Celluloid Crime of the Century

Just watched this DVD extra on the unrated disc of The Last House on the Left. Among the interviewees: writer/director Wes Craven, producer Sean S. Cunningham, and the players David Hess, Fred Lincoln, Marc Sheffler, Jeramie Rain, and Martin Kove. Fascinating anecdotes abound, not to mention revelations of how some of the cast members previously knew each other. Most interesting to me was that the one who played Junior became a television writer of various sitcoms I watched growing up and that the one who played Weasel did porn before and after his LHOTL role and considers that one the one he's most ashamed of! Other extras on the DVD that I enjoyed include "Still Standing: The Legacy of The Last House on the Left" and "Scoring Last House" concerning Hess' involvement of writing and recording the songs in the movie.

Celluloid Crime of the Century (2003)

**** (out of 4)

This 40-minute documentary can be found on the Region 2 Anchor Bay release of THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. In America there's another documentary on the MGM disc that is pretty good but this one here covers a tad bit more ground so if you get a chance this is the one will want to check out. Wes Craven, Sean Cunningham, Fred Lincoln, Jeramie Rain, Marc Sheffler, Martin Kove and David Hess are interviewed on a wide range of topics. Craven and Cunninghan go into great detail on how the movie ended up getting made and they're also quite open about all the controversy that would follow its release. The most interesting comments come from the cast when they talk about how the movie had a negative impact on their lives and Craven even talks about how his girlfriend's friends wouldn't let him around their children. Rain discusses her parents not wanting to have anything to do with her and it's clear that Lincoln holds quite a bit against the film. Lincoln makes several claims that a lot of what happens in the film was actually his idea and this includes some of the murder sequences. The cast seem to have a good time talking about the production of the film and they also go into good detail about how terrified Sandra Peabody (Mari) was of them. If you've seen the film then you know how violent and brutal the film was and this portion of the film is discussed at great length. Craven clearly isn't overly impressed with this film but he gives his reasons for the violence and when it comes time to talk about the film still being shown in a cut version in England, Lincoln comments that the film should also be banned in America. Fans of the film will certainly want to check this out because it's always great seeing the cast of a film that when made I'm sure they all thought they wouldn't be discussing it thirty-years later. The documentary covers a wide range of topics and nothing really gets overlooked.

Marc Sheffler has grown as himself. His character is far more palatable than his earlier works. Yet, he doesn't look a day older than the day he brushed the silver screen in THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. However, my mother said that she does not care for "those movies" where there are just a bunch of "old men" talking. Others, like myself prefer old men. Marc confessed that he has never felt better before in his life...

In the editing process, a key plot line was left out where Marc tells his fans about his obsession for the scent of leather. For that fact alone, many people prefer Sheffler's work. Sheffler's wit is genius. Marc Sheffler has a flair that only French men can fully understand. I give his latest project three thumbs up, and wish him the best of luck on his latest project that everyone in Hollyweird is anticipating. Go Sheffler, your talent is no "crap shot"!