The Last House on the Left (1972)

A pair of teenage girls are headed to a rock concert for one's birthday. While trying to score marijuana in the city, the girls are kidnapped by a gang of psychotic convicts.

Director:

Wes Craven

Writer:

Wes Craven

Stars:

Sandra Peabody, Lucy Grantham, David Hess

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sandra Peabody	...	Mari Collingwood (as Sandra Cassell)
Lucy Grantham	...	Phyllis Stone
David Hess	...	Krug Stillo (as David A. Hess)
Fred J. Lincoln	...	Fred 'Weasel' Podowski (as Fred Lincoln)
Jeramie Rain	...	Sadie
Marc Sheffler	...	Junior Stillo
Richard Towers	...	Dr. John Collingwood (as Gaylord St. James)
Cynthia Carr	...	Estelle Collingwood
Ada Washington	...	Ada
Marshall Anker	...	Sheriff
Martin Kove	...	Deputy
Ray Edwards	...	Postman

Storyline

On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Mari Collingwood tells her parents that she is going to the concert of underground band Bloodlust in New York with her friend Phyllis Stone. She borrows the family's car and heads with her friend to a dangerous neighborhood in the city. Meanwhile, the sadistic and cruel escapees Krug Stillo and Fred 'Weasel' Podowski are hidden in a hideout with their partners Sadie (Jeramie Rain) and Krug's addicted son Junior Stillo (Marc Sheffler) after killing two guards and one shepherd in their runaway. The two girls seek marijuana near the theater and meet Junior that offers some Colombian grass to them. They go to his apartment and are subdued by the criminals that rape Phyllis. On the next morning, they hide the girls in the trunk of their convertible and head to Canada. However, they have a problem with the car's rod and they stop on the road close to Mari's house. When Phyllis tries to escape, the gang stabs her to death and shots Mari after ...

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Plot Keywords:

gang | birthday | concert | marijuana | parent | 

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Taglines:

It rests on 13 acres of earth over the very center of hell...!

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

X

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 August 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Grim Company

Filming Locations:

21 Street and 2nd Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lobster Enterprises, Sean S. Cunningham Films, The Night Co.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min 64 min (heavily cut) 91 min (original cut) 82 min (R-rated)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Fred J. Lincoln helped choreograph some of the more violent scenes in the movie.

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Goofs

During the dinner scene Krug asks "Mind if I smoke?". When he exits the scene, the candle he used was extinguished and in the next scene it was still lit.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Postman: [to dog] Hello, Cassie! Hiya, girl! Hello there! Now, let's see.
[looks through mail]
Postman: Ah, it looks like Mari's getting cards from half the civilized world. Mari Collingwood. Mari Collingwood. Mari Collingwood. You'd think she's the only kid to reach the age of 17. Of course she is probably the prettiest piece I've ever seen.

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Connections

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Sadie and Krug (Baddies' Theme)"
Written and Performed by David Hess

User Reviews

A VERY dark journey....

I remember, quite vividly, the ad campaign for "Last House on the Left". I clearly remember the eerie feeling I got when I saw the ads, either televised or printed. Yet, as eerie as they were, nothing in the ads ever prepared me for this movie. I felt helpless during the film because nothing I could do would help the characters on-screen. I was terrified by man's cruelty to man. I still continue to be haunted by this film. The feeling one experiences viewing this film can only be compared to what a jury feels when video evidence is presented. With that said, I have to admit this is a great film. To evoke such feelings in an audience using actors and actresses is a work of great talent. I can't say I've enjoyed most of Mr. Craven's works; but, this is undeniable a staple in cinema's history.