Ms. 45 (1981) – Film Review

Director: Abel Ferrara
Cast: Zoe Tamerlis, Steve Singer, Jack Thibeau
Certificate: 18

By Roger Crow

This grim, gritty New York-based thriller was made on a glorified shoestring and will turn many people off instantly. It may have never been shown on terrestrial UKTV, and given the content, little wonder. Imagine a grittier version of the original Death Wish, with an attractive heroine who is assaulted instead of the hero’s family, and you get the idea.

Zoe Tamerlis plays Thana, a mute young seamstress facing the day from hell. After leaving her job in the garment district for the evening, she heads home to her apartment, but is grabbed and forced into an alley, where she is raped by a masked gunman. After staggering home, she is raped again by a burglar, but this time she fights back. Bludgeoning her assailant with an iron, she takes his gun and begins to dispose of the body piece by piece. Fuelled by her trauma, Thana sees that sexual threat is everywhere in the city and decides to bring a .45 calibre solution to the problem. Or so the blurb goes.

“Tight thriller”

The dialogue and acting from supporting characters is mostly as terrible as the anti heroine’s plan for disposing of a body. Saw off an arm, put it in a brown paper bag and dump it in daylight on a high street bin. Or feed the minced remains to a neighbour’s dog. It seems the local cops don’t have a clue how this could have happened, which suggests there was zero CCTV in 1980.

One saving grace is the lead, Zoe Tamerlis, aka Zoe Lund. She’s magnificent in every scene, a genuine film star whose ill-fated life is far more interesting than the movie itself. She apparently took a print of the movie and tried to sell it for her own cause. “The chick was brilliant,” enthuses director Abel Ferrara, in a fascinating, disturbing supporting 2014 interview, who describes how she could speak five languages, but died aged 37.

Though the script and most of the supporting cast are awful, Ferrara constructs a tight thriller which is at its ‘best’ when nobody, like the heroine, says a word.

“Ray of light”

Picture and sound quality is pretty good considering the original print probably looked awful. Be prepared for a truly awful party score when the anti heroine steals the scene as a nun. Her subsequent killing spree is a slow-motion nightmare of imagery and the standout moment of the movie.

For the most part it’s a miserable experience, but that final shot involving a key character offers a tiny ray of light amid the gloom.

Now I just hope I can get that terrible closing theme out of my head.

Roger Crow( Writer )

Adopted Yorkshireman Roger Crow developed a passion for film and TV in the 1970s and 1980s. He has been a published film and TV reviewer since the 1990s; a world travel and restaurant critic since the noughties, and for the past decade has assessed the pros and cons of live gigs and theatre productions around the UK. His ideal day would involve reviewing a performance of Bat Out of Hell, followed by a Pad Thai while being serenaded by Texas on a cruise around Europe.
crowsfeat.com; nostalgiahhh film podcast

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FAQs – Ms. 45 (1981) 4K UHD Limited Edition

What is Ms. 45 about?

A mute New York seamstress, Thana, is assaulted twice in one day and retaliates with a vigilante campaign across the city.

Who directed the film?

Abel Ferrara – also known for The Driller Killer and King of New York.

Who is the lead actor?

Zoë Lund (credited here as Zoë Tamerlis) plays Thana, with Steve Singer and Jack Thibeau supporting.

What is the UK certificate?

18 – for strong violence, sexual violence and disturbing themes.

How long is the film?

80 minutes.

When does the UK 4K UHD edition release?

27 October 2025.

What are the key technical specs?

4K (2160p) UHD in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible), original mono audio, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, English SDH subtitles.

Is the disc region-locked?

Region coding is listed as N/A for this release.

What special features are included?

New 4K restoration, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas commentary, new featurettes, archive interviews, short films, trailer, image gallery, reversible sleeve, poster and a collector’s book.

How does Zoë Lund’s performance stand out?

Her largely wordless, magnetic presence anchors the film and elevates the material.

How does the new restoration look and sound?

Clean 4K presentation and stable mono retain the film’s gritty New York texture.

Is it suitable for sensitive viewers?

Probably not – it includes depictions of sexual assault and prolonged violence.

Why is the film notable today?

It remains a stark entry in the rape-revenge cycle, with a cult reputation and an iconic central performance.