Last House on the Left
(aka. Krug and Co., Sex Crime of the Century, Men's Room)
(Atlas International, Region 2 French DVD) 
 (1972)
review by Krug Stillo

Predating the flood of American horror films released in the wake of the
Vietnam war, Wes Craven's phenomenal 1972 classic, The Last House on the
Left is the amateur film that took horror to another, more terrifying level.
Influencing the sadism of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Tobe Hooper, 1974),
the inventiveness of The Evil Dead (Sam Raimi, 1982) and the documentary
filming style of The Blaire Witch Project (Eduardo Sanchez & Daniel Myrick,
1999), Craven’s film is a powerful and raw experience, once seen, never
forgotten.

“All that blood and violence, I thought you were supposed to be the love
generation!”

Last House… was Wes Craven's film debut. It tells the story of Phyllis and
Mary (played by Sandra Peabody and Lucy Grantham); two girls who, on their
way to a rock concert, try to ‘score some grass.’ When they ask a young man
named Junior whether he's dealing cannabis, he invites them back to his
apartment where they meet the three other occupants. Krug (played by the
brilliant method actor David Alexander Hess), Sadie, the group's sex toy,
and Weasel, the sleaziest of imaginable perverts it comes as no surprise
that this bloke is a famous pornstar. The moment the girls enter the
apartment Junior locks the door, trapping them inside. Krug suddenly appears
before the girls from a hidden position, gleefully saying –
‘Gotcha!’ Suddenly the film has leapt into a nightmare situation which is
the beginning of offensive for those who cannot take it. A word of advice,
if you don’t like this film now, don’t bother!
In an attempt to 'cross the northern border', the group venture with Phyllis
and Mary in the trunk of their car. When the vehicle breaks down in the
dense forestry Krug and his gang members decide to 'have a little fun',
taking the weeping young girl's into the woods where they humiliate,
torture, rape and eventually kill both. What follows is the most frightening
scene in the history of horror. It is not the hideous atrocities committed
by the group that is so terrifying, but, once the girls are dead, the group
blankly stare at each other frowning, evidently repelled by their own
actions. The degenerates did not plan any of these incidents; they simply
got carried away. These characters are far more frightening than any
monster, ghost or psycho ever committed to celluloid because they are
emphasised as real human beings. Film director George Romero already brought
horror closer to home with his 1969 horror epic film, Night of the Living
Dead, by replacing castles, old dark houses and distant lands with familiar
everyday settings. Last House on the Left not only followed the example set
by Romero, but also released onto the world third dimensional monsters,
characters who could possibly be in your own garden.

Aware that 'the cops is closing,' the gang ironically seeks refuge in the
home of Mr. and Miss Collingwood, unaware that they are Mary's parents.
There is a moment of obvious class division during the scene where the group
eats spaghetti in the Collingwood's home. Krug eats open mouthed, Sadie
gulps down large glasses of wine and Weasel belches loudly before stating -
'This food is impeccable.'

There is an evident, albeit incongruous streak of comedy throughout the
film. There are two deputies who run 'out of gas' driving to the
Collingwoods' home and subsequently have to hitch a ride from a chicken
truck driver. The fugitive group, when not eviscerating, mutilating and
dismembering young girls are also comical. In one scene, Krug pushes Junior
to the floor for dreaming about, and impersonating a frog. Another unusual
aspect of the film is its soundtrack, written and composed by actor David
Alexander Hess. Consisting of banjos and tambourines the 'badies theme' can
be heard most of the time there isn't anything particularly gruesome
happening on screen. Miss Collingwood notices that Junior is wearing Mary's
necklace, then later that evening overhears the group argument -

Junior: Krug, we gotta get out of here. If they found out we killed their
kid...
Krug: Shut up! Or you'll wind up in the lake with her.

The remaining scenes of the film consist of the parents extracting revenge
for their daughter's death. Miss Collingwood seduces weasel before
castrating him. Krug is shot by Mr. Collingwood and then beheaded with a
chain saw. Sadie in an attempt to escape runs from the house, but has her
throat cut by Miss Collingwood, while Junior shoots himself with his
father's gun.
The deputies finally arrive to find the blood soaked couple breathless and
recovering from their outburst of madness, resembling the group who were
also shocked by their own sadistic actions earlier in the film.

Although The Last House on the Left is undeniably relentless in its effort
to disturb and horrify, it does have redeeming qualities. Under the low
circumstances in which it was made, Last House on the Left was filmed mostly
with hand held cameras, bringing a sense of realism to the film. The acting
is somewhat amateurish, but as a debut for, both director Wes Craven and
producer Sean Cunningham, this film not only grossed millions of dollars,
but also has developed cult status and is constantly referred to as Wes
Craven's greatest achievement.

It is suggested that the Manson family massacre was influential for the
making of this film. At the time of Last House on the Left's emergence, the
hippie era was coming to an end, memories of the Kennedy assassination were
still resonant and America could see stomach churning footage of the Vietnam
broadcast on the news. The film can be seen as a representation of a
nihilistic period and an evaluation of the 'decay of American culture'.

The story of The Last House on the Left was loosely based on Swedish
Film-maker Ingmar Bergman's earlier epic The Virgin Spring where a three
shepherds similarly rape and murder a young girl before receiving their
comeuppance from the girl's vengeful parents. Following the release of The
Last House on the Left, a new wave in horror emerged. Hundreds of similarly
themed films were produced with similar situations involving turning the
tables in the name of revenge, the majority of them blatant rip-offs: House
on the Edge of the Park (Ruggero Deodato, 1980); Late Night Train Murders
(Aldo Lado, 1974); all very reminiscent of Craven’s film.

Viscerally more intense than any other horror/suspense film, The Last House
on the Left will continue to provoke controversy and obtain the hearts of
true devotees to a dying genre for years to come.

Ironically, a last house on the left doesn't even appear in the film.