Ms.45 (1981) Vigilante Redux

Directed by Abel Ferrara (The Driller Killer (1979), Bad Lieutenant (1992)).

Written by Nicholas St. John (screenplay) (as N.G. St. John). The cinematography was by James Lemmo credited as James Momel. The music by Joe Delia.

The film sort of homages Death Wish (1974), Seven Beauties (1975), and Taxi Driver (1976).

The film stars Zoë Tamerlis as Thana, Albert Sinkys as Albert, Darlene Stuto as Laurie, Helen McGara as Carol, Nike Zachmanoglou as Pamela, Abel Ferrara as First Rapist (credited as "Jimmy Laine") Peter Yellen as The Burglar and Editta Sherman as Mrs. Nasone.

Another vigilante Neo Noir, this time with a post traumatic stress disorder twist.

Thanta, a drab, mute, mousey, seamstress working in some fashion line house in Manhattan's Garment District is raped on her way back home after work.

Thanta ( Zoë Tamerlis )

Thanta and her co-workers

Shopping on the way home

Pulled into and alley

raped

Meanwhile, coincidently, a burglar has broken into Thanta's apartment and he is rummaging around looking for money and valuables. He's still there when the traumatized Thanta arrives home.

breaking in

The burglar (Peter Yellen)

He asks for her money, she can't reply, so he pulls his gun and rapes her also.

raped again

During this second rape Thanta is able to grab a glass paper weight off a table and smack the burglar upside the head. While he's knocked out, Thanta grabs her iron and finishes the guy off then drags him into her bathroom and dumps him in her tub. His .45 she puts into a side table draw.

She goes back to work the following day never revealing what happened. Her coworkers do notice that she is acting strange. Thanta while watching someone replace a plastic bag in a trash container gets an idea of how she can dispose the body.

She gets a serrated knife and cuts the guy up. Wrapping the pieces up in newspaper and stuffing him into plastic bags. These, after dumping out the food, she puts in her refrigerator.

Over the next few weeks she drops the pieces all over the city. In garbage cans, in empty lots, even in the open trunk of a guy packing luggage for a trip.

getting rid of the burglar

Thanta while outwardly looking clam however is deeply troubled. She hallucinates her attackers. Mrs Nasone her landlady also picks up on Thanta's strange behavior and Phil her can smell the "cold cuts" in the fridge and beings to incessantly bark.

Phil smelling meat

Phil and Mrs Nasone (Editta Sherman)

During one of her body disposal trips a guy who is hitting on every woman who passes him notices Thanta drop a paper bag among debris in a trash pile. He picks up the bag and runs after Thanta who flees down a dead end alley.

a dead end

in more ways...

than one

Cornered, she pulls out the .45 and blasts the guy when he catches up to her.

Now she begins a vendetta against men she deems as threatening.

She even changes her appearance putting on makeup wearing more seductive clothes all to attract men.

 Her plan works but it all goes Noirsville when she attends a Halloween Party given by her boss Albert.

Noirsville

Albert (Albert Sinkys)

Halloween Party

As Thanta, Zoë Tamerlis' performance is intriguing it's all facial expressions and physical body language. Editta Sherman as Mrs. Nasone the wacky looking landlady is memorable.

The film was initially critically panned on its theatrical release. Now it get pretty high maks from  underground and independent film fans. Screen caps are from a Youtube screener. Worth a look 7/10