The Defilers

The Defilers is a 1965 low-budget, exploitation film directed by David F. Friedman and produced by Dan Sonney. Its main stars are Byron Mabe, Jerome Eden and Mai Jansson.

The plot centers on two young and wealthy men, Mike and Tommy, who are bored with their luxurious lifestyle and decide to kidnap a naïve young girl named Laura. They take her to an abandoned building, where they proceed to torture, humiliate and rape her. The film is notorious for its graphic depictions of violence and sexual assault.

The first half of the movie is devoted to the setup of the story. We see Mike and Tommy hanging out at a nightclub, where they meet Laura, a wide-eyed innocent who has just arrived in the big city. They take her to their apartment and ply her with alcohol, making sure she is too drunk to resist. They then drive her to an abandoned office building, where they chain her to a wall and take turns assaulting her.

The rest of the film is devoted to the aftermath of the assault. Laura's boyfriend, a musician named Stanley, tries to find her by following the trail of her kidnappers. Meanwhile, Mike and Tommy begin to turn on each other, each blaming the other for the atrocities they have committed. In a tense and violent climax, the three characters confront each other in the abandoned building, leading to a shocking and bloody finale.

Despite its low budget and exploitative subject matter, The Defilers has gained a reputation as a cult classic. Its gritty realism and intense performances have been praised by some critics as a notable example of the "roughie" subgenre of exploitation films. At the same time, others have criticized the film as misogynistic and gratuitously violent.

In terms of its themes and message, The Defilers is a bleak and nihilistic film. It suggests that even the most privileged and affluent members of society are capable of unspeakable cruelty and evil. Laura, the victim of the assault, is portrayed as an innocent who is powerless against the forces of violence and exploitation. Meanwhile, Mike and Tommy represent a kind of toxic masculinity that is all too common in our society, an entitled and brutal worldview that sees women as objects to be used and abused.

Overall, The Defilers is a challenging and controversial film that raises provocative questions about the nature of violence, power, and sexuality. Its unflinching depiction of rape and abuse is not for everyone, but for those willing to engage with its dark themes, it offers a compelling and disturbing vision of human depravity.