Rating of
3/4
To avoid fainting,keep repeating-it's only a movie
gideon43 - wrote on 05/21/10
Last House On The Left is a sadistic and exploitive nightmare that can also claim to be the earliest shot video nasty. Benefiting from a superb ad campaign " To avoid fainting, keep repeating-its only a movie" LHOTL offers a brutal, ferocious and cruel revenge movie that fails to offer any hope for mankind.
The director Wes Craven tips his hat to the political agendas dominating America at the time, referencing (in a subtle way) the Vietnam War and the counter culture that could spawn such an atrocity as depicted in the movie.
Its difficult to defend LHOTL as many revered film critics seem to want to do, its a fairly amateurish affair shot almost documentary style, the acting is mediocre at best and the pace is erratic and in- cohesive at times.
Where LHOTL succeeds is in its demand for attention and the effect on the viewer. Most "decent" human beings would find this movie repulsive rather than scary but one viewing can leave a seriously sour taste in the mouth. LHOTL gets under the skin and stays there making an indelible mark on the senses and because of this reason, Last House On The Left makes my Top 25 Greatest Horror Movies of all time ahead of more assured and professionally made films.
