The Last House on the Left

Name: The Last House on the Left
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Released: August 30, 1972
Duration: 84 min
Rating: 68
Cast: Ada Washington, Cynthia Carr, David Hess, Fred J. Lincoln, Jeramie Rain

1972

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Ratings

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6.2

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6.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Ratings

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The Last House On The Left (International Trailer)

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Movie Details & Credits

American International Pictures | Release Date: August 30, 1972 | TV-MA

Starring: Ada Washington, Cynthia Carr, David Hess, Fred J. Lincoln, Jeramie Rain, Lucy Grantham, Marc Sheffler, Marshall Anker, Richard Towers, Sandra Peabody

Summary: Two teenage girls head to a rock concert for one's birthday. While trying to score marijuana in the city, they are kidnapped and brutalized by a gang of psychotic convicts.

Director: Wes Craven

Genre(s): Thriller, Horror

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 84 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

A tough, bitter little sleeper of a movie that's about four times as good as you'd expect. Read full review

Keith Phipps

Wes Craven's The Last House On The Left occasionally plays like the longest, grisliest drug-scare film ever made. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

This sub-$100,000 exploitation movie fused the sleazy intensity of the grindhouse with the piercing intelligence of an art film, and remains a brutal but rewarding experience. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

An ugly, disturbing, passionately conceived cult favorite, Last House on the Left is much more complex (albeit crudely made) than its controversial reputation would suggest. Read full review

Dave Kehr

Ruthless, poundingly violent horror film, directed by Wes Craven. It isn't artistically adroit, but if success in this genre is counted by squirms, it's a success. Read full review

Empire Staff (Not Credited)

Sartorially dated certainly, but still powerful, disturbing and raw. Read full review

Howard Thompson

The party who wrote this sickening tripe and also directed the inept actors is Wes Craven. Read full review

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User Reviews

ellietincan

Nov 3, 2019

A movie that left an impact and kept me thinking. The characters are acted well, and the direction is fantastic. The tone is a bit schizophrenic, jumping from disturbing to silly, almost as if it's an attempt to cut the intense dread the camerawork and acting instill. While many view this asA movie that left an impact and kept me thinking. The characters are acted well, and the direction is fantastic. The tone is a bit schizophrenic, jumping from disturbing to silly, almost as if it's an attempt to cut the intense dread the camerawork and acting instill. While many view this as negative, I think the concept here is a good one. The tone shifts combined with the soundtrack done by David Hess that blends psychedelia, folk, and classic horror ambience to create odd juxtapositions in scenes that lends itself well to the memorability and particular moral haze the philosophy of the film plays in. It's a disturbing, touching, and thought provoking movie. Dark, confused, and violent, but in a way that's almost asking for forgiveness on behalf of every character.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TheQuietGamer

Aug 22, 2021

Gosh, this is depraved. I've seen a few movies from back in the day that received the infamous "video nasty" label such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but this is the first one where I've understood why people got all up in arms over it. Even now almost a full 50 years later it could stillGosh, this is depraved. I've seen a few movies from back in the day that received the infamous "video nasty" label such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but this is the first one where I've understood why people got all up in arms over it. Even now almost a full 50 years later it could still be classified as morally offensive cinema to some.

The story is about two teenage girls who in the folly of youth decide to attend a concert on the bad side of town and attempt to score some weed from a shady guy they meet along the way. This leads to them getting abducted by a group of prison escapees who proceed to torture and rape them on their way to the Canadian border. By some strange twist of fate though they end breaking down in front of the house of one of the girl's parents. What follows is some good ol' fashioned bloody revenge.

This is an incredibly bleak experience. I was only able to make it all the way through to the end credits because it never gets too explicit in its depictions of sexual assault, largely cutting away from the act whenever it occurs. Still, I saw more than I wanted to on that front, and there are plenty of other forms of violence being graphically portrayed right before our eyes. As a result this is definitely not for everyone. It requires an iron constitution and a strong stomach.

So what makes this kind of work despite its harshness and bizarre tonal shifts that come from watching two bumbling cops fumble their way through their investigation into the girls' disappearance? Wes Craven. He showed a remarkable ability to do a lot with very limited resources in his directorial debut. The grainy, low-budget visuals give things an appropriately grimy look and feel. You can almost smell the dirt, sweat, tears, and blood. Another individual deserving of praise in all this however is David Hess as the film's big baddie. Not only is he a physically imposing presence, but displays a knack for mental domination as well as we witness him verbally bully someone into shooting themself in the head. It could have been a career-making performance had the movie itself not been so repulsive. Oh, and the soundtrack? Literally perfect.

While I'm sure there are plenty of more severe options out there, this is the sickest, meanest exploitation flick I've seen thus far. I'm not even certain I could really call it "enjoyable" at all. Yet, if you're determined to watch something vile and nasty it may as well have come from one of the most influential horror directors there has been or ever will be. At least that way you can see the similarities it has to his other works, such as the nearly identical in structure The Hills Have Eyes.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

hardcorekidd

Jul 23, 2018

Teenagers Mari (Sandra Cassel) and Phyllis (Lucy Grantham) head to the city for a concert, then afterward go looking for drugs. Instead, they find a gang of escaped convicts who subject them to a night of torture and rape. The gang then kills the girls in the woods, not realizing they'reTeenagers Mari (Sandra Cassel) and Phyllis (Lucy Grantham) head to the city for a concert, then afterward go looking for drugs. Instead, they find a gang of escaped convicts who subject them to a night of torture and rape. The gang then kills the girls in the woods, not realizing they're near Mari's house. When they pose as salesmen and are taken in by Mari's mother (Cynthia Carr) and father (Gaylord St. James), it doesn't take the parents long to figure out their identities and plot revenge. Wes Craven's directing really sells this as an enjoyable Mystery/Slasher film. Final Grade is a B.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLau

Sep 25, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Unpleasant film where a group of convicts abduct, rape and kill two girls then spend a night in the house of one of them, eating spaghetti with the girl's parents.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Tyrant719

Jun 27, 2021

I would write a heady review, but all I’ll say is rape is the equivalent in dramatic/emotionally driven movies to explosions in action/adventure movies. It’s literally just a trope at this point. It’s like the comedian who doesn’t tell jokes but just makes agreeable statements on stage toI would write a heady review, but all I’ll say is rape is the equivalent in dramatic/emotionally driven movies to explosions in action/adventure movies. It’s literally just a trope at this point. It’s like the comedian who doesn’t tell jokes but just makes agreeable statements on stage to likeminded people. It’s a sure fire way of garnering the wanted response. It’s the opposite of creative.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

akshatmahajan

Jul 3, 2021

The Last House on the Left is a bizarrely stupid mess. I don't know why this movie was controversial and has cult following. I mean, I Spit on Your Grave (1978) was much much better and showed story properly with good amount of violence.

I don't know what work the editor was doing, usedThe Last House on the Left is a bizarrely stupid mess. I don't know why this movie was controversial and has cult following. I mean, I Spit on Your Grave (1978) was much much better and showed story properly with good amount of violence.

I don't know what work the editor was doing, used inappropriate comical music throughout the movie taking away the tense tone movie was trying to make. The whole story was executed poorly, thanks to the director and ridiculous actors. After 40 minutes of movie, rest 50 minutes is dragged unnecessarily. Movie fails to engage audience even for 1 second.

Overall, this movie is almost a trash which you can watch if you life is trash and there's nothing left in your brain.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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