Review of The Last House on the Left (1972) by Jason B — 18 Aug 2011
With so many remakes haunting me everywhere I turn I thought I'd venture back in time and watch this early Wes Craven flick to cross off my list of great horror films. What immediately struck me was how off center it put me.
It is shot rather cheaply, has music that sounds more at home in a comedy, and two bumbling sheriffs that border on the campy side. Yet the brutal torture and rape of the two teens, while not gory by today's standards, is still deeply unsettling and disturbing.
The parents quickly respond in kind as they discover what these people have done to there daughter and are just brutal in reeking there vengeance. As John Carpenter said about Last House on the Left "It is like a strong cup of coffee in the morning, it really wakes you up" and it stays with you.
The film hasn't aged all that gracefully but its impact on cinema is still felt today. It is brutal, nasty, and mean spirited and it is disturbing because these were normal people doing incredibly evil things to there fellow man instead of an voiceless immortal mutant killer.
The moment where they look down at there own hands in self loathing is a powerful moment that carries the entire film. Watch at your own risk, you may need a shower after.
This review of The Last House on the Left (1972) was written by Jason B on 18 Aug 2011.
The Last House on the Left has generally received mixed reviews.
Was this review helpful?
