Christina Lindberg: They Call Her ONE EYE!
A woman, brimming with hope despite enduring countless trials, suffers a final blow before her ascent to becoming the bane of her enemies—a fearsome figure known as One Eye. “Thriller: A Cruel Picture” (Thriller – en grym film) is a visceral masterpiece, a rape revenge movie driven by two powerful themes: sexual transgression and vengeance. The protagonist, portrayed with stunning depth by Christina Lindberg, undergoes 3 transformative stages, each marked by a different name—Frigga, Madeleine, and One Eye. Lindeberg’s ethereal, innocent countenance plays a pivotal role in the film, serving as a poignant canvas that vividly reflects her character’s profound evolution.
The film’s core narrative, while straightforward, doesn’t diminish its thematic power. Instead of intricate storytelling, the movie focuses on delivering raw and unfiltered scenes that shock and repulse the audience. It uses pornography not as a form of pleasure but as a stark tool to expose the dark depths of human depravity driven by lust and toxicity. This shift from complex plots to impactful visuals ensures that each scene’s repetition of pain becomes increasingly uncomfortable, both for the protagonist and for those watching. The relentless depiction of torture serves to test the protagonist’s endurance, pushing viewers to their limits and culminating in a cathartic but disturbing resolution.
Becoming the avenger known as One Eye is a gradual process, each step marked by her training sessions portrayed simply and directly, fitting the film’s straightforward style. The clash of emotions she experiences transforms into intense action scenes involving guns, close combat and high-speed chases. Our initial sympathy for her journey turns into a gripping desire for her revenge: there’s no room for forgiveness or mixed feelings. As the tone shifts, the film evolves into a thrilling experience, urging us to root for her as she navigates the chaos of her quest for justice.
A noteworthy aspect deserving special attention is the film’s intriguing approach to action scenes. Typically, I’m not fond of slow-motion sequences, yet in this film, their overuse surprisingly resonated with me. It wasn’t a lazy shortcut to craft action; instead, it added depth and meaning. The blood-spattering scenes unfolded like living paintings, introducing an additional layer. Each slow-motion moment felt like a glimpse into a different realm, a segment of a larger whole. This meticulous presentation of graphic scenes gave the impression of witnessing something sacred, transforming mere action into a profound cinematic experience.
In conclusion, “Thriller: A Cruel Picture” stands out as a revenge movie that speaks its unique language in the world of cinema. It unfolds as a captivating slow burn, making it a must-see for audiences. The film’s blend of absurdity, audacity and emotional depth creates a powerful concoction, culminating in the absolute revenge of a woman wronged.
Christina Lindberg
One of the cult actresses of European Exploitation Cinema, Christina started posing nude for magazines when she was 18. She was a “Penthouse Pet” in 1970 and she later posed for Playboy. After “Maid in Sweden” became a hit in cinemas in Sweden in 1971, at 21 she was the new sex symbol with her gorgeous, innocent face and her voluptuous body. She starred in more than a dozen erotica/exploitation films in the Seventies as an international starlet. Most memorable of her roles, other than “Thriller”, include the 1973 Japanese Pinku sexploitation movie “Sex and Fury” and “Anita: Swedish Nymphet” the same year where she shared the lead roles with the famous Stellan Skarsgård.
Trivias
Trivia 1: Quentin Tarantino is such a big fan that he based Daryl Hannah‘s character in “Kill Bill” on Lindberg’s character One Eye. He said: “Thriller… is the roughest revenge movie ever made! There’s never been anything as tough as that movie.”
Trivia 2: The director Bo Arne Vibenius has taken out a life-policy on his star Christina Lindberg in case she would be accidently killed – because real ammunition was used during action scenes!
Trivia 3: In the eye-gouging scene where Lindberg’s one eye is cut out, the director allegedly used a real corpse from a morgue!
FOR COLLECTORS
First of all, beware of versions released as “They Call Her One Eye” – this is the heavily cut 90 minute release.
SYNAPSE first stored and released “Thriller” on DVD in 2004 in its uncut form of 108 minutes.
But there is a 2022 Blu-ray release by VINEGAR SYNDROME that is recommended for collectors. This is 4K HD with both Swedish and English audio:
THRILLER: A CRUEL PICTURE (BLU-RAY)
