Straw Dogs (1971 film)

Straw Dogs
Straw Dogs
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sam Peckinpah
Screenplay by	David Zelag Goodman; Sam Peckinpah;
Based on	The Siege of Trencher's Farm; by Gordon M. Williams
Produced by	Daniel Melnick
Starring	Dustin Hoffman; Susan George;
Cinematography	John Coquillon
Edited by	Paul Davies; Tony Lawson; Roger Spottiswoode;
Music by	Jerry Fielding
Production; companies	ABC Pictures; Talent Associates; Amerbroco Films;
Distributed by	Cinerama Releasing Corporation (US and UK); 20th Century Fox (International);
Release dates	November 1971 (UK); December 22, 1971 (Los Angeles);
Running time	117 minutes; 113 minutes (Edited cut)
Countries	United Kingdom; United States;
Language	English
Budget	$2.2 million or £1,055,829
Box office	$8 million (rentals)

Straw Dogs is a 1971 psychological thriller film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Dustin Hoffman and Susan George.^[7] The screenplay, by Peckinpah and David Zelag Goodman, is based on Gordon M. Williams's 1969 novel, The Siege of Trencher's Farm. The film's title derives from a discussion in the Tao Te Ching that likens people to the ancient Chinese ceremonial straw dog, being of ceremonial worth, but afterwards discarded with indifference.

The film is noted for its violent concluding sequences and two complicated rape scenes, which were censored by numerous film rating boards. Released theatrically the same year as A Clockwork Orange, The French Connection and Dirty Harry, the film sparked heated controversy over a perceived increase of violence in films generally.^[8]^[9]

The film premiered in the U.K. in November 1971. Although controversial at the time, Straw Dogs is considered by some critics to be one of Peckinpah's greatest films, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music (Original Dramatic Score).^[10]^[11] A remake directed by Rod Lurie and starring James Marsden and Kate Bosworth was released on September 16, 2011.

^ ^a ^b ^c "Straw Dogs (1971)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 29 May 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
^ "Straw Dogs - Details". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
^ "STRAW DOGS (X)". British Board of Film Classification. 3 November 1971. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
^ "STRAW DOGS (18)". British Board of Film Classification. 27 September 2002. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
^ ^a ^b "ABC's 5 Years of Film Production Profits & Losses", Variety, 31 May 1973 p 3
^ Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 361
^ "Straw Dogs". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
^ Simmons 1982, pp. 137–138.
^ Sragow, Michael (29 July 1999). "Eyes Opening Up". Salon.com. San Francisco, California: Salon Media Group. Retrieved 24 October 2007.
^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Weddle 1994, p. 12.

[bfi-1] "Straw Dogs (1971)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 29 May 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.

[2] "Straw Dogs - Details". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 7 May 2019.

[3] "STRAW DOGS (X)". British Board of Film Classification. 3 November 1971. Retrieved 21 January 2013.

[4] "STRAW DOGS (18)". British Board of Film Classification. 27 September 2002. Retrieved 21 January 2013.

[variety-5] "ABC's 5 Years of Film Production Profits & Losses", Variety, 31 May 1973 p 3

[money-6] Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 361

[BFIsearch-7] "Straw Dogs". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 11 May 2024.

[FOOTNOTESimmons1982137–138-8] Simmons 1982, pp. 137–138.

[9] Sragow, Michael (29 July 1999). "Eyes Opening Up". Salon.com. San Francisco, California: Salon Media Group. Retrieved 24 October 2007.

[:0-10] Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[FOOTNOTEWeddle199412-11] Weddle 1994, p. 12.

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