Thriller: A Cruel Picture (Bo Arne Vibenius as Alex Fridolinski, 1973)

[Philleh]

I still haven't fully made up my mind about this flick : It's a one-of-a-kind slice of rare Scandinavian exploitation peppered with some art....but I'm not too keen on its cold and distanced mood. This film makes it very hard to really "feel" with the heroine, which seems so odd, considering her ordeal on screen...may be, this distance was the intended effect....but it doesn't make it easier for me to embrace "Thriller" as whole.

I think Christina plays a part in the coldness of the film, as gorgeous as she is, she can't emote to save a beached whale. The fact that her character is mute doesn't help matters either!

I can't see why Bo is so cold towards his movies, he made two that featured explicit sex - this and Boiling Point (which you could argue is stronger than Thriller) - and they are worthwhile movies. Granted her made them for financial reasons after his family movie flopped big time and figured sex would sell - it did.

[DarkMother]

I gotta say that i loved this film. Christina Lindberg was a perfect choice for it, her innocent looks make certain scenes add to shock and disgust. But i loved every minute. And doing the violence in slow motion give the film an art-film look. For a film so reviled and with a sick reputation it's a proper exploitation classic

[MarcMorris]

Did you pick up the UK Christina Lindberg's Swedish Erotica Collection? Volume 2 is due out in February too.

[bigandya]

So what do we get on this one Marc?

[MarcMorris]

The titles in the second set haven't been announced yet.

[DarkMother]

I can't wait for the second collection. Volume 1 was awesome. Let us know when the titles are available. I thought that The Depraved was the best of the collection. Although watching it now it's quite twee compared with films released now

[claire]

Thriller's a great film, slightly marred by it's final 40 minutes that insist on far too much Peckinpah-style slow motion.

But those early scenes, with or without the hardcore inserts (I'm used to them with, admittedly) are very engrossing.

And, as (I think) SimonT says (?) I reviewed the German release of "A Gun For Jennifer" on www.sexgoremutants.co.uk, and I loved that film. Not quite the same (although I can understand the sentiment - it's a rape-revenge film). But it's brilliant regardless.

[MarcMorris]

A Gun for Jennifer is I hear coming from Mondo Macabro

[claire]

Yes, that's been circulating for quite some time, Marc. Exciting news.

I love the film, and I do look forward to Mondo Macabro's release ... the film is splendid.

[Filmrage]

Love the film!

Interviews with Bo Arne Vibenius and Christina Lindberg in FILMRAGE 9, www.filmrage.co.uk, photos from Bo's private collection.

Vibenius' "Breaking Point" is equally superb!