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PURCHASE THE DVD: Straw Dogs (1971)

In 1971, Director Sam Peckinpah's violent and unpleasant drama Straw Dogs caused quite a stir and in fact, was originally banned in the UK (where it was set), then later released with an X rating.

A wimpy American mathematician moves with his wife to her hometown in Scotland so he can work in isolation. The American is met with scorn, while the wife draws the attention of her ex-boyfriend.

When the wife is raped by the ex-boyfriend, she initially resists but starts to enjoy it, however, when a second man jumps in for sloppy seconds, she fights bitterly, to no avail. She does not tell her husband, who is busy being harassed by the local villagers.

A retarded man takes refuge with the couple when villagers accuse him of murder. Faced with a group of armed village men intent on taking the suspect, the mathematician fights back in an unexpected and especially violent manner. It's this later part of the movie, coupled with the rape, that made it so controversial.

As with many of Peckinpah's films, this is an excellent movie but filled with violence, sex, and a lot of plain unpleasant acts. The unrated version contains 5 minutes of footage not in the R version.