Oates' story was inspired by three Tucson, Arizona murders committed by Charles Schmid, which were profiled in Life Magazine in an article written by Don Moser on March 4, 1966.
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Arnold Friend is often read to represent the devil. His face is described as stretched and mask-like, and his boots stand at unnatural angles — one is actually bent at a right angle at the ankle, suggesting a false leg or possibly a cloven hoof.
I hoped that helped anyone who was interested or as interested as i was.
I have to disagree with you. I just about Charles and there's mention of him being a rapist.
What Arnold did was talk Connie into having sex and then convinced her nothing happened by what he says when he brings her back home, "I asked you to go for a ride with me today and you came. And that's what happened. Am I right?"
You mentioned in your fist post that the character is based on a rapist. I read the story on the real person and it does not mention him being a rapist...a murder, yes, but rapist no. I meant to do further research to prove myself wrong and you right.
I was also mentioning that there's no proof that he (the character in the movie) raped Laura Dern. I think he talked her into having sex and then convinced her nothing happened.
Women have sex with men all the time and its not for "love". Men have sex with women without their being love. But I understand what you are saying.
Laura Dern didn't report it because she wasn't sure took place that afternoon. That's what I got from when she was trying to explain to her sister what she did while they (the family )were gone
Her case yes, but what is her mind telling her? That's the question. I'm sure she knows what happened, but he was so manipulative, he probably had her so confused.
How are you going to prove someone talked you into sex?
I know this is going to frustrate you more, but what question did I forget to answer.
I seriously don't mean to seem like I am avoiding your questions or comments, its just that its hard to convey here what I could possibly convey in person.
um, you dont have to, cops do that. there is tons of ways to prove it. if he admits he had sex with her and then she says that she said no its over for him.
Also, dont forget if she has tissue rippage and she said it was him, its over. She constantly wanted him out of her property, im sure someone would testify that they saw him with her. Cops would love to beat hes brains out just because he looks suspicious and she looks innocent.
So, are you going to answer my other questions now, or still fiddle around the issues?
Was this the 80s or what? I mean she could have easily called the police but she did not. She acted as if there was no mode of communication. No way of getting out of that mess. The story seemed so surreal. I mean think about it if you were a teenager in the 80s would you be listening to James Taylor, also would you buy a cigarette if you don't smoke, also would you be hanging out at a burger joint, also knowing about AIDS would you have sex without a condom. These are things to think about.
Not to mention the fact that the girl in the movie is FIFTEEN YEARS OLD and an older man is pursuing her. It's statutory at the least, and that's bad enough. She was too young mentally to agree to do anything. Any teenager can act like a grown up or dress like one, but to have the emotional or psychological depth to understand that level of manipulation is most likely not developed yet.
I will guess that you don't have families of your own, if that's alright. It's easier to understand, maybe, when you've got your own daughter nearing this age.
Some of you are retarded. He clearly raped her. He basically told her she could give it up the easy way or the hard way. He made it perfectly clear that he had staked out her family and no one could help her. He and his friend took turns raping girls and Friend liked to force them psychologically as opposed to his friend who appeared to take a more direct route. This is evident when she goes to the phone and friends friend gets out of the car and asks if he should rip out the phone cord. Friend tells him "no it's his turn and that wouldn't be necessary. Later when Friend tells her "they just went for a ride and that was it" he was telling her to keep her mouth shut. I was under the influence that the numbers had something to do with victims of him and his buddy. People are saying it is a bible reference. If that's the case it is my opinion that it has a double meaning. If you didn't get the vibe that she was in great danger the whole last 10 minutes of the movie you need to check your warning bells.
I totally agree with the previous post. I cannot believe that anyone could interpret it as anything other than rape. I mean he stood there and pretty much threatened to burn the house down if she didn't come out. A 15 year old girl in a house with no door - what the hell else was she meant to do? It was pretty obvious that if she didn't come out by choice, he was going to make it even worse for her. I guess I personally would have run, but let's be real, two guys, one of them obviously psychotic, it was never going to work out well. With all due respect, anyone who thinks that she agreed to it because she came out,is deluded. Him saying to her that he took her for a drive and she agreed to it was a thinly veiled threat, and trying to make her believe that no one would believe her anyway if she told, or think it was her own fault.
Agree with both of you; he raped her. Look how his demeanor completely changed after he "had" her. Lazily opened the car door for her without leaving the driver's seat. Told her "We went for a ride, that's all we did." Didn't even say goodbye.
I think the reason she didn't call the police is because they only had that one phone in the house. You never saw her mother talking on any other phone. And he was at the screen door and could here everything she was saying. And it seemed to me they had already staked the place out, because Ellie kept saying do you want me to rip THAT phone out. And Arnold was freaking her out about burning down the house, hurting her family, the lady down the street who had passed away, and how he could see her family at the barbecue. THAT was creepy. They were no where in sight-yet he was acting as if he could see them.