Last House On Dead End Street [DVD] [1977]

I first discovered this little slasher-classic whilst trying to track down an uncut copy of "last house on the left" and after researching various "rave reviews!" on the net I decided to purchase...
Oh boy I'm glad I did, because this is proof-positive of the failure of modern technology to transfer something this "low quality" to DVD.
If you like your films to appear as if the negative has been used as the lining of a canary's cage, then this one is for you!
The plot is nothing short of non-existent, basically it goes like this....
First time director makes "extra-real" horror movies that turn out to be real,
That'll do me!, what exactly do you expect from a film entitled "The last house on dead-end street"
I loved it!, from begining to end non-stop weirdness, total gore, bad script, face masks for no apparent reason and to top it off!!! I can hardly contain myself,
A woman in black & white minstrel makeup being whipped by a drunk guy in a plaid suite doing a Quasimodo impression!!!!
Does it get any better!!!!!!!
OK CALM NOW!
Anyway and so to the actual DVD...
Barrel Entertainment have done an absolutely exceptional job with this film, given the "laughable quality" of the negative, but if you don't mind that and you consider that apparently the origional ran to about three hours and this is all they could find at the bottom of the canary cage (about one-hour thirty minutes worth)it's OK
What makes it worthwhile and an absolute essential to any slasher-mongers collection are the extras, rare interviews with the deranged director who appparently made the film to fuel his drug habit, TV spots from the 70's(I can't believe they profiled this movie on TV)and even a dodgy music video dedication by some shamefull thrash metal band from the deep south called (sorry I can't be bothered to remember their name!)
See this movie!!!!!!!!!
In the words of Michael Weldon (Psychotronic Encyclopedia)
"Have you ever heard anyone even admit they saw it?"
Snuff said!

Written, directed, produced and staring Roger Watkins (he used the pseudonym Victor Janos for this title), in 1973, but not released until later - he had only previously (and subsequently) made porn movies, Last House on Dead End Street is a gruelling piece of cinema. This is not to say that the gore (or special effects), are of particular note, but that it is, in the essence of the film, an incredibly hateful, almost evil one, that pervades the raw material of the cheep 16mm home-style movie cameras. The title was a cash-in, by distributors, of the success of The Last House on the Left (1972), but was previously named The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell, and The Funhouse. The film poster also "used" the ...on the Left tag line: 'It's only a movie....only a movie'.

Terry Hawkins (played by Watkins), is a pornographer, who wants to film something new, something different. He settles on the idea of making a snuff movie. It would be quite an epic, as Hawkins finds a derelict mansion, with many empty rooms, decaying and dank. He invites friends over to 'make a movie' - albeit people who had f****d him off in some way. They are humiliated, abused, and many don't survive. Hawkins is the "snuff" movie director, barking a vicious hate from his very soul (this is quite tense and realistic acting from the actor). You can believe these excruciating scenes seem painfully real, as Watkins/Hawkins genuinely excretes animosity, to the other actors, to the audience. At moments during the filming, another cameraman would move the lens of his 16mm camera towards the screen we see. The audience is almost made implicit to the horrific torture played out on screen, the camera now staring into your eyes, watching you viewing gruesome terror.

The film has many of these harsh and morally contentious moments. You do question yourself whilst watching. It actually does appear to have been made by a psychopath. In one strange sequence, a man is forced to suck on an animals hoof that is protruding from the unzipped trousers of a woman. There is a lot of pseudo-Grecian mythological iconography here. Masks and mild symbolism can be seen in the 'rituals' of the torture/killings.

It is an exercise in sadism, much more gruesome than modern day torture- porn (also known as gorenography) such as Hostel, or the Saw franchise. This is because it gets under our skin with its deep-rooted malevolence, and its ability to almost scrutinise us. The amateurish style of the film really adds to this. The original cut of the film, has been authorised by Watkins, was nearly 3 hours long. Not sure if could handle the 'directors cut' for this one. Filmed in New York, it could almost have been an Andy Warhol film, before Paul Morrissey started directing movies for Andy Warhol Productions. I'm doubtful that I will ever watch this film again.

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Let me start by saying that I neither love nor loathe this piece of cinema. It is an interesting exploration of the lengths that cinema will go to offend but not much more.

Re the uncut/cut debate. I can confirm that this is the longest available version. People that are comparing NTSC to PAL should really do some research before spewing their drivel. Running time WILL be different between the two. As far as a complete uncut copy is concerned, it doesnt exist. There is so much missing footage from the film, lost for all time, that to claim to have a complete uncut edition is stupid.

Buy, watch, enjoy....