Ms. 45 (1981)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Abel Ferrara

Writer:

Nicholas St. John (writer)

Release Date:

24 April 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Crime Will No Longer Roam the Streets.

Plot:

A shy and mute seamstress goes insane after being attacked and raped twice in one day, in which she takes to the streets of New York after dark and randomly kills men with a .45 caliber gun.

Plot Keywords:

Mute | Vengeance | Gun | New York | Magnum Handgun

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Zoë Lund	...	Thana (as Zoë Tamerlis)
Albert Sinkys	...	Albert
Darlene Stuto	...	Laurie
Helen McGara	...	Carol
Nike Zachmanoglou	...	Pamela
Abel Ferrara	...	1st Rapist (as Jimmy Laine)
Peter Yellen	...	The Burglar (2nd Rapist)
Editta Sherman	...	Mrs. Nasone (Landlady)
Vincent Gruppi	...	Heckler on Corner
S. Edward Singer	...	The Photographer
Stanley Timms	...	The Pimp
Faith Peters	...	The Prostitute
Lawrence Zavaglia	...	The Arab
Alex Jachino	...	The Chauffeur
Jack Thibeau	...	Man in Bar
Jayne Kennedy	...	Seamstress
Wayne Caro	...	Office Boy / Mickey
Mariana Tripaldi	...	Buyer
Scott Covert	...	Buyer's Assistant
Karen O'Shea	...	Model / Party Guest
The Kog	...	The Bum
Cindy Green	...	Waitress
Nancy Ulrich	...	Photographer's Girlfriend
Eddie Sanchez	...	Central Park Gang
Larry Chua	...	Central Park Gang
Omar Patino	...	Central Park Gang
Robert Allen	...	Central Park Gang
Daniel Gooding	...	Central Park Gang
Michael R. Chin	...	Kissing Boy
Gerri Igarashi	...	Kissing Girl
Edward Eisele	...	Man from Georgia
Evelyn Smith	...	Bag Lady
Patrick Loughran	...	Man on Desk
Eileen Trotta	...	Girl on Desk
Bobby Weismann	...	Party Host
Alvin Moore	...	Detective #1
Nicholas St. John	...	Detective #2 (as N.G. St. John)
Steve Dash	...	Policeman (as Steve Daskawisz)
Paul Varni	...	Guy on Street
John Scarangella	...	Guy on Street
Aris Sakellaridis	...	Guy on Street
Ben Falk	...	Blind Man
Michael Minard	...	Band Member
Robert North	...	Band Member
Rob Fisch	...	Band Member
Harry Maurer	...	Newsman's Voice (voice)
Beth Ann Lonergan	...	Little Girl (voice)
Gail Wenger	...	Party Guest
Jana Skidmore	...	Party Guest
Mary Barto	...	Party Guest
John Antonio	...	Party Guest
Joey Monteleone	...	Party Guest
Lisa Monteleone	...	Party Guest
Mary Reeves	...	Party Guest
Carol Drechsler	...	Party Guest
Anthony Picciano	...	Party Guest
Joe Perce	...	Party Guest
Donna Harris	...	Party Guest
Ira Blumenthal	...	Party Guest
Rex Piano	...	Party Guest
Kim McLean	...	Party Guest
Paul Sansone	...	Party Guest
Peter Abbay	...	Mr. Death
Elissa D'Arrigo	...	Party Guest
Tony Gandiosi	...	Party Guest
Rene Belafonte	...	Party Guest
Dan O'Neill	...	Party Guest / Bartender
Jerry Goralnick	...	Party Guest
Claver Mullaney	...	Extra
Jim Paletz	...	Extra
Timothy Pastor	...	Extra
Bill Plunkett	...	Extra
Natalie Rannazzisi	...	Extra
Michael Rothermel	...	Extra
Rob Roy	...	Extra
Francene Thomas	...	Extra
Bruce Thorne	...	Extra
Nancy Upton	...	Extra
Bonnie Williams	...	Extra
Scott Winer	...	Extra
Madaline Wood	...	Extra
Jim Johnson	...	Extra
Ann Barcar	...	Extra
Shelley Freedman	...	Extra
Barbara Jo Fuchs	...	Extra
Kathleen Gati	...	Extra
Barry Gomolka	...	Extra
Gerry Heller	...	Extra
Michelle James	...	Extra
Chris Jones	...	Extra
Nancy Kleinman	...	Extra
Renata Hickey	...	Extra (as Renata Majer)
Tom McGrath	...	Extra
Cheryl McIntyre	...	Extra
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephen Singer	...	Rich Volk (uncredited)

Directed by
Abel Ferrara

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Nicholas St. John		writer (as N.G. St. John)

Produced by
Richard Howorth	....	associate producer
Mary Kane	....	associate producer
Rochelle Weisberg	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Joe Delia

