Thursday, September 10, 2015

Episode 196 - Trance/The Last House on the Left

Episode 196
Trance
The Last House on the Left


We close our Danny Boyle retrospective with Trance, and begin our Wes Craven series with his debut, The Last House on the Left.

























2 comments:

  1. I never liked Last House on the Left much, but now I kinda do. The first time I saw it, I didn't know enough about film history to view it through a 1972 lens. When I watched it last week, I could see how groundbreaking it really was, and the amatuerishness of the production actually became a strength.

    I'm glad you guys pointed out the goofiness of the film. It has a really jarring quality, alternating between despicable acts of cruelty and intentional comedy. I'm not sure Wes Craven was trying to make a specific point by doing this, but as youse guys pointed out, there's a satirical element running through the whole thing that's undeniable.

    I was stunned you didn't play that god-awful Krug & Company song. That's the most disturbing thing about the film. A bouncy, up-beat folk song chronicling the jolly misadventures of a gang of rapists and murderers. Again, not sure what the point was: satirizing our tendency to make folk heroes out of criminals, or just to make a shocking contrast to the horrific violence.

    Best line of the movie: "What's this tits business?"

    Can't wait to hear your take on The Hills Have Eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I never liked Last House on the Left much, but now I kinda do. The first time I saw it, I didn't know enough about film history to view it through a 1972 lens. When I watched it last week, I could see how groundbreaking it really was, and the amatuerishness of the production actually became a strength.

    I'm glad you guys pointed out the goofiness of the film. It has a really jarring quality, alternating between despicable acts of cruelty and intentional comedy. I'm not sure Wes Craven was trying to make a specific point by doing this, but as youse guys pointed out, there's a satirical element running through the whole thing that's undeniable.

    I was stunned you didn't play that god-awful Krug & Company song. That's the most disturbing thing about the film. A bouncy, up-beat folk song chronicling the jolly misadventures of a gang of rapists and murderers. Again, not sure what the point was: satirizing our tendency to make folk heroes out of criminals, or just to make a shocking contrast to the horrific violence.

    Best line of the movie: "What's this tits business?"

    Can't wait to hear your take on The Hills Have Eyes.

    ReplyDelete