Thriller: A Cruel Picture (1973)

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Avg Rating: 4.3 / 5. Voted: 82

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AKA: Thriller – en grym film; They Call Her One Eye
Directed by: Bo Arne Vibenius
Starring: Christina Lindberg (Madeleine), Heinz Hopf (Tony)
Country: Sweden, Scandinavian Cinema
Language: Swedish (English Subs)
Runtime: 01:46:41
Genres: Prostitution, Revenge, Old-Young Relationships, Captivity-Kidnapping, Drugs, Lesbian

Plot – Spoilers:
A mute woman Madeleine lives on a Swedish dairy farm with her silently caring, old parents. She wasn’t born mute. Rather, the silence in the family was enforced, when as a little girl she was raped by an old man she trusted. A man she trusted enough to playfully curtsy to, before going on a walk with him.

And now years later, she wears the same naivete along with a similar yellowish-orange dress when she agrees to a stranger’s offer for an evening out in town. You can’t really blame her though – the guy is a charming alternative to the cows she regularly spends her time with. This charming guy turns out to be a pimp with a relatively sophisticated clientele. The pimping principle is straightforward – Madeleine is forcibly hooked on to heroin and given the sole option of working with junk to earn her junk.

Christina Lindberg as Madeleine is child-like, not just in her appearance, but especially during her combat training. And this makes her quest for revenge even more entertainingly sinister. As many would notice or know, Thriller: A Cruel Picture served as an important source of inspiration for Tarantino’s Kill Bill. And not just for Elle Driver. Some of the slo-mo death scenes here are comical, but there is enough style in the revenge sequence to offset all of that and make this an exploitation classic banned in Sweden at the time.

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LittleRichard
LittleRichard
March 13, 2024 5:34 pm

Thriller A Cruel Picture is just that – a cruel picture. And it delivers.

Strong 8/10

Bukowski
Bukowski
December 9, 2023 3:50 pm

Great flick, got a framed poster in my squalor shack

kobie
kobie
June 21, 2023 9:18 pm

4/5 Dick in pussy wasn’t necessary tbh and the duo cop fight scene was way too slow and not choreographed that well which is why I assume it was so slowed down maybe. Pretty good though.

Faggot killer
Faggot killer
October 5, 2022 10:38 am

They call her brown eye,did this chick ever wipe her asshole properly? Thanks for the close ups

muffles
muffles
June 22, 2022 7:09 am

I see a version of this has popped up with an extra 2 seconds. That might gets some uncut lovers in a lather.

OJ not Simpson
OJ not Simpson
March 17, 2022 9:39 am

What a hideous garbage ????

gen4ever
gen4ever
January 20, 2022 2:59 am

Such a good movie with amazing symbolism & beautiful cinematography. Worth a watch.

Hom
Hom
November 15, 2021 1:57 am

This was released in the U.S. under the title “They Call Her One-Eye.” I saw this as a teenager at the Drive-In. Yes, I’m a boomer. What was considered “normal” in the 70s is frowned upon today and ironically, what’s considered “normal” nowadays would’ve been frowned upon then. Regardless, this is a cult favorite of mine. QT likes to “borrow” obscure films for his pastiche filmmaking. Oh, wait, maybe he’d be considered a hip-hop filmmaker. That’s better.

LOTTY DA
LOTTY DA
September 1, 2021 3:22 am

GOOD MOVIE, HAD TO KEEP WATCHING, IF JUST TO SEE HER GET REVENGE. I’M NO PRUDE, BUT MAYBE THE MOVIE WOULD BE JUST AS GOOD WITHOUT THE GRAPHIC SEX. WOULD’NT THIS BE CONSIDERED PORNO BACK IN THE 70’S, OR EVEN TODAY? LET’S JUST SAY THERE IS MORE THAN ONE “HAPPY ENDING” TO THIS FILM.

Satans Butler
Satans Butler
July 22, 2021 2:31 am

Fun fact: the cutting iut of the eye is actually real, done on a cadaver.

Great film!

Mick S.
Mick S.
November 3, 2020 12:28 am

well that was so good.
Thanks so much for this and all the rest of the gold you’re sharing.
Mick S.

Porusniuc Adina
Porusniuc Adina
October 9, 2020 9:42 pm

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS MOVIE.

Fred Fat
Fred Fat
October 5, 2020 9:59 pm

Just found your site – u r an aficionado
can see how tarantino has stolen some ideas from this film
use of slo-mo gave the scenes of violence a detached eeriness
scene at the end with the horse is stunning
so much to explore

Zed Man
Zed Man
July 22, 2020 12:25 pm

Awesome revenge movie. I think this is my first Swedish film ever. Good performances and that slow motion remind me of Sam Peckinpah. He made The Wild Bunch and Straw Dogs with its details of gore. Great film, thank you effed up.

T. Schuster
T. Schuster
June 29, 2020 3:00 am

Slow sound effects were spot on, slow mo scenes of violence spot on also, for 70’s show great job. I did not want to watch this show due to the era but, glad I did. Thanks again Effed up.c

Tom Roman
Tom Roman
May 16, 2020 8:45 am

… and to think I almost watched Kill List… again.

Wow, in ever sense.

I thought the slo-mo was… dare I say it… ART?

Well it was high class low brow and the violence was the finest cheese I have ever smelt… (sniff… ahhh!)

Thank you yet AGAIN Mr and or Misses Effedupmovies.com for another movie for freaks like us.

Sincerely

Etc…

Stella Zuss
Stella Zuss
May 15, 2020 4:29 am

THANKS FOR THE MOVIE.

STELLA.

Manuel Settas
Manuel Settas
May 13, 2020 9:31 am

Christina Lindberg with the Eye-Patch and the “Horse”, what for a Scene – I love it.
Very Good Page, Gracias Senior 🙂

sina koos
sina koos
May 13, 2020 6:41 am

master quentin tarantino loves this movie……fantastic stuff….i love christina lindberg!

thank you very much admin 🙂
keep up the good work!

i love you page

sina

p.s attention……hardcore scenes……

Francesco Macchi
Francesco Macchi
May 12, 2020 9:18 pm

Fantastic movie! \m/

Sophie
Sophie
May 12, 2020 8:14 pm

Thank you for publishing my request! You guys are the unsung heroes of whatever war is currently on. Love this site x

CINEMAXTREMA
CINEMAXTREMA
May 12, 2020 11:40 am

Love your effedup content!

Keep up the good work, it’s highly appreciated.

Best wishes