Cinematography by
James Lemmo		(as James Momel)

Film Editing by
Christopher Andrews

Art Direction by
Ruben Masters

Makeup Department
Lisa Monteleone	....	makeup artist

Sound Department
Christopher Andrews	....	sound effects editor
Jack Cooley	....	sound re-recordist
Kathleen King	....	location sound
John Paul McIntyre	....	sound

Special Effects by
Sue Dalton	....	special effects
John Paul McIntyre	....	special effects
Matt Vogel	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Tony Giarratano	....	dolly grip
Tony Giarratano	....	key grip
John Paul McIntyre	....	dolly grip
Don Muchow	....	electrician
Don Muchow	....	gaffer
Rick Owen	....	electrician
Rick Owen	....	gaffer
John Verardi	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Richard Howorth	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Christopher Andrews	....	music editor

Other crew
James Barrata	....	production crew
Jason Braunstein	....	associate in charge of production
Vincent Celli	....	production crew
Ernie Jew	....	production crew
John Paul McIntyre	....	production crew
John Outcalt	....	production crew
Rex Piano	....	production crew
Damon Santostefano	....	production crew
Laura Tully	....	production crew

Production Companies

• Navaron Films

Distributors

• Rochelle Films (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (????) (Greece) (VHS)
• BijouFlix Releasing (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• USA Home Video (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Australia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (1984) (UK) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Angel of Vengeance (Australia)
Ángel de venganza (Spain) [es]
Die Frau mit der 45er Magnum (West Germany) [de]
Hämndens ängel (Sweden) [sv]
Kaliber 45 (Poland) [pl]
Koston enkeli (Finland) [fi]
L'ange de la vengeance (France) [fr]
L'angelo della vendetta (Italy) [it]
Ms. 45 - O angelos tis vias (Greece) [el]
Sedução E Vingança (Brazil) [pt]

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:(Banned) | Finland:(Banned) (1981) | Finland:K-18 (2001) | Argentina:18 | USA:X | New Zealand:R18 (re rating) (1999) | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | USA:X (original rating) | Australia:R | France:-12 | Norway:18 (re-rating) (2003) | Sweden:(Banned) | West Germany:18 | UK:18 (cut) | Iceland:16 | Norway:(Banned) (1981-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Navaron Films

Trivia:

The name of Zoë Lund's character, Thana, is reminiscent of the Greek god of death, "Thanatos". Sigmund Freud used the word to refer to the human "death instinct", which leads people to take risks, seek thrills or behave destructively in ways that could lead to death.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: One band member is playing the trumpet, but what you hear is obviously a saxophone. There is no trumpet sound in the song the band is playing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Short Film About the Long Career of Abel Ferrara (2004) (V)

Death Wish in stockings and high heels.

If it's gritty, authentic 80s exploitation you're after, then look no further than Abel Ferrara's excellent rape/revenge thriller, Ms.45, which stars the stunning Zoe Tamerlis as Thana, a mute seamstress who goes on a killing spree after being sexually assaulted twice in one day. This feminist version of Death Wish is an ultra-stylish, mega-violent, and super-cool classic of the genre that never pulls its punches, and is highly recommended to fans of similarly themed cult movies such as The Exterminator, Thriller: A Cruel Picture, and I Spit On Your Grave.

Whilst Ferrara's tale is admittedly the stuff of pure B-movie trash, with Thana ultimately becoming an insane, man-hating, killing-machine spewing bullets indiscriminately at any male who crosses her path, the film manages to transcend its low budget roots to become a genuine work of art thanks to its superb visuals, an unforgettable performance from the beguiling lead actress, and brilliant use of a jazzy soundtrack.

Like many great exploitation pics of the era, the film makes excellent use of a very seedy looking New York, with worthless punks, violent pimps, and sexist scumbags hanging on every street corner, just begging for a slug from a .45 right between the eyes (which reminds me, is yelling 'hey, baby doll' to passing women a recommended dating technique in the Big Apple?). Drawing his inspiration from the thoroughly sleazy vibe of early 80s downtown Manhattan, Ferrara delivers an unforgettable experience that offers viewers several truly iconic moments of exploitation cinema, including Thana's transition from meek dressmaker to blood-red lipstick wearing vigilante (accompanied by a screeching saxophone), the stunning execution of a street-gang in Central Park, and the amazing finale where Thana, wearing a sexy nun outfit, loses her cool at a fancy dress party.

Slick, riveting and totally unmissable, Ms.45 gets an almost-perfect 9/10 from me (it would've got a 10 if it hadn't been for Editta Sherman's irritating performance as Thana's nosey landlady, Mrs. Nasone—I don't understand why SHE couldn't have accidentally caught a stray bullet in the head!).