This early 1980s cult classic still stands as a potent and uniquely feminist entry in the urban revenge subgenre. Mute fashion seamstress Thana (Zoë Tamerlis) is raped on her way home from the grocery store and then raped by a second attacker who has broken into her apartment, all within the first 15 minutes of the film. She kills the second rapist with an iron and, after recovering from the shock, starts dismembering his body. Thana then wanders the New York streets at night in a sexy black dress with her attacker's gun strapped to her garter belt, blowing away any man who tries to pick her up. What begins as a revenge film gradually becomes a disturbing portrait of urban alienation and sexual fear. New York director Abel Ferrara (THE FUNERAL, BAD LIEUTENANT) directed this, his second film, from a religious-symbol-soaked script by longtime friend Nicholas St. John. Joe Delia composed the eerie EXORCIST-style score. Highly regarded by both audiences and critics, MS. 45 is that rare breed of exploitation film--intensely disturbing yet sexy, clever, intelligent, and even funny. Tamerlis delivers an astonishing performance as Thana, and Ferrara brilliantly captures her character's distorted perspective.

In Abel Ferrara's MS. 45, an attractive young woman who works in New York's garment district is traumatized one terrible night when she is raped twice on her way home from work. She then takes revenge on her attackers--and on any other man who gets in her way.

Filmed on location in New York City.

The star of this film, Zoë Tamerlis, later cowrote BAD LIEUTENANT with director Abel Ferrara under the name Zoë Lund.

Tamerlis drummed up publicity for the film during its original release by showing up at New York screenings in character.

Ferrara has a small role for which he is billed as Jimmy Laine in the credits.

The film was originally rated MPAA X, was edited and re-rated MPAA R.

DVD Features:

Region 0
Snap Case
Full Frame - 1.33

Distributor Notes: A young, voluptuous New York City woman is intensely shy and unable to speak. Her naive beauty provokes the aggressive attention of all men. One evening while walking home, she is assaulted at gunpoint and brutally raped by two thugs. Her enormous fears, which had driven her inward before, now push her to an outward course of action. After killing one of her assailants, she cuts his body into pieces and disposes of the parts, one by one, at various spots in Manhattan. She carries her dead assailant's .45 automatic, initially for protection, but ultimately for unrelenting revenge against all males. Men, keep your legs crossed for this frightfully erotic thriller that delves into the life of a nubile young maiden out for blood.

Source: Image Entertainment, Inc.

Zoë Tamerlis: Actress/Screenwriter

Abel Ferrara: Director

"...[The] camerawork is excellent in depicting the dark beauty of New York at night..."
"...A feminist revenge manifesto with a huge cult following and probably the best movie Abel Ferrara ever directed..."