[size=12pt][font=arial black]The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie[/font][/size] b Jack Starrett[/b]
Definitely a strange and weird film, but one that gives if not a pleasant view (it’s not that good for that), at least works as good curio, this if you’re a fan of forgotten films, with an edge on exploitation.
Not quite sure why it became so obscure, I’ve seen worst things made by more famous actors in the beginning of their careers and this flick is nothing to be ashamed of.
The first thing t notice is the location Tabernas Almeria, yeah I now it does give a inevitable SW look cause of the locations but only cause of that, this one its very far from a SW, and then maybe not, a revenge story an half-breed character a mean biker, well the film is pretty much claustrophobic, and is often compared to Siegel Beguiled, and Misery (made after this one), in my view it looks more like a influence in something like in the vein of Monster, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Stephen King watched this flick before he made Misery.
The film is quite simple with only three actors on it Bonnie Bedelia, Ken Howard and Anthony Zerbe, tells the story of this disturbed young woman that lures a travelling salesman to her shack, and then she hold him there (Stephen King Misery style, some say that King made a rip off from this flick such are the similarities), when a third part (Anthony Zerbe) in the form of a vicious mean biker, that already has a story with the girl, appears.
The acting is what you could expect from such a low budget flick (being a US production with an entirely US cast, it must have been really more cheaper to film in Almeria, than in the US, back in the early seventies), I always liked Bedelia (just to remind you, she’s Bruce Willis wife and ex wife in the Die Hard flicks), a lovely bird who could act, she carries the film expenses in her back with a good and effort performance in a not easy role.
Even with the normal low budget exploitation feeling, the film is not that sleazy or it isn’t sleazy at all, it works in a more cerebral way, with the director more concern with showing basic human emotions and making the film to look like some sort of ultra dramatic theatre play, maybe the main drawback is that it becomes a bit long more than 100m, all funny if you consider that the director is best known for doing low budget exploitation flicks and TV series, maybe he saw some sort of redemption here, Race with the Devil staring Peter Fonda and Warren Oates is most likely to be is most successful film.
To be honest it’s not a great film, not a hidden gem or an unseen treasure far from that, if it had been more sleazy and frenetic I guess it would had worked better, but the story had really potential, if only the director could or know to overcome his limitations. Anyway with a by now reasonable famous cast, it works wonders as a curiosity, even more if you’re a Bedelia fan.
3 stars for the curio factor mostly