THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT LIMITED EDITION: STILL DISTURBING

 

I can remember the first time I ever saw THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. I was drawn in by the ad campaign that claimed you had to keep telling yourself “it’s only a movie, it’s only a movie…” It was a great promo for the film and drew in those like myself who were pulled in as if dared to watch what would unfold on the screen. For once the hype matched the movie and it was more difficult to watch than I expected. More disturbing films have followed but this one released in 1972 was like a film that opened the door for those to follow. I'm not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

If you’ve never seen the film it’s loosely based on Ingmar Bergman’s THE VIRGIN SPRING (which I also recently viewed and wrote about). Mari Collingwood (Sandra Peabody) is a young girl living at home with her parents Dr. John Collingwood (Richard Towers) and Estelle (Cynthia Carr). She’s going to a concert with Phyllis (Lucy Grantham), a friend her parents don’t quite approve of. Before she leaves her father gives her a gift, a new necklace.

The girls are on their way to the concert in a seedier part of the city when they come across Junior Stillo (Marc Sheffler). We as viewers are already aware of who Junior is, part of a gang of criminals who have broken out of prison. A description of them over the radio describes them as pretty much having committed every reprehensible act you can think of including murder and rape. The girls approach Junior hoping to score some grass and he invites them up to the hotel room he’s in to sell them some. It isn’t until they see the rest of the gang and Junior locks the door behind them that they realize they’ve made a mistake.

The gang is led by Krug Stillo (David Hess), Junior’s father and a totally scummy individual. With him are Sadie (Jeramie Rain) his long standing girlfriend and Fred “Weasel” Podowski (Fred Lincoln). It doesn’t take long before the three of them begin threatening the girls. After a failed escape attempt by Phyllis she is raped and the girls remain hostages until the gang heads out the next day.

Taken in the woods to be disposed of the gang, all with sadistic bents, force the girls to disrobe and make out with one another. Mari begins to go into a catatonic state and Phyllis is doing her best to cope with the gang and to help her friend. When they’re done having “fun” with the two girls, the gang kills them and leaves them in the woods.

At home John and Estelle had been planning a birthday party for Mari. When she never showed the night before they’d called the Sheriff (Marshall Anker) and he and his deputy (a young Martin Kove) arrived to get the details about the girls. The next day the pair find the abandoned car of the gang but can’t get to help because their car runs out of gas.

Having ditched the car with problems the gang heads out on foot and stops at a home to get some food and rest. What they don’t realize is that this is Mari’s home. They act peaceably enough not wanting to start anything that would leave a trail. Later that evening Estelle notices the necklace they gave Mari is now hanging from Junior’s neck. What follows is less upsetting than the earlier moments of the film but no less unforgettable.

The movie was the first film made by a college professor who went on to greater acclaim, Wes Craven. This was his first foray into film and was made on a miniscule budget as a way to get exposed to film. It was produced by Sean Cunningham who had worked with Craven when Craven synchronized his own directorial effort. Both would go on to bigger and better things, Craven to the Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream franchises and Cunningham to the Friday the 13^th franchise.

Craven has said that he wanted to depict the violence on screen in the film because prior to this the movies glamourized violence. He wanted to show the brutality of it and he accomplishes it quite well. The scenes of brutality in the film are very upsetting and to this day I don’t recommend the film for those with a weak constitution. It’s not that the violence is as graphically depicted with blood or gore as many of today’s films are but the way its shot, the grainy near documentary styled shooting used and the scummy feeling of the gang and their behaviors leaves you wanting a nice hot shower after viewing.

I think I first saw the film back years after it had come out. I can’t quite remember of it was a midnight movie or a second feature at a drive in. I do recall that I didn’t understand the acclaim the film had garnered and found it quite upsetting to view. I did stick it out though. Watching it again after all these years I still find the film unnerving and upsetting. I’m glad those in charge of making the film went on to bigger and better things. The same can’t be said of all those involved.

The film has developed a legion of fans in spite of the low grade production values and the disturbing nature of the film. It was banned in several countries upon release and sought after just for that reason. Those fans will be pleased to find that Arrow Video is offering the film in the best possible format available with a ton of extras. But that’s become second nature with any and all Arrow releases. To start with the film offers three cuts of the film newly restored in 2K from original film elements: the R-rated cut, the unrated cut and the Krug & Company cut.

If that weren’t enough the movie is offered on three discs and includes more extras than most films can even think of. Included are 6 lobby card reproductions, a double sided poster featuring new artwork, a reversible sleeve with new artwork, a limited edition 60 page book with new writing on the film by author Stephen Thrower, an isolated score remastered from the original magnetic tracks, a new commentary track by podcasters Bill Ackerman and Amanda Reyes, an archival commentary track by Craven and Cunningham, an archival commentary track by Hess, Sheffler and Lincoln and an introduction to the film by Craven.

But there’s more! STILL STANDING: THE LEGACY OF THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT an archival interview with Wes Craven, CELLULOID CRIME OF THE CENTURY an archival documentary with interviews including Craven, Cunningham, Hess, Lincoln, Rain, Sheffler and Kove, SCORING LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT an archival interview with Hess who did songs for the film, IT’S ONLY A MOVIE: THE MAKING OF THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEF an archival documentary, FORBIDDEN FOOTAGE the cast and crew on the film’s most controversial sequences, JUNIOR’S STORY a new interview with Sheffler, BLOOD AND GUTS a new featurette with makeup artists Anne Paul, THE ROAD LEADS TO TERROR a new featurette revisiting the film’s original shooting locations, deleted scenes, extended outtakes and dailies, trailers, TV spots, radio spots, an image gallery, THE CRAVEN TOUCH a new featurette bringing together interviews with Craven collaborators like Cunningham, composer Charles Bernstein, producer Peter Locke, cinematographer Mark Irwin and actress Amanda Wyss. Then there is EARLY DAYS AND ‘NIGHT OF VENGUEANCE’ where filmmakers Roy Frumkes remembers Craven and the film, TALES THAT’LL TEAR YOUR HEART OUT excerpts from an unfinished Craven shot, a Q&A with Sheffler from a 2017 screening of the film at The American Cinematheque, KRUG CONQUERS ENGLAND an archival featurette charting the theatrical tour of the first ever uncut screening of the film in the UK and a CD featuring the complete and newly remastered film score. WHEW!

If it seems there is more to watch in this package than the actual film itself you are not wrong. I can’t think of a more comprehensive package for any title that I’m aware of. If you’re a fan then this is a MUST HAVE item. If you’ve never seen the movie go in wary and expecting to be shocked. Take breaks and walk away for a while if you must. If you’re a horror fan then you’ll want this as well. Arrow has outdone themselves on this release.

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