Pigs | 1973 | USA | Marc Lawrence

In reference to the film’s title, potential audiences would have been confused about Pigs in conjunction with the film’s packaging, suggesting a narrative about killer swine. In fact, it’s quite a serious and dark exploration of the experiences of two serial killers whose lives inexplicably become entangled. A young woman called Lynn escapes from a mental institution, where she was placed for killing her sexually abusive father. She eventually happens upon a small local diner run by the ominous Zambrini, who himself has killed several of his patrons to feed to his pen of pigs. They form an unspoken bond together, each covering up for each other’s murderous acts until the authorities begin to close in on the whole sordid deal. Released under an entire catalogue of alternative titles, each with its own unique footage and additions, it seems that the film’s tagline of ‘Pigs eat anything, even evidence’ was the inflammatory trigger that caused the DPP and the police to seize the title.