Straw Dogs #172 (C+)

I saw the original Straw Dogs (1971) and liked it a lot.  You know, the one with Dustin Hoffman and Susan George.  I'd probably give that one a B-.  Apparently it was taboo back when it was released and didn't do too well with the public reaction and dollar-wise.  I guess because of the rape scene and due to Hoffman's revenge/anger etc, as both topics were not normally depicted on cinema screens prior to this time.  I think the original Straw Dogs was even released prior to Deliverance.  Per IMDB (c), yes this is true...I checked.  Also, a random review called the original 'an interesting example of a vigilante film before the subgenre became fashionable.  Films before had dealt with the theme of revenge but rarely as brutal or as primal...'  Just a note, did you notice how that review used words like vigilante, subgenre, fashionable, and primal?  I don't ever use words like that.  LOL.  I use words like good and I liked it.  

For the remake (2011), I believe they changed the story some.  While I don't recall the Jeremy Niles/Janice relationship from the first one, apparently this was indeed part of the original.  It must not have been as prominent in the story.  If it were me however, who directed the remake, I would have been fine with this not being included at all.  It was bad plot - unneeded and actually brought the movie down some in my mind, specifically when Jeremy was in the house with them at the end cowering and rocking in the corner.  Another big change in the plot was Kate Bosworth's character having any tie with the town folk.  I cannot recall this at all from the original Straw Dogs.  Anyway, it doesn't matter...still both were worth watching with the original 70's cut holding a flame over the 2011 version in my mind.

For those that don't know the plot, a husband and wife move to a new house in the country.  They hire some locals to fix their house up...but then the locals get a bit too comfy with their invite and start to make the new family uncomfortable.  Soon the locals are downright harassing the couple and then it becomes an all out war.

Does Kate Bosworth have two different eye colors?  In the one scene where Charlie came to "visit" while James Marsden was out in the forest with the boys hunting, I swear I saw two different color eyes when she stood at the door.  That's the 2nd time in the recently viewed movies where I believe I saw this, but I'm drawing a blank on the other occasion.  I just looked it up and it's called Heterochromia.  Here are some others with this syndrome: Jane Seymour, Dan Aykroyd, the guy with a buzz cut from Prison Break (Wentworth Miller), Mila Kunis, David Bowie, Virginia Madsen, Kiefer Sutherland,  Elizabeth Berkley and Kate Bosworth.  Ah!  I remember now, the person I saw with Heterochromia was Mad Max Scherzer from the World Series. 

Below is a picture of a local from the bar - opening a beer bottle on one of 'Charlie's boys' belt buckles:

 (c)