10 Infamous Video Nasties
8. Last House On Dead End Street [AKA: The Fun House] (1977)
This grindhouse picture tells of Terry Hawkins, a man angry at the world after spending some time in prison. Along with a group of fellow misfits he decides to get revenge on those who have wronged him by featuring them in snuff movies.
The problem with films becoming popular via the drive-in circuit and regional roll outs is they often undergo various cuts and titles. When it arrived in the UK in 1977 Last House on Dead End Street was known as The Fun House and was instantly denied a cinema certificate.
This move is understandable. The film is highly disturbing, due to excessive scenes of cruel and unflinching mutilation many thought the movie real. The chief offender here is a woman being mercilessly disemboweled until little remains.
However, by the time the home video market boomed, the movie had been re-titled for the third time. When authorities went looking for The Fun House on store shelves, they instead seized Tobe Hooper's very tame 1981 slasher of the same name.
Although escaping wrath due to a crafty name change, this writer wanted to include it here due to its truly disturbing nature. Last House on Dead End Street will stay with you, the unflinching portrayal of frenzied violence is truly uncomfortable.