Goodbye, Mr. Craven

Wes Craven has died. Hollywood Reporter has the obit. I'm sure everyone will be gushing about A Nightmare on Elm Street or Scream.  The People Under the Stairs and Shocker have adherents as well. For  me , though, the film that Wes Craven should be remembered for is The Last House on the Left.

LHotL is a difficult and disturbing film. The first half is abhorrent torture and rape visited on innocents. The second half is abhorrent torture and death visited on the guilty.  This is a movie that makes the audience uncomfortable. Mostly, it makes us uncomfortable with ourselves. As it should.

Craven manages to force his audience to rethink their view of things like morality, revenge, justice. That's a lot for an ultra-low budget horror movie to accomplish.

But he managed it.

So long Wes, we are gonna miss you!