Straw Dogs (1971)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Sam Peckinpah

Writers:

David Zelag Goodman (screenplay) and
Sam Peckinpah (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

29 December 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

The knock at the door meant the birth of one man and the death of seven others!

Plot:

A young American and his English wife come to rural England and face increasingly vicious local harassment.

Plot Keywords:

Violence | Rural | House | Mathematician | Fight

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

Dustin Hoffman	...	David Sumner
Susan George	...	Amy Sumner
Peter Vaughan	...	Tom Hedden
T.P. McKenna	...	Major John Scott
Del Henney	...	Charlie Venner
Jim Norton	...	Chris Cawsey
Donald Webster	...	Riddaway
Ken Hutchison	...	Norman Scutt
Len Jones	...	Bobby Hedden
Sally Thomsett	...	Janice Hedden
Robert Keegan	...	Harry Ware
Peter Arne	...	John Niles
Cherina Schaer	...	Louise Hood
Colin Welland	...	Reverend Barney Hood
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
June Brown	...	Mrs. Hedden (scenes deleted)
Chloe Franks	...	Emma Hedden (scenes deleted)
Michael Mundell	...	Bertie Hedden (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (UK) (complete title)
Perros de paja (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Adespota skylia (Greece) [el]
Cães de Palha (Portugal) [pt]
Cane di paglia (Italy) [it]
De galna hundarna (Sweden) [sv]
Köpekler (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Køterne (Denmark) [da]
Les chiens de paille (France) [fr]
Nedzne psy (Poland) [pl]
Olkikoirat (Finland) [fi]
Psi od slame (Croatia) [hr]
Psi od slame (Serbia) [sr]
Sob o Domínio do Medo (Brazil) [pt]
Straw Dogs - det galna gänget (Sweden) [sv]
Straw dogs - De galna hundarna (Sweden) [sv]
Szalmakutyák (Hungary) [hu]
Wer Gewalt sät (West Germany) [de]

Runtime:

118 min | USA:113 min (R-rated version)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1981) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1971) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2007) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | USA:R (cut) | USA:Unrated (uncut) | Brazil:18 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:MA (DVD re-rating) (2004) | Australia:R (original rating) | France:-16 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 (re-rating) | Italy:VM18 (original rating) | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:(Banned) (video rating) (1999) | UK:18 (video re-rating) (2002) (uncut) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Lamorna Cove, Lamorna, Cornwall, England, UK

Company:

ABC Pictures

Trivia:

Jennie Linden turned down a key role in this project

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As David and Amy Sumner drive up to their house for the first time, the camera crew is reflected in the car's side window.

Quotes:

Tom Hedden: I'll have an answer, or I'll have blood!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) (TV)

Oh My God!

"Straw Dogs" Isn't a film that I had ever heard of and then if I had I can't say that I would have instantly wanted to watch it, but as it was part of my Media Studies A-Level I sat back and watched in a hope to learn anything that I could. Before watching the film I was inform of history of the film and the banning and I prepared myself for a shocking rape scene and a horrific climax of an ending, yet I was wrong. Instead I found a sensitivly handled subject that any director or actor should be proud to be apart of. The fact that the censors wished to edit this scene in a way to take out a majority of the second rape only made me question the ideas of the censors and not director Sam Peckinpah or actress Susan George for wishing to make such a scene. The direction and acting came together to make a scene that should be celebrated not damn simply because it is a topic that is difficult to digest. The ending of the film that last almost a third of the movie is just as brilliant as any day hi-tech scene that you will see in any action film today. Overall this film is a stunning comment on the behaviour of men and women and their interactions and representation within a film. With amazing dialogue, acting out of this world and direction with such a clear knowledge of the industry I feel honoured that I have seen this film and strongly recommend that if anyone ever gets the chance to see it they should. Ignore whatever you hear and see it for yourself, it's mind blowing!!! 8 out of 10