I’m a huge admirer of Meir Zarchi’s transgressive master work I Spit on Your Grave (1978), and I’ve been covering the film and its legacy on Cinapse for some time now. One of my pieces was even cited in a book published by Columbia University. The director recently returned to the story of Jennifer Hills four decades later, with Camille Keaton reprising her role and showing us she’s still a force to be reckoned with in I Spit On Your Grave: Déjà vu. I really enjoyed this return and you can read my review here. Those familiar with the original film and its many home media incarnations will recall one of most memorable special features included was the commentary with Drive-in film critic extraordinaire John Bloom aka Joe Bob Briggs.
Joe Bob championed the film on its original theatrical release and delivered one of his best commentaries for that release. While dissecting the film’s production and giving the blow by blow as you’d expect, he also digs deep into the film’s feminist themes, giving some great insight for those that fail to look just below the film’s exploitative surface.
In a Cinapse exclusive I found out that just a few days ago, actually 15 years to the date Joe Bob Briggs recorded that original commentary, he recorded a new one for I Spit On Your Grave: Déjà vu. The 148 minute deep dive (his longest commentary to date) will be included on a special collector’s edition of the film to be released near Halloween containing three films — I Spit on Your Grave (1978), I Spit On Your Grave: Déjà vu and Terry Zarchi’s Growing Up with I Spit on Your Grave in a deluxe box set.
More details to come on the set, but if that wasn’t enough ISOYG news, there will also be a Fright-Rags special edition 1978 T-Shirt designed and available for the 40th Anniversary of the film as well.
