Ms. 45 (1981)

Director:

Abel Ferrara

Writer:

Nicholas St. John (writer)

Release Date:

24 April 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Crime Will No Longer Roam the Streets.

Plot:

A shy and mute seamstress goes insane after being attacked and raped twice in one day, in which she takes to the streets of New York after dark and randomly kills men with a .45 caliber gun.

Plot Keywords:

Mute | Gun | New York | Vengeance | Photographer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Zoë Lund	...	Thana (as Zoë Tamerlis)
Albert Sinkys	...	Albert
Darlene Stuto	...	Laurie
Helen McGara	...	Carol
Nike Zachmanoglou	...	Pamela
Abel Ferrara	...	1st Rapist (as Jimmy Laine)
Peter Yellen	...	The Burglar (2nd Rapist)
Editta Sherman	...	Mrs. Nasone (Landlady)
Vincent Gruppi	...	Heckler on Corner
S. Edward Singer	...	The Photographer
Stanley Timms	...	The Pimp
Faith Peters	...	The Prostitute
Lawrence Zavaglia	...	The Arab
Alex Jachino	...	The Chauffeur
Jack Thibeau	...	Man in Bar

Also Known As:

Angel of Vengeance (Australia)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:(Banned) (original rating) | Finland:(Banned) (1981) | Finland:K-18 (2001) | Argentina:18 | USA:X | New Zealand:R18 (re rating) (1999) | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | USA:X (original rating) | Australia:R | France:-12 | Norway:18 (re-rating) (2003) | Sweden:(Banned) | West Germany:18 | UK:18 (cut) | Iceland:16 | Norway:(Banned) (1981-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Navaron Films

Trivia:

The name of Zoë Lund's character, Thana, is reminiscent of the Greek god of death, "Thanatos". Sigmund Freud used the word to refer to the human "death instinct", which leads people to take risks, seek thrills or behave destructively in ways that could lead to death.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: One band member is playing the trumpet, but what you hear is obviously a saxophone. There is no trumpet sound in the song the band is playing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bad Lieutenant (1992)

Gritty and unforgettable vigilante /rape and revenge thriller.

"Ms.45" easily has to be my favourite Abel Ferrara's flick.A fragile,pathologically shy New York City seamstress named Thana(Zoë Tamerlis)is brutally raped at gunpoint twice in one afternoon by two different assailants,first while walking home and the second in her own home.This time she kills her rapist and rather than report the crime to the authorities,decides to dispose of the body herself by dismembering the body.Meanwhile,she finds herself the new owner of his Star.45-calibre pistol,which she takes to kill for protection.Very intense,dark and gritty vigilante thriller obviously influenced by "I Spit on Your Grave" and "Death Wish" with virtually every male character being a two-dimensional predator.Zoë Tamerlis is perfect as a mute killing machine Thana-she is stunningly beautiful and deadly.10 out of 10.See it before you die!