Meir Zarchi's"Don't Mess With My Sister"/&/"I Spit On Your Grave"
"Don't Mess With My Sister!"
Joe Perce - Jeannine Lemay - Jack Gurci
Peter Sapienza - Laura Lanfranchi
Directed by Meir Zarchi
Elite Entertainment

Ratings: Movie= Picture= Sound=


From the makers of "I Spit On Your Grave", director Meir Zarchi brings us "Don't Mess With My Sister."
The first thing that caught my attention was the picture quality. A Very Surprising clean and crisp image for a movie of this type and age. The Colors are nicely saturated and vibrant.


This story begins in a junk yard and our star character Steven appears with a really bad New York Accent. He is working for his two brother-in-laws, Roberto and Dino. Steven wants partnership in the family business and his brother-in-law tells him,"I'll give you 20 bucks more a week". Steven is shocked and dismayed over this. His brother in law tells him, "If you want partnership then you have to pay your dues first". Steven is frustrated and replies with, "Pay my dues? I married your sister, didn't I"!!!
Later that night, Steven is driving home from night school and picks up a sexy and mysterious blonde, who turns out to be a belly dancer. She tells him where she is going. To Steven's surprise she is going to his address. Seems that she was hired to perform at his birthday party.
Back home a crazy clan of italian family members are waiting for him. They all have just about the same bad New York accent that plagues Steven, if not worse. His aging Mother steels the scene, as she is off her rocker. At the party we are introduced to Clara, Steven's wife. She is very unhappy that Steven did not take her brothers job offer. Just then, the belly dancer appears and performs a provocative dance for Steven that is very titillating and yet amusing.

The next morning, Steven awakes to find that the belly dancer has left part of her outfit on the floor. Steven calls her and makes plans to meet her. So they meet and he offers her a ride. She says that she has a private dance she must attend for a tycoon. Steven offers to drive her and waits outside in the car for her.
As Steven is waiting outside, she begins her erotic dance. The man she is performing for is starts to get aroused. So aroused that he can't take it any longer. He attacks her. She screams for help. Steven comes to the Rescue. Steven loses his control. He then begins beating this man up uncontrollably. Steven has a rage. He's gone mad. Kicking him in the face, punching him violently like a wild animal. "Enough...Enough", she screams. And the two flee from this nightmarish hell. The two then find themselves back at her house. The adrenalin is still pumping and then the expected happens. They get all heated up and partake in a hot and heavy affair.
Meanwhile, Clara, is waiting at home. She has become suspicious. Clara later finds out through a friend, that Steven had after all cheated on her. Well, this tough little cookie is not going to stand for this. She calls upon her brothers and this is where, "Don't Mess with my Sister", comes into play.

This is where I found the movie most amusing. Revenge is Sweet and his wife is hysterical as she and her brothers take revenge.
The major flaw among others, is that this movie has no ending. Without giving anything away, all I can say is there is nothing to give away. It just ends and the credits start rolling.
Don't Mess With My Sister, is definitely worth a view. This movie contained numerous gaps and did not know what direction it was heading in. Once again, the climatic ending is simply the worst. The only positive thing I can say about this movie is, the amusing characters and cheesy dialogue together to become a 'b' movie that would have received Ed Wood's Approval.
As a bonus, this DVD contains a very amusing trailer and 15 min or so of deleted scene's that are basically extended clips of scenes in the film. I can understand why they were cut.
Elite's beautiful transfer is done with a enhanced 16 x 9 Anamophic widescreen, aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The soundtrack is Dolby Digital mono 1.0 and is very clear and sharp. Once Again I have to compliment Elite Entertainment on their fine job on their transfer of this DVD.

"I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE"

(A.K.A "DAY OF THE WOMAN")
(1978)

Starring:Camille Keaton, Eron Tabor, Richard Pace, Anthony Nichols and Gunter Kleemann.

Written and Directed By: Meir Zarchi

This woman has just chopped, crippled and mutilated four men beyond recognition! But no jury in America would ever convict her!
DVD Information
Elite Home Entertainment - Millennium Edition - THX Certifed Widescreen 1.85:1 enhanced 16 x 9 - Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - DTS 5.1 Surround - Original Mono Soundtrack - Commentary with Director Meir Zarchi - Commentary with Joe Bob Brigs - Theatrical Trailers - T.V. Spots - Still Photo Gallery - Reviews - Foreign and Domestic Art.
Ratings: Movie= Picture= Sound=
"I Spit on Your Grave" a.k.a "Day of the Woman" tells the shocking and disturbing tale of a sophisticated New York socialite Jennifer Hill (Keaton), who retires to a secluded cabin in the woods to finish her first novel. Upon her journey to the country, she comes face to face with four men and a mentally challenged character named Matthew. The men then decide to have some fun with her. As they take her back into the woods, she struggles to break free. But once in their grasp, Jennifer finds herself at the mercy of these crazed individuals. After she loses the fight with them, they throw her down on the floor and begin to pressure Matthew to have sex with her.
Matthew refuses and begs the others to let her go. Matthew is then suddenly pushed aside as the four men have their way with her. Jennifer is then brutally raped and beaten in a somewhat drawn out rape scene. Jennifer lays like a vegetable, as the life as she has known suddenly slips away. Thinking that she is dead, the men gather their belongings and flee from the scene of the crime. Jennifer suddenly wakens, emotionally destroyed and battered. She slowly makes her way to her cabin. Once she bathes and gathers her emotions together, Jennifer decides not to write her novel. Instead she begins to choreograph a horrific revenge scheme on the men. One by one, they will feel the pain and brutality she had felt. None will come out alive in the shocking and disturbing cult film. Originally titled "Day of the Woman", "I Spit on Your Grave" is a low budget film that has obtained a cult following over the years. In the tradition of "Last House on the Left" (A much better film in my opinion), "I Spit on Your Grave" is a story about revenge. The death scene in "Last House on the Left"and the rape scene in "I Spit on Your Grave" are both somewhat drawn out because the directors wanted you to feel their pain and suffering so the revenge part becomes somewhat sweeter and justified.
Available again on DVD by Elite Entertainment now part of their great Millennium edition series. The film is released in an Uncut Version, Not Rated Version. The film has never looked better. Presented in a THX Certified Widescreen transfer enhanced for 16x9.
This new release is a major improvement on its previous version that was release a few years back, this version rocks. For a low budget film that had been made back in '78 it looks too good.
The colors are nice and clean with very good contrast and black level. The sound here is a little different thought still far superior to its last release; it is very clear and crisp. The problem is the new Dolby 5.1 re-master; it just seems flat and lifeless. There isn't too much to anything going on in the rear channels, so why bother? I had no access to listen to the DTS track but I would just assume it to be the same. The original mono track is also included that sounds just as good.
The disc contains Commentary by Writer/Director Meir Zarchi, Very good track here. And an additional Commentary track with the great Joe Bob Brigs!, Which is a very enjoyable track to listen too. The disc also contains the Theatrical Trailers and TV Spots. A Still Photo Gallery is also included. Are Reviews; which feature some very funny hate reviews from well known critics that trashed this film to the ground, including Mr. Ebert who seemed to have no problem with Wes Cravens film "Last House on the Left" back in it's '72 release but had a sick effect with this one. There also are some Foreign and Domestic Art displaying Theatrical Posters and Video Box art for this film on this DVD.
I Spit on Your Grave - Millennium Edition DVD
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