Common Sense Media Review
By Charles Cassady Jr.
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Amateurish bloodbath that became a cult-horror hit.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Last House on the Left (1972)
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
Based on 11 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is extremely violent and disturbing, featuring graphic scenes of rape and murder that make it inappropriate for younger audiences, despite some reviewers finding it a powerful exploration of revenge. While some praise its status as a classic and highlight its unique storyline, many criticize its poor execution, uneven structure, and unsettling soundtrack that contrasts awkwardly with the brutality depicted.
- violent content
- disturbing themes
- inappropriate for teens
- poor execution
- classic status
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Although this claims up front to be based on a "true story" (a common exploitation gimmick), many have discerned LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT to be a loose remake of the Swedish art-house classic The Virgin Spring, a stately, medieval tale of a grief-stricken father's revenge on his daughter's murderers. In this update, teenager Mari Collingwood and her somewhat wilder girlfriend celebrate Mari's birthday via an unchaperoned trip to the big city and a rock concert. Lured to an apartment by claims of marijuana for sale, the pair are seized by a trio of escaped convicts and their moll, who toy with the helpless victims at first, but ultimately drive them out to the woods and kill them. Fatefully, the culprits' car breaks down near the Collingwood home, where Mari's straightlaced parents politely let them stay overnight, even as the couple frets over their daughter's absence. Soon Dr. and Mrs. Collingwood realize exactly who their visitors are...
Is It Any Good?
Done on a shoestring budget with no-name actors (some moonlighting from porno flicks), the dreadful Last House on the Left became a "grindhouse" hit. A few appreciative critics call it a classic -- others condemned it as vile garbage -- though amidst grubby production values and community-theater acting, there are only brief hints writer-director Wes Craven would later be hero to young, thrill-hungry moviegoers for masterminding the Scream and Freddy Krueger film series.
A comment-worthy touch here: the idea (brought out better in Craven's even grislier The Hills Have Eyes) that "ordinary" people, one of them a doctor, could commit appalling slaughter, just as heinous as the villains here -- so what makes them any better? Still, it takes an effort for modern viewers to look past the outdated hairstyles, muffled dialogue, and primitive visuals that horror-fanciers have found so compelling. Especially painful/jarring are the moments of would-be comedy relief and a wildly uneven grab-bag of soundtrack songs, ranging from spacey hippie ballads to a jug-band and kazoo (!) fanfare.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why this crudely-made shocker became so popular, while some critics thought it the worst thing they'd ever seen. Was it simply a classic ad campaign ("Keep Telling Yourself...`It's Only a Movie. It's Only a Movie...'"). Or is filmmaker Wes Craven's mastery of visceral horror and psychological suspense actually present, under all the fuzzy sound, iffy acting, and low-budget camerawork? You could use this film to get horror-minded kids to watch a foreign-language art-movie classic, Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring, to compare-contrast. Which one is a stronger portrait of parental grief and vengeance?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 30, 1972
- On DVD or streaming : February 24, 2009
- Cast : David Hess , Lucy Grantham , Sandra Cassel
- Director : Wes Craven
- Studio : MGM/UA
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 91 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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