
Becky StillmanAlexis Magnotti Maria Olsen
Melissa StillmanTammy Zarchi
Johnny Stillman Jr.Terry Zarchi
WaitressTraci Ferrante
PorterWilliam Tasgal
ButcherIsaac Agami
Supermarket GirlRonit Haviv
Christina "Christy" Hills Jamie Bernadette
Priest Meir Zarchi
Herman Duncan Jim Tavare
Scotty Chirensky Jeremy Ferdman
Beady Eyes Duncan Alexandra Kenworthy
Kevin WoodsJonathan Peacy
Millie StillmanHolgie Forrester
Henry StillmanRoy Allen III
Bar Singer Melissa Moore
TommyDonald Farmer
SamLinda Lyer
Dwayne ChesneyPhil Newman
SheriffJack Clout
Dr. LunaRobin Sinclair
ClerkJane Clark
MannyBill Sweeney
BulldogJack Kent
Earl Tracey Walter
Storch Andrew Howard Andrew Howard A
Mrs. StorchMollie Milligan
Chastity Saxon Sharbino Mentioned
Girl at Gas StationAmber Dawn Landrum
Katie Carter Jemma Dallender
Ivan Joe Absolom
Ana Mary Stockley
Father Dimov Valentine Pelka
Sharon Kacey Barnfield
GeorgyYavor Baharov
NicolaiAleksandar Aleksiev
Detective KirilGeorgi Zlaterev
ValkoPeter Silverleaf
JaysonMichael Dixon
Bar PatronDimo Alexiev
PedestrianIvan Ivanov
PolicemanKrasimir Ortakchiev
Marla Finch Jennifer Landon
Oscar "Koza" Kosca Doug McKeon
Detective McDylan Gabriel Hogan
Therapist Harley Jane Kozak
Detective Boyle Michelle Hurd
MatthewRussell Pitts
ChiefWalter Perez
Lynne Karen Strassman
RonChristopher Hoffman

Additional crew and production details

FilmCrew/Detail
Composer(s)CinematographerEditorProduction
companies
Distributing
companies
Running time
I Spit on Your Grave (1978)Yuri HavivMeir ZarchiCinemagic PicturesThe Jerry Gross Organization1hr 42mins
I Spit on Your Grave (2010)Corey Allen JacksonNeil LiskDaniel Duncan CineTel Films Anchor Bay Entertainment 1hr 48mins
I Spit on Your Grave 2 Damian BromleyKristina Hamilton-Grobler1hr 27mins
I Spit on Your Grave III:
Vengeance Is Mine
James Dooley Richard J. VialetAna Florit1hr 46mins
1hr 40mins (edited cut)
I Spit on Your Grave:
Deja Vu
Pedja RadenkovicTerry ZarchiDeja Vu LLC1hr 31mins

Reception

Box office and financial performance

FilmBox office grossBox office rankingBudgetRef.
North AmericaOther territoriesWorldwideAll time
North America
All time
worldwide
I Spit on Your Grave (2010)$93,051$1,185,599$1,278,650#39not available$2,000,000 [3]
I Spit on Your Grave 2 (2013)$809$677,795$678,604#52not available$2,000,000 [4]
I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine (2015)$144,661#91not available$2,000,000 [5]
Totals$91,784,027$19,355,221$67,215,435$6,000,000

Critical and public response

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
I Spit on Your Grave (1978)51% (35 reviews) [6] 19/100 (6 reviews) [7]
I Spit on Your Grave (2010)32% (63 reviews) [8] 27/100 (14 reviews) [9]
I Spit on Your Grave 20% (8 reviews) [10] 23/100 (3 reviews) [11]
I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine0% (27 reviews) [12] 40/100 (2 reviews) [13]
I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu0% (15 reviews) [14] 27/100 (14 reviews) [15]

