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Late to the Party: The Last House on the Left (1972)

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last house

Welcome back to another edition of Late to the Party! This week, I finally watched Wes Craven’s 1972 debut film, The Last House on the Left.

For the uninitiated, The Last House on the Left tells the unfortunate tale of two young girls who head to “the city” for a concert. They get caught up with a gang of recently escaped convicts who tear them away for a brutal and horrific escapade. But that’s just the beginning; it continues on in a dark and vaguely-Straw Dogs inspired tale of vicious vengeance that truly satisfies.

via IMDb

Right from the start, I was taken with the film’s opening. The mailman’s monologue (dialogue, if you consider the fact that he’s talking to a dog I guess) immediately establishes the age, name, and popularity of young protagonist and future victim Mari (Sandra Peabody). It personalizes her, so even though we don’t spend a lot of time with her character, we connect with her as a “real” person who others care a great deal about.

via IMDb

As Mari and her friend Phyllis (Lucy Grantham) begin their joyful jaunt to the city, the car radio warns them of the sinister escapees. As the audio plays, the shot cuts to each character as they are mentioned in turn. We are given a confirming glance at each of them, providing the harsh details of their capabilities.

via IMDb

The real MVPs of The Last House on the Left are Mari’s parents, John (Richard Towers aka Gaylord St. James) and Estelle (Cynthia Carr). While Estelle connects the dots and discovers their daughter’s fate, John is kind of an O.G. Kevin McCallister, building a series of sophisticated booby traps using household resources. Estelle has a fantastically gnarly moment of manipulation, using her feminine wiles to go hard on one of the criminals in his most vulnerable state. It’s great.

via IMDb

The Last House on the Left was hugely successful, grossing over $3 million domestically on a humble budget of $87,000. Most critics found it too disturbing and didn’t quite know what to make of it – except Roger Ebert, who unexpectedly gave it three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Due to the controversially violent nature of the film it was broadly censored. The United Kingdom actually banned the film, adding it to their list of “video nasties” (which – in its own way – is a kind of status symbol). Over the years, The Last House on the Left has gained an impressive cult following. A sequel was planned, but never came to fruition, though a remake was released in 2009.

via IMDb

Although there are a few soundtrack choices that don’t quite age well (they create a contrast to the film’s overall tone and acts on screen, but perhaps the music is a touch too relaxed), The Last House on the Left is an absolute classic. It’s a shocking revenge tale that holds up over time.

 

For more Late to the Party posts, see our full list here

Featured image via Chris Fischer

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The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

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The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

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Morticia & Wednesday Addams Join Monster High Skullector Series

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Believe it or not, Mattel’s Monster High doll brand has an immense following with both young and not-so-young collectors. 

In that same vein, the fan base for The Addams Family is also very large. Now, the two are collaborating to create a line of collectible dolls that celebrate both worlds and what they have created is a combination of fashion dolls and goth fantasy. Forget Barbie, these ladies know who they are.

The dolls are based on Morticia and Wednesday Addams from the 2019 Addams Family animated movie. 

As with any niche collectibles these aren’t cheap they bring with them a $90 price tag, but it’s an investment as a lot of these toys become more valuable over time. 

“There goes the neighborhood. Meet the Addams Family’s ghoulishly glamorous mother-daughter duo with a Monster High twist. Inspired by the animated movie and clad in spiderweb lace and skull prints, the Morticia and Wednesday Addams Skullector doll two-pack makes for a gift that’s so macabre, it’s downright pathological.”

If you want to pre-purchase this set check out The Monster High website.

Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Footwear for Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams doll shoes
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1994’s ‘The Crow’ Coming Back to Theaters for A New Special Engagement

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The Crow

Cinemark recently announced that they will be bringing The Crow back from the dead once again. This announcement comes just in time for the film’s 30th anniversary. Cinemark will be playing The Crow in select theaters on May 29th and 30th.

For those unaware, The Crow is a fantastic film based on the gritty graphic novel by James O’Barr. Widely considered one of the best films of the 90s, The Crow’s lifespan was cut short when Brandon Lee died of an accidental on set shooting.

The official synapsis of the film is as follows. “The modern-gothic original that entranced audiences and critics alike, The Crow tells the tale of a young musician brutally murdered alongside his beloved fiancée, only to be risen from the grave by a mysterious crow. Seeking revenge, he battles a criminal underground that must answer for its crimes. Adapted from the comic book saga of the same name, this action-packed thriller from director Alex Proyas (Dark City) features hypnotic style, dazzling visuals, and a soulful performance by the late Brandon Lee.”

The Crow

The timing of this release couldn’t be better. As a new generation of fans eagerly awaits the release of The Crow remake, they can now see the classic film in all of its glory. As much as we love Bill Skarsgard (IT), there is something timeless in Brandon Lee’s performance in the film.

This theatrical release is part of the Scream Greats series. This is a collaboration between Paramount Scares and Fangoria to bring audiences some of the best classic horror films. So far, they are doing a fantastic job.

That’s all the information we have at this time. Make sure to check back here for more news and updates.

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