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Sandra Cassel gets her insides torn out in The Last House on the Left.
Once in awhile, a film comes along and manages to change the face of its genre forever. Early horror films such as Dracula and Frankenstein were all quite similar: more fantastical horror. Then, in 1960, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho changed the genre (and films in general). Psycho put a very realistic spin on killers, and 1972’s Last House on the Left furthered the trend.
Last House on the Left is the brainchild of a young Wes Craven and Sean Cunningham. It was a turning point for on-screen violence and realism with nothing quite like it seen before nor since. Admittedly, the film itself is nothing close to “great”, but it is one that gave quite a shove to the genre… most notably The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which hit theaters just two years later.
Upon its release, its all-too-realistic portrayals of rape and extreme ultra-violence quickly caused Last House to become the focus of attempts to ban the film. The general public, enraged by the events in Vietnam, flocked to theaters to see this scourge on society. Most despised it, a few saw the realistic nature of the depicted evil, and everyone was sickened by the events that unfolded before their eyes.
Last House begins quite innocently as a coming-of-age story for a 17 year-old girl, Mari Collingwood (Sandra Cassell) and her friend Phyllis (Lucy Grantham). On their way to a concert (appropriately entitled Bloodlust) in New York City, the two girls are abducted by a gang of rapists and murderers. The gang consists of three men and a woman: Krug Stillo, the leader (David Hess)… his strung-out son, Junior (Marc Sheffler)… an escaped con, Fred ‘Weasel’ Podowski (Fred Lincoln)… and the animalistic Sadie (Jeramie Rain).
The following approximately 30 minutes provide some of the rawest movie moments in cinematic history, even to this day. After beating and taking advantage of the girls in the hotel room, the four disgusting hedonists drag the girls deep into the woods for some more brutal torture and rape… and eventually death.
Once the girls are disposed of in severely gruesome fashion, the gang cleans up and spends the night at a local house… ironically the parents of Mari Collingwood. Mr. and Mrs. Collingwood, worried that their daughter has yet to return from the previous night’s concert, slowly begin to piece together the events which have transpired, and take justice into their own hands. Or, in the case of Mrs. Collingwood, her teeth.
Unfortunately, Last House often gets the unfair (but understandable) title of a sleazy exploitation-filled snuff film. In reality, this may be one of the most honest displays of true violence in society, and the emptiness it (and its revenge) leaves behind. After Krug and his cohorts commit those nauseating acts, it’s quickly apparent that they’ve received no sick and twisted pleasure from it. In fact, the look on their faces immediately after, combined with the nightmares they soon experience, show their deep remorse for what they have done.
Then, later, the viewer can’t help but cheer the parents on as they proceed to seek revenge on their daughter’s killers. When the parents do succeed, they don’t feel any sense of release, rather, they’re defeated and completely drained. As for the viewer, they wind up feeling just as guilty after for wanting the parents to seek revenge, then getting that very wish.
The light-hearted start to the film does an amazing job at letting the viewer’s guard down, making what follows that much more powerful and upsetting. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing I’m not quite sure, but it certainly helps the film accomplish what it sets out to do: disturb the hell out of you.
The acting sometimes seems too realistic for comfort. Sandra Cassel looked to have the hardest time on-screen, and one has to wonder whether the hysteria she displays is really acting or honest. David Hess, as foul a character he plays, is incredible in his portrayal. He somehow manages to give a calm and controlled performance throughout the film’s most disturbing scenes. Very scary.
Gore-lovers may even be slightly put off by some scenes here due to their realistic depiction. By this, I’m really talking about Phyllis’ disemboweling scene. This is the most disturbing film scene I have ever been witness to, bar none. And listening to Craven and Cunningham’s audio commentary, the scene was so damning to the cast and crew that no one ate lunch that day.
This was Wes Craven’s directorial debut. Look closely, and you’ll find the basis for a few elements of his film A Nightmare on Elm Street dispersed throughout… ranging from the nightmare sequences to the names of the killers (Fred and Krug… Fred Krueger). Producer Sean Cunningham would later go on to direct another genre-changing film (though to a lesser extent) in 1980 with Friday the 13th.
After you watch Last House, you’ll be shocked to hear that the screenplay underwent many rewrites not to make the film more violent and disgusting… but to tone it down! I hasten to wonder what was actually cut out of this film since the most complete version available is sickening enough as it is.
I’m giving this film a two-skull treatment simply because it’s not a great horror movie. But, solely based on the intensity, impact, and fear it induces, Last House on the Left is a standout and should be viewed by fans of the genre. But be warned – this is not a movie for the faint of heart. Last House is about as intense as a movie can be, and will make you cringe at times. Take Craven’s advice, “Take a tranquilizer if you are at all unstable in your psychological make-up.”
Then again, just keep telling yourself “it’s only a movie… only a movie… only a movie.”
Flick Figures: 6 bodies; 6 breasts; balloon-popping; double kidnapping; punches to the stomach; arm-biting; phallic-biting; sliced finger; forced self-urination; 4 gunshots to the head; stomach-stabbing; roof-riding; 1 crazy chicken-lady; forced-mooing; brains blown out; knife to the back; rock to the head; severe drooling; face-slashing; zipper troubles; multiple kicks to the body; de-arming; name carving in the neck; chainsaw-fu; general mass hysteria.
Next Week: A double-dose of the Guru! First, a timely look at the classic My Bloody Valentine. Then The Horror Guru runs down the latest horror news and rumors in a new monthly column, The Horror Hotstove.
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