Home media

TitleFormatDiscsRegion 1Region 2Region 4Special FeaturesDistributors
I Spit on Your Grave: Ultimate Collector's EditionBlu-ray0220 September 2010Content New Special Features101 Films
I Spit on Your Grave: Limited Collector's EditionBlu-ray037 February 2011Content New Special Features101 Films
I Spit on Your Grave (2010)Blu-ray018 February 2011Content New Special Features Starz/Anchor Bay Entertainment
I Spit on Your Grave: Director's CutBlu-ray0216 March 2011Content New Special FeaturesStarz/Anchor Bay Entertainment

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>I Spit on Your Grave</i> 1978 American horror film by Meir Zarchi

I Spit on Your Grave is a 1978 American rape-and-revenge film written and directed by Meir Zarchi. The film tells the story of Jennifer Hills, a fiction writer based in New York City who exacts revenge on her four tormentors who gang rape and leave her for dead.

Meir Zarchi is an Israeli-American film director, screenwriter and producer.

<i>Chaos</i> (2005 horror film) 2005 American film

Chaos is a 2005 American horror film about the rape and murder of two adolescent girls. It is an unofficial remake of Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left, with all character names changed and a different ending. It stars Kevin Gage and was written and directed by David DeFalco. The film received negative reviews, in particular for its use of gore and the ending.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camille Keaton</span> American actress and model

Camille Keaton is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Jennifer Hills in the controversial 1978 film I Spit on Your Grave. She began her career in Italy, making her film debut as Solange Beauregard in the giallo film What Have You Done to Solange? (1972), and starred in several other Italian horror films through the early 1970s. In 2015, Keaton reprised her role as Jennifer Hills for the film, I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu, which was released in 2019.

<i>The Proposition</i> (2005 film) 2005 Australian Western

The Proposition is a 2005 Australian Western film directed by John Hillcoat and written by screenwriter and musician Nick Cave. It stars Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, John Hurt, Danny Huston and David Wenham. The film's production completed in 2004 and was followed by a wide 2005 release in Australia and a 2006 cinematic run in the U.S. through First Look Pictures. The film was shot on location in Winton, Queensland.

<i>Because I Said So</i> (film) 2007 American film

Because I Said So is a 2007 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann and starring Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore, Lauren Graham, Piper Perabo, Gabriel Macht, Tom Everett Scott and Stephen Collins. It was released on February 2, 2007.

Rape and revenge, or revenge rape, is a film subgenre was used in horror, thriller, and vigilante film genres, the former two being the most notable used for multiple films in the 20th century; although the subgenre was a primary film genre, it later expands into a media genre as an opposite including anime and manga, television series, and theatre.

<i>The Vengeance Trilogy</i> Trilogy of films directed by Park Chan-wook

The Vengeance Trilogy is a South Korean thematically-linked film trilogy directed by Park Chan-wook, comprising Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003) and Lady Vengeance (2005). Each film deals with the themes of revenge, ethics, violence and salvation. The films are not narratively connected and were dubbed a trilogy by international critics due to their thematic links. The trilogy is considered a revision of the European revenge tradition set amid the 21st century globalization traumas in South Korea.

<i>Savage Vengeance</i> 1993 American film

Savage Vengeance is a 1993 American rape and revenge film written and directed by Donald Farmer.

<i>I Spit on Your Grave</i> (2010 film) 2010 film by Steven R. Monroe

I Spit on Your Grave is a 2010 American rape and revenge horror film and a remake of the controversial 1978 cult film I Spit on Your Grave. It was directed by Steven R. Monroe and written by Stuart Morse, based on the original film's director/writer Meir Zarchi's screenplay, and stars Sarah Butler, Jeff Branson, Daniel Franzese, Rodney Eastman, Chad Lindberg, Tracey Walter, and Andrew Howard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Butler (actress)</span> American actress

Sarah Elizabeth Butler is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Jennifer Hills in the I Spit on Your Grave film series.

