Straw Dogs (Criterion Collection)

Cast View all

	Dustin Hoffman	David Sumner
	Susan George	Amy
	Peter Vaughan	Tom Hedden
	T.P. McKenna	Maj. John Scott
	Del Henney	Charlie Venner
	Jim Norton	Chris Cawsey
	Donald Webster	Riddaway
	Ken Hutchison	Norman Scutt
	Len Jones	Bobby Hedden
	Sally Thomsett	Janice Hedden
	Robert Keegan	Harry Ware
	Peter Arne	John Niles
	Cherina Schaer	Louise Hood
	Colin Welland	Rev. Barney Hood
	June Brown	Mrs. Hebden
	Jimmy Charters	Man in Pub
	Chloe Franks	Emma Hebden
	Michael Mundell	Bertie Hedden
	David Warner	Henry Niles

Crew View all

Director	Sam Peckinpah
Writer	David Zelag Goodman, Sam Peckinpah, Gordon Williams
Producer	Daniel Melnick, James Swann
Musician	Jerry Fielding
Photography	John Coquillon

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Notes

Story Synopsis:
In Sam Peckinpah’s “Straw Dogs,“ Dustin Hoffman stars as David Sumner, an easy-going man who is suddenly pushed beyond his limits. Upon moving to the quiet English countryside, his flirtatious wife, Amy (George) is taunted by the workmen on their farm. His failure to stand up to them invites their aggression, finally forcing David to decide how far he’ll go to protect his home, his wife, and his dignity. A startling drama about human endurance, Straw Dogs has been considered one of cinema’s most disturbing and insightful explorations of man’s violent nature. Based on the novel “The Siege Of Trencher’s Farm“ by Gordon M. Williams. (Suzanne Hodges)

DVD Picture:
Compared to the previously released and decent-looking non-anamorphic Anchor Bay DVD, this new anamorphically enhanced Criterion Collection edition (framed at 1.78:1) is slightly improved in apparent detail and definition. The picture does have dated characteristics, but the color scheme is nicely balanced with lots of brown hues, generally accurate fleshtones, and deep brownish blacks. A considerable effort was made to clean up the source element used for this DVD, but artifacts and flecks of dirt are still noticed throughout. Edge enhancement is occasionally present, but pixelization is not much of a problem. (Suzanne Hodges)

Soundtrack:
The Dolby Digital 1.0 soundtrack sounds nicely restored, but is also fraught with distortion. There’s, of course, the inherently dated fidelity and some background hiss. (Perry Sun)

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