twist of fait accomplis

Last House on the Left, 1972 [ ADD ]
Director: Wes Craven
Availability: Easy (on DVD from MGM)

While most of us grew up in a time where brutal horror movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre were relatively common, the first American film to really push the boundaries of good taste was Wes Craven's debut, The Last House on the Left. In this low-budget sicko, a trio of escaped killers stalk a pair of teenage girls in the woods, raping and torturing them in scenes that are still uncomfortable to watch, 30 years later. The movie takes an interesting revenge twist as the hunters become the hunted, and despite a few out-of-place moments of goofiness, the tension doesn't let up one bit.

I've read a few reviews that claim the lighthearted music (penned by actor David Hess) and dated feeling of the film make it less effective several decades later. I find it to be just the opposite. The light pop music, primarily the movie's theme ("The road... leads... to nowhere...") lend a particularly eerie and disconcerting mood to the already squeamish storyline.

While it's a downright meanspirited movie and will still offend viewers today, keep telling yourself, "It's only a movie... it's only a movie... it's only a movie..."