31 Days 31 Horror Movies! Day 19: The Last House on the Left

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The Last House on the Left (1972)

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uploaded by Manny Castro

Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream) made his directorial debut with 1972's The Last House on the Left...and it shows. The advertising, famously, promised the most terrifying film of all-time. It asked audiences to keep reminding themselves that it was only a movie. In reality, this film is anything but scary.

It tells the tale of two small town girls who head to the big city for a night of adventure. Instead, they get kidnapped by four escaped criminals. They drive them back to the small town, rape them in the woods, and then murder them. Afterwards, their car breaks down and they seek shelter at the home of one of the girls. The parents are suspicious of these people knocking on their door, but decide to help them and eventually learn the truth. That's when things get exciting.

The Last House on the Left is very low-budget and made by many inexperienced people. So, be warned, it looks horrible. It also doesn't help that Craven decided to counter the violence with folk music. You're watching girls get raped and murder while listening to a Bob Dylan-wannabe. Then, there's these two idiot cops who seem to have walked in from another movie. So, to put it mildly, it's a pretty bad film. You're better off watching the 2009 remake. The plot is essentially the same except it's more coherent, the production values are way better, and it's a very entertaining thriller.