The Last House on the Left

THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (18)

D: Wes Craven

Hallmark/The Night Co. (Sean S. Cunningham)

US 1972

91 mins

Horror

W: Wes Craven [based on "The Virgin Spring" by Ingmar Bergman]

DP: Victor Hurwitz

Ed: Wes Craven

Mus: David A. Hess

Sandra Peabody (Mari Collingwood), Lucy Grantham (Phyllis Stone), David A. Hess (Krug Stillo), Fred Lincoln (Fred 'Weasel' Podowski), Jeramie Rain (Sadie), Marc Sheffler (Junior Stillo), Gaylord St. James (Dr. John Collingwood), Cynthia Carr (Estelle Collingwood)

Wes Craven's directorial debut came with this 1972 exploitation horror movie, partly inspired by the Swedish folk tale "Töres Döttrar I Wänge", which was adapted for Ingmar Bergman's 1960 film, The Virgin Spring.

The plot revolves around a pair of teenage girls, on their way to a music concert when they are abducted and tortured by a gang of murderous thugs.

Initially effective with gruesome and tense scenes, the film does lose its way slightly in the final act, when it merely becomes about revenge.  There are also some comic scenes featuring a bumbling sheriff which seem incredibly out of place.

Still, Craven sets up his career with this classic of the genre, which features an excellent folky soundtrack penned by head villain actor David A. Hess.

A remake was released in 2009.

6/10