Thriller: A Cruel Picture

"The movie that has no limits of evil!"

1973 1h 48m SV

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 223

ActionThrillerCrimeHorrorDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Madeleine, rendered mute after being sexually assaulted as a youth, accepts a lift from a wealthy and sadistic pimp who soon enslaves her into his prostitution racket. Despite her limited means, Madeleine embarks on a bloody road to revenge against her captors.

“The movie that has no limits of evil!”

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Cast

Christina Lindberg
Frigga / Madeleine / One Eye
Heinz Hopf
Tony
Solveig Andersson
Sally
Despina Tomazani
The Lesbian Girl
Per-Axel Arosenius
Madeline's Father (as Per Axel Arosenius)
Gunnel Wadner
Madeleine's mother
Björn Kristiansson
The Addict
Marie-Louise Mannervall
Woman in Village

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Bo Arne Vibenius
Writers: Bo Arne Vibenius, Bo Arne Vibenius
Languages: Swedish
Countries: Sweden

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

53 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Bo Arne Vibenius, shot by Andreas Bellis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ralph Lundsten. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Brian Wikström shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Christina Lindberg and Heinz Hopf and Solveig Andersson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The movie that has no limits of evil!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0072285 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Bo Arne Vibenius directs. Andreas Bellis behind the camera. Ralph Lundsten scores. Brian Wikström cuts. Produced in Sweden. Dialogue in Swedish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

153 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Bo Arne Vibenius, shot by Andreas Bellis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Ralph Lundsten. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Brian Wikström shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Christina Lindberg and Heinz Hopf and Solveig Andersson carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "The movie that has no limits of evil!".
7IMDB entry: tt0072285 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 8 themes, including "rape", "eroticism", "exploitation", "revenge".
9Released under 27 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Andreas Bellis
Original score: Ralph Lundsten
Editing: Brian Wikström
Costume design: Anna Oskarsdotter
Stunt coordinator: Jan Kreigsman
Runtime: 108 min · 1h 48m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: SV
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Thriller: A Cruel Picture (1973)

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Bo Arne Vibenius

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2016-03-13
★ 7/10
Madeline Marauds! Exploitation cinema in all its glory, or not, depending on your own personal peccadilloes! Directed, written and produced by Bo Arne Vibenius, Thriller - en grym film (AKA: They Call Her One Eye) is an infamous picture for a number of reasons, reasons that would take a whole page to write about. So use your mouse and google it because this review isn't interested in dabbling in such fare. Plot sees a young Madeline raped by a paedophile and rendered mute by the experience. Into early adulthood and Madeline (played superbly by soft core porn starlet Christinia Lindberg) unwisely takes up the offer of a lift from the odious Tony (Heinz Hopf). Pretty soon she's addicted to heroin and working as a prostitute. However, Madeline is biding her time, for she has plans, plans that spell doom for all her abusers. Does this film have artistic merit? Absolutely! In fact if you take out the inserted pornographic close-ups, which are pointless since we already know what Madeline is going through (a supposed marketing tool of the era apparently...) then this is a kick-ass film. It's a two parter, where the first half shows all of Madeline's misery, with sexual disturbance and body horror, then we switch to Madeline's fight back, where we get one of the coolest anti-heroines of 70s exploitation. She's sporting an eye patch, a glorious black trench coat, and weapons, oh yes! There are weapons, hands, guns and cars, oh my! It's here where Vibenius asks the question about justifiable revenge, whilst the super slow-mo approach to the violence will either be viewed as indulgent or classy (I'm with the latter camp). It is what it is, grungy and grimy, operating in a specialist niche of cinema, but worthy in that it didn't conform, and it has proved influential. It's just not a date movie or something to watch with you mom! Right, I'm off for a bath. 7/10
JPV8522022-07-03
★ 7/10
Okay rape-revenge thriller has a fine performance from Christina Lindberg even though she has zero lines and there are scenes tough to watch. The revenge portion is the best part however the slow-motion fight between Madeliene and the cops went on far too long. The final scene was satisfying though. 3.5/5