…and then you die, so the saying goes. Talking of misery and pain, I can’t help but wonder if the new Straw Dogs movie – hitting screens this October – will have the guts to champion the same grubby, grainy aura that made Sam Peckinpah’s original ‘70s shocker such an uncomfortable watch.

That film was banned for nigh on 10 years here in the UK thanks to its controversy-courting rape scene and claret-soaked violence. But you certainly can’t tell from these new stills that Rod Lurie’s remake wrestles with the same issues of marital discord, sexual assault, and unimaginable violence. With James Marsden grinning away like a cheshire cat and Alexander Skarsgård looking seriously buff, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this as a new three-wheeler romantic comedy.

Of course, this is the PRs toying with us before more horror-inclined images are released. And hell, I’m game. The question remains, though: can director Lurie – who’s got a string of little-known thrillers to his name – really contend with Peckinpah’s notorious original? He’s not promising a masterpiece, but he’s smart enough to admit he can’t trump the ’70s version…

“It’s a fool’s errand to try to outdo Peckinpah on his turf… This is not a soft movie. People leave this movie saying they need a drink.”

Cheers to that. Images via EW.