Never has there been a more thoughtful, artistic, or enjoyable rape revenge film than Thriller A Cruel Picture (AKA They Call Her One Eye, AKA Hooker's Revenge, etc. etc.) - and this my friend, is no joke or publicity stunt. Having only seen bits and pieces of the truncated US release prior to this viewing, I was fully prepared for the naughty/nasty bits that Synapse Films had lovingly restored for this highly anticipated DVD release. However, what I was absolutely NOT prepared for, is how tight and enjoyable of a film I found Thriller to actually be. We'll get to the meat and potatoes in just a bit, but let it be known right from the get go, while Thriller is essentially trash cinema, it transcends the stereotypes usually associated with these types of films and does so in spades. If you're able to sprint past the naughtiness (unless you crave the naughtiness as I do!), then you're sure to find yourself in for a real cinematic treat here.

Our story opens as a young girl (the devastatingly beautiful Christina Lindberg) is molested by a strange old man, in a disturbing yet essentially artful scene. We find that the young girl (now in her early twenties?) has not adjusted too well. Working on her family's farm, she spends much of her time (and parent's cash) seeing specialists; ever since the 'incident' she has not spoken a word. On her way into town one day, she misses her bus, and is picked up by a slimeball of a guy, who's more interested in leering and bragging about his car, than anything else. He takes her to dinner, wines and dines here, takes her home to his swingin' bachelor pad and keeps her drugged up on heroine for weeks. Now an addict, he forces her to prostitute for him for her daily fix. Oddly enough, she still gets to keep some cash and is even given some free time of her own.

She doesn't cooperate right from the start, even going so far as to badly claw her first clients face. Her punishment? To have one of her eyeballs scooped out in a disturbingly realistic scene (the disc packaging claims a rumor about a real corpse being used for the effect and I believe it). Eventually she gives in and begins her daily routine, servicing both male and female clients, while taking in a heap of abuse at the same time (most of her clients are real brutes). After discovering of her parents death, and the fact that the blame was cleverly put on her shoulders, she seeks revenge. She takes Karate, driving and fire arm lessons, adopts a whole new style, and eventually sets out to 'fix' all of those who have wronged her, including pimps and johns alike.

Highly influential even to this day, shades of Thriller can even be seen as recently as Kill Bill's eye patch sporting character Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah). Nothing is taken for granted in this production, and while the first hour actually stands as a lead in to the final moments of revenge when 'one eye' goes apeshit on her abuser's, the entire film is a fascinating watch. And if you discount the hardcore inserts, could easily pass as an art house favorite (maybe even with the inserts included?). Speaking of the hardcore inserts, they are NOT Christina Lindberg's privates during hard core moments of insertion, so get that thought right out of your head. Also, there is much debate as to the inserts 'validity,' and while they really only account for a few minutes of footage here and there; I could have lived with or without them to be honest. Although I have to admit, with the inserts included, her plight does indeed seem all the more painful and sympathetic.

Shot with a real artistic eye, director Bo Arne Vibenius makes excellent use of slo-mo (particularly in the films final act), point of view shots, and incorporates clever storytelling techniques to keep the viewer riveted throughout. I'm not going to lie to you; Thriller is a fascinating (and enjoyable) film to watch. Not just for it's aesthetic achievements either, Lindberg turns in one hell of a performance without uttering a single word throughout the entire film. Her transition from mild mannered doe-eyed farm girl, to hooker, to revenge artist, is quite stunning. And while her character attains almost a 'pulp' like status with her matching outfits and eye patches, it doesn't cheapen the production one bit. It doesn't hurt either, that Lindberg is easily one of the most gorgeous creatures to EVER walk this planet of ours. Her look, while subdued, is simply stunning. Something else I was not fully prepared for, but happy as hell to discover.

Audio and Video quality are most impressive here. Presented in a brand new (and in case you missed it, uncut) anamorphic widescreen presentation, Thriller looks simply fantastic. Sure there's some grain (it's film, there's gonna be grain) and some minor print damage, but overall, this is a truly outstanding video presentation. Nice solid and bright colors, anamorphic enhancement - I was in heaven, and so was my widescreen set. Audio options include Swedish (with optional English subs) or English dub, both mono and both nice and clear. No distortions, balanced music, effects and dialogue...no complaints here.

As if the film alone weren't enough, Synapse has seen fit to include an array of extras that make an already appealing package practically invaluable. We start off with a TV Spot and 3 theatrical trailers. Follow this with a newly reconstructed version of a fight scene from the film with found elements, outtakes, and a 'movie in pictures' segment in which the entire story is told using quick flashes of images from the film (very clever). Also included are 5 still galleries,featuring a really nice selection of photos including behind the scenes, promotional materials a fight scene that was destroyed by the lab and some choice Christina Lindberg nudes (Thank you god!). Finally, we're treated to brief bios for both actress Lindberg and director/writer/producer Bo Arne Vibenius - while liner notes top off an already impressive cult package.

What can I say that I haven't said already? I urge everyone who is reading this review to grab a copy of Synapse Films Thriller on DVD ASAP! Not only is it a great film, but also we have GOT to support Synapse on this one if we want to see more films like this released in the future. Not only was Synapse kind enough to remaster the film and provide us with a boatload of interesting extras, they should be commended for just REALEASING this fine film to begin with! Highly recommended and easily one of the finest, most enjoyable cult discs of the year - get it!

More info at Synapse Films - www.synapse-films.com