2. Last House on the Left - Krug Your Name With Pride (1972)
The Last House on the Left is a film I admire greatly. I find it to pack more punches than The Exorcist, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and other horror films combined together. Craven manages to build up a tension and palpable dread in the film which is sustained the whole way through without faltering. The film deals with the sadistic torture, murder and rape of two young teenage girls - Phyllis and Mari - by a reprehensible bunch of thugs, murderers and psychopaths. For me the most controversial scene comes when it is Mari's turn to die. Krug, the leader of the group carves his name on Mari's chest. He then rapes her. Mari vomits and quietly says a prayer. She walks into a lake and Krug dispatches of her by gunfire. It is horrible to watch the rape, torture and killing of such a beautiful, innocent young girl who had the whole of her life before her. Even the thugs look uncomfortable at the end of the scene. Just what the heck have they achieved by killing these two girls? Nothing but an ugly hollow act of mindless sadism. The viewer is revolted.