<i>I Spit on Your Grave 2</i> 2013 American film

I Spit on Your Grave 2 is a 2013 American rape and revenge horror film directed by Steven R. Monroe. It is a sequel to the 2010 film I Spit on Your Grave, also directed by Monroe, which in turn was based on Meir Zarchi's 1978 film of the same name.

<i>Naked Vengeance</i> 1985 American film

Naked Vengeance is a 1985 exploitation rape-revenge film directed by Cirio Santiago. The film features Deborah Tranelli as its protagonist, actress-turned-vigilante Carla Harris. The film has since received a cult following and is often mentioned in works discussing films of the rape and revenge genre.

<i>I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine</i> 2015 American film

I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine is a 2015 American psychological horror film, directed by R.D. Braunstein from a screenplay by Daniel Gilboy. It is the third installment in the series. Sarah Butler reprises her role as Jennifer Hills from the 2010 film I Spit on Your Grave.

<i>The Nightingale</i> (2018 film) 2018 Australian drama film directed by Jennifer Kent

The Nightingale is a 2018 Australian historical psychological thriller film written and directed by Jennifer Kent. Set in 1825 in Van Diemen's Land, the film follows a young convict seeking revenge for terrible acts of violence committed against her and her family. It stars Aisling Franciosi, Sam Claflin, and Baykali Ganambarr, with Damon Herriman, Harry Greenwood, Ewen Leslie, Charlie Shotwell, and Michael Sheasby in supporting roles. In addition to being filmed in English and Irish, it is the first motion picture to be filmed in palawa kani.

<i>I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu</i> 2019 American film

I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu is a 2019 American rape and revenge horror film written and directed by Meir Zarchi. It stars Camille Keaton and Jamie Bernadette, and is a direct sequel to the 1978 film I Spit on Your Grave.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Hills</span> Fictional character

Jennifer Hills is a fictional character in the I Spit on Your Grave horror film series, portrayed by Camille Keaton in the original film and by Sarah Butler in the remake films. She appears in four out of the five I Spit on Your Grave films. She is a vigilante in the 1978 original film, its 2019 sequel Deja Vu, the 2010 remake and the sequel to the 2010 film I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine. In the films she seeks vengeance against her rapists and sexual predators like them.

Her Vengeance is a 1988 Hong Kong film directed by Lam Nai-Choi and starring Pauline Wong. It is a remake of the 1973 rape and revenge film Kiss of Death with elements taken from the 1978 American film I Spit On Your Grave.

<i>Revenge</i> (2017 film) 2017 film by Coralie Fargeat

Revenge is a 2017 French action thriller film written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, and starring Matilda Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe and Guillaume Bouchède. The plot follows a young woman who is raped and assaulted and left for dead in the desert by three men, where she recovers and seeks vengeance upon her attackers.

Carrie is an American horror media franchise, based on the 1974 novel of the same name by author Stephen King. The series consists of four films, a Broadway musical and a television special.

References

  1. "I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION - on Blu-ray 5th October - PART ONE". October 2020.
  2. "I Spit on Your Grave: The Complete Collection – Top Trivia". October 4, 2020.
  3. "I Spit on Your Grave (2010)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved November 25, 2010.
  4. "I Spit on Your Grave 2 (2013)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  5. "I Spit on Your Grave: Vengeance is Mine (2015)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  6. "I Spit on Your Grave (Day of the Woman) (1978)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  7. "I Spit on Your Grave (1978)". Metacritic.
  8. "I Spit on Your Grave (2010)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  9. "I Spit on Your Grave (2010)". Metacritic.
  10. "I Spit on Your Grave 2 (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  11. "I Spit on Your Grave 2 (2013)". Metacritic.
  12. "I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  13. "I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine (2015)". Metacritic.
  14. "I Spit on Your Grave: Déjà Vu (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  15. "I Spit on Your Grave: Déjà Vu (2019)". Metacritic.