Wes Craven's Most Extreme Horror Movie Was So Gory That It Was Banned in the UK

Many associate Wes Craven with A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream, but long before Freddy Krueger frightened children and Ghostface terrified teenagers, the director made a movie that is still considered one of the most violent in history.

The Last House on the Left, Craven's debut work, was so shocking that it received an X rating and was banned in the UK until 2002.

What Is 'The Last House on the Left' About?

Mari and Phyllis are two friends who travel from the countryside to the big city for a rock concert. They planned to have a good time, but a gang of fugitives led by Krug got in their way.

The girls fall into the hands of sadists who torture them for hours before eventually killing them. By chance, the criminals end up in the same house as Mari's parents.

The unsuspecting parents provide the criminals with shelter and food. When the truth is revealed, the parents take justice into their own hands.

'The Last House on the Left' Ushered in a New Aesthetic of Violence in Horror Films

Wes Craven started out as a pornographer, and his first horror movie reflects this background.

The Last House on the Left is a violent retelling of Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring, but while Bergman's cruelty was metaphysical, Craven's is tangible and almost documentary-like.

Craven made the movie with a B-movie aesthetic, crudely and on a minimal budget. It was in this rawness, in the absence of gloss, that a statement was born that struck a chord with the times.

'The Last House on the Left' Is Still a Difficult Movie to Watch

The greatest strength and horror of The Last House on the Left is that Craven doesn't exploit violence – the torture scenes are unpleasant, filthy, and repulsive.

The parents' revenge doesn't seem heroic either, it's an act of desperation that is no less cruel than the crimes committed by the maniacs. Craven doesn't offer viewers catharsis, he simply demonstrates that violence begets violence and that there's no escaping this cycle.

The movie was banned in the UK for nearly 30 years. Today, it's rarely remembered in comparison to Craven's later works. However, The Last House on the Left defined his style: the ability to depict horror without embellishment, heroization, or hope.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'The Last House on the Left'?

• The Last House on the Left has 65% from critics and 50% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 5.8/10.

• On Letterboxd, The Last House on the Left scored 2.9/5.0.

Where to Watch 'The Last House on the Left'?

The Last House on the Left is available to stream on Prime Video.