Drafthouse Films has picked up North American rights to Abel Ferrara’s 1981 classic revenge thriller Ms. 45.

The film follows a mute seamstress played by the late Zoë Lund who embarks on a homicidal rampage against New York City’s entire male population after she is attacked.

The film has been remastered in HD from the original negative materials and will open in theatres in December and debut on DVD and Blu-ray uncut for the first time in North America.

“One of the primary missions with Drafthouse Films is to build a selection of films which destroy the barriers between art-house and grindhouse,” said creative director Evan Husney, “and Abel Ferrara’s work embodies just that. Ms. 45 is one of those fringe 80s films that has been somewhat marginalised as pure exploitation, so we are beyond thrilled to reintroduce it to a new audience of cinephiles.”

Husney and James Emanuel Shapiro of Drafthouse Films brokered the deal with David Kravis of Coastline Licensing International.