The Last House on the Left
The Last House on the Left is a 1972 American exploitation horror film written, directed and edited by Wes Craven in his directorial debut. The film follows Mari Collingwood (Sandra Peabody), a hippie teenager who is abducted, raped, tortured, and killed by a fugitive gang on her seventeenth birthday. When the gang unwittingly finds refuge in her family's home, the killers face the vengeance of her parents.
Plot
Mari Collingwood plans to attend a concert with her friend Phyllis Stone, for her seventeenth birthday. Her parents, Estelle and John, express their concern about her friendship with Phyllis, but let her go and give her a peace symbol necklace. Phyllis and Mari head into the city and on the way, they hear a news report of a recent prison escape involving criminals Krug Stillo, a sadistic rapist and serial killer; his heroin-addicted son, Junior; Sadie, a promiscuous psychopath and sadist; and Fred "Weasel" Podowski, a child molester, peeping Tom and murderer. Before the concert, Mari and Phyllis encounter Junior while trying to buy marijuana. He leads them to an apartment where they are trapped by the criminals. Phyllis tries to escape and reason with them, but she fails and is gang-raped. Meanwhile, Mari's unsuspecting parents prepare a surprise party for her.
More details
author | Ulla Isaksson Wes Craven |
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director | Wes Craven |
editor | Wes Craven |
events | revenge serial killer |
genre | crime horror |
keywords | cemetery child molester clothe drug withdrawal force gag heroin heroin withdrawal horrify kill let her go living room mari collingwood marijuana masquerade morning news report peeping tom prison escape sexual act stabbed to death surprise party swimming pool talk trap traumatize |
musicBy | David Hess |
producer | Sean S. Cunningham |
productionCompany | Lobster Enterprises Sean S. Cunningham Films The Night Company |
publisher | American International Pictures Hallmark Releasing |
theme | exploitation independent rape and revenge serial killer vigilante |