On their way to a rock concert, two teenage girls try to score some weed, only to be kidnapped and brutalized by a vicious gang of criminals.
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The Last House on the Left (1972)Written and Directed by Wes Craven
Starring Sandra Peabody, Lucy Grantham, David Hess, Fred J. Lincoln, Jeramie Rain, Marc Sheffler, Richard Towers, Cynthia Carr, Marshall Anker, Martin Kove |
Few films have the horrific reputation owned by The Last House on the Left. It's a film devoid of hope, of reason, of good taste. It exists purely to showcase the most brutal aspects of humanity at its worst. In his directorial debut, Wes Craven uses this vicious brutality as a metaphor for a society that was getting desensitized by Vietnam. Sometimes we need to wake up and realize shit can always be worse. Also, the film is oddly funny at times, and the ending feels like a predecessor to Home Alone. This is a difficult film to describe and even more difficult to watch.
Two young girls, Phyllis (Grantham) and Mari (Peabody) go into the city to see a rock concert. When they ask the wrong guy for some grass, they're kidnapped by a sadistic creep named Krug (Hess) and his gang. What follows is a unique blend of vicious rape and murder, as well as some Abbott & Costello-esque police antics. It's weird, and it gives you hope that these girls will make it out, until of course they don't. It's way too real, and not something I ever want to watch again. But to understand and appreciate Craven's development as a filmmaker, this film is essential viewing. Things get better when Mari's parents trap the killers and fuck them up, particularly when Weasel (Lincoln) get his dick bitten off by Mari's mom (Carr). I mean, what the fuck? The performances are really good, though I can't imagine this project is looked back at with fond memories by any of them. This film is not for the faint of heart, but as I said, it's an indie horror classic that put Wes Craven on the map and launched his career as someone who has no boundaries when it comes to scaring his audience. |
The Last House on the Left is the debut feature of legendary director Wes Craven. A movie some people would consider to be the farthest thing for what he would later become known for. But I disagree. Yes, Last House is an intense exploitation film that doesn’t hold a single thing back. It’s full of twisted moments which will challenge you as a viewer. But, like many of Craven’s films, if you look past the surface, there is also a smart film with something to say about violence in our society. A film which showed how horrific acts of violence don’t happen out in the middle of nowhere, but in our own backyard. Now, that’s a terrifying thought if you ask me.
This is a raw film. Shot on a very low budget and in 21 days, this is the definition of guerrilla filmmaking. With that said, this should have been a colossal failure. Enter Wes Craven. A young director looking to do his first feature. It’s thanks to his keen eye and sharp mind that Last House has become the cult classic it is today. In this film, Craven shows a brutal, realistic side to violence. There are numerous instances in the film where something cruel happening to our protagonists is juxtaposed with the normalcy of the parents’ lives. It’s jarring and a very stark reminder of how violence is in real life. While some people may find it hokey with the bumbling cops and cheery music, for me, it reinforces that juxtaposition Craven uses throughout the film. None of this would work in part if the performances weren’t up to snuff, though. Not to worry, as David Hess, Fred J. Lincoln, and Jeramie Rain are absolutely terrifying as the group of vicious criminals. They play the part of repulsive, sick human beings to perfection. The Last House on the Left is a brutal film. It’s not something I would immediately recommend as a date movie or for a family movie night. It shows cruelty like I haven’t seen in film and doesn’t ever let you stop to breath. But, if you’re willing to look past it, you’ll find a great metaphor for the state of violence in America at the time. This is a tremendous debut from Wes Craven that showed the world just what he was capable of. And remember, to avoid fainting, keep repeating: It’s only a movie, only a movie, only a movie……. |