Rape-Revenge Films

Often considered the lowest depth to which cinema can plummet, the rape-revenge film is broadly dismissed as fundamentally exploitative and sensational, catering only to a demented, regressive demographic. This second edition, ten years after the first, continues the assessment of these films and the discourse they provoke. Included is a new chapter about women-directed rape-revenge films, a phenomenon that—revitalized since #MeToo exploded in late 2017—is a filmmaking tradition with a history that transcends a contemporary context.

Featuring both famous and unknown movies, controversial and widely celebrated filmmakers, as well as rape-revenge cinema from around the world, this revised edition demonstrates that diverse and often contradictory treatments of sexual violence exist simultaneously.

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas is a film critic and author of ten books on cult, horror and exploitation cinema with an emphasis on gender politics.

From the first edition
• “Fascinating”—Dread Central

• “Impressive…will stand the test of time as an integral reference for anyone interested in the genre”—Spectacular Optical

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 207
Bibliographic Info: 16 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2021
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8649-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4490-5
Imprint: McFarland

Preface to the Second Edition 1
Introduction 9
Chapter One: The Rape-Revenge Film Canon 25
Chapter Two: The Rape-Revenge Film Across Genres 55
Chapter Three: The ­Rape-Revenge Film Around the World 97
Chapter Four: Women-Directed Rape-Revenge Films 152
Afterword 175
Chapter Notes 179
Bibliography 191
Index 197