peterr@utcsrgv.UUCP (Peter Rowley) (05/24/84)
*** SPOILER *** *** SPOILER *** In one scene, a man physically digs his hand into the chest of a human sacrifice, grabs his heart, rips it out, and holds it up for the rest of the ritual. The scene is reminiscent of the scene in Poltergeist in which the psychic researcher is shown gouging his eyes out, then his whole face, but much more protracted and disgusting. There are other horrific scenes, but this is probably the worst, and did, I'm told, almost get the picture an "R" rating. It is also completely gratuitous. p. rowley, U. Toronto
usadaca@uiucuxc.UUCP (06/01/84)
#R:utcsrgv:-439000:uiucuxc:31100008:000:997 uiucuxc!usadaca Jun 1 14:24:00 1984 if you are using gratuitous to mean that the scene was unrelated to fact and was used merely to shock or astound, boy, are you wrong! The Thuggi cult did in actuality worship Kali, the consort at one time or another, of Shiva, with live human sacrifices. the practice of ripping out the heart was partly to prove that the sacrifice was alive. it aslo had other, more mystic symbolism. this human sacrifice, rip out the heart business was practised in many other parts of the world (Aztecs, the ancient warrior society of Zoroaster, the Mithradates, early Babylonian and Hittite sects, etc.)i do agree that the scene might have been handled in a less direct manner... but Hollywood, for the past few years, has been a super-realistic, give-em- lots-of-gore kick. It just happens that this scene is part of the secret Thuggi Kali sacrifice ritual. And here you thought all the Thuggi's were dead, didn't you? Just watch out for the little metal wire that a Thuggi uses (usually from behind)! :wq