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Making Of The Last House On The Left (1997)
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Fiction Review by The Mortician
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06.27.02
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If you're a fan of Wes Craven or making no-budget movies, this book is indispensable!Writer David Szulkin spent many years researching this film and interviewing all the collaborators, including cast and crew. This includes producer Sean Cunningham, actor/musician David A. Hess, and production assistant Steve Miner (who went on to direct a slew of big movies, including LAKE PLACID and H20), not to mention Craven himself!Craven's life is chronicled well, all the way through his restless teaching days when he finally decided to hang it up and make movies! Teaming up with Cunningham