One of the most famous titles ever to be banned in the UK, The Last House On The Left owes its fame not just to its status as a Video Nasty but also its brilliant ad campaign (To avoid fainting, keep repeating Its only a movie) and director Wes Cravens determination to explore the dehumanizing nature of violence. Whether or not Last House is a very good examination of violence is a matter of opinion, but theres no denying its raw power, which proved both influential and divisive. Refused a certificate for theatrical release in 1974, the video was banned outright a decade later, and as late as 2002 the BBFC refused to pass the film uncut, despite critic Mark Kermode making a case for its importance. Perhaps not surprisingly, censors took issue with the humiliation and murder one of the lead characters, objections that were not waived until March 2008 36 years after the film was first shown.
Ian Watson is the author of 'Midnight Movie Madness', a 600+ page guide to "bad" movies from 'Reefer Madness' to 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.'
