Scream for Vengeance | 1980 | USA | Bob Bliss
The sole film of director Bob Bliss who later went on to become a successful illustrator and cartoonist, the film was originally marketed as Vengeance in its native USA. A jewellery heist on a family business goes terribly awry when the gang of criminals end up sexually assaulting the daughter of the jeweller and killing all of their hostages. Taking the innocent Mark and Jenny who just happen to be around, the thugs hold them for ransom until the two youths decide to take matters into their own hands, busting out of their restraints and fleeing into the countryside, instigating a tense chase between the hunters and the hunted. Taking various elements from other exploitation genres, the film ends up being pretty effective for such a small budget, bolstered by a clear enthusiasm for the material and a decent range of acting chops. The rapey elements, as well as a gruesome death via pitchfork, must have attracted the attention of the DPP who had it seized by police.