Watching The Last House on the Left I couldn’t believe how casual the killers were about everything. The decision to go find girls was spontaneous and relaxed, to the point where I didn’t realize they were planning to rape and kill. I just assumed they wanted to find girls to party and sleep with (consensually of course).
The scene where the girls are raped and killed is chilling. The killers are so methodical in their actions that it leaves the viewer numb. They molest her than slowly follow her as she stumbles down to the water, where they finally finish with shooting her full of bullets.
Though the scene isn’t the overwhelmingly gory as many horror films are, it is just as disturbing if not more so. Between the unaffected attitudes of the people, the lightheartedness of the music, and the sunshine filled scenery of the woods in morning, the entire scene managed to pervert the calm of nature. It seemed unnatural and disturbing.
I wasn't in class this week to watch this film but I'm sort of glad I chose this class to miss.
ReplyDeleteI think the most disturbing element of horror films in general is how they normalize violence in what ever capacity- sexual, emotional, physical.
I never understand who actually sat down and thought molesting a young woman and then shooting her several times until her death would be well received?
But then again- the more disturbing part is that it is well received. People love it. What is it about our culture that loves to see violence in this way? I wonder how this all evolved to present day goriness.
Think of how different television and movies were when we were kids- imagine how much it will change in terms of censorship and normalcy in the next 20 years. It is scary- that is for sure.
Good thoughts.