4K UHD Review – Thriller, A Cruel Picture

In the supplementary materials on the release of 1973's "Thriller, A Cruel Picture," interviewees discuss writer/director Bo Arne Vibenius's frustration with the failure of his first feature, a family movie offering softness to a wide audience. Inspired to create a hit film, Vibenius set out to manufacture an effort guaranteed to offend, hoping the endeavor would be banned in his native Sweden, giving him the perfect marketing hook. His plan worked, turning "Thriller, A Cruel Picture" into a buzzy sensation, pushing down on viewers with its extreme nihilism, graphic violence, and hardcore sex footage. Vibenius achieved his creative goals, but such severity doesn't automatically make for an arresting viewing experience, with the helmer getting lost in his quest for atmosphere, slowing this revenge story to a full stop far too many times. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com