Celluloid Crime of the Century (2003 Video) User Reviews

Celluloid Crime of the Century is a fascinating look back at the making of The Last House on the Left, the original version

[tavm · 10/10 · 2 May 2010]

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.

Brilliant collaboration

[pagefillerup · 8 June 2003]

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"!

An excellent and informative documentary

[Woodyanders · 9/10 · 9 May 2010]

Several cast and crew members involved in making the notoriously sick and disturbing '72 horror cult shocker "The Last House on the Left" candidly discuss their participation with this still brutal and upsetting gut-kicker. Writer/director Wes Craven openly acknowledges that he was inspired by Bergman's "Virgin Spring" and made the movie as an angry response to the atrocious violence of the Vietnam war. David Hess brought an incredible energy and conviction to the role of lead psycho Krug Stillo; other cast members state that Hess stayed in character throughout the entire shooting of the movie (of course, Hess also composed the score, which is used in this doc). Porno veteran Fred Lincoln showed the filmmakers how to do all the acts of appalling violence in a believable manner and openly confesses that he doesn't care for the flick (he calls the movie a "piece of s**t"!). Jeramie Rain still looks quite lovely and says she has mixed feelings about the whole thing. Other aspects of the picture that are addressed are how the original script was even more vile and sexually explicit, Craven's shooting the film in a gritty verite documentary newsreel style, the Stillo gang was basically conceived as a severely messed-up anti-family, the difficulty of coming up with an effective title, and the flick's substantial box office success and still considerable controversial reputation. Craven says it best when he points out that the movie's staying power can be attributed to the fact that it doesn't ever flinch in its savage depiction of foul and sadistic violence. Essential viewing for fans of the film.

Great Look at the Controversial Shocker

[Michael_Elliott · 19 March 2011]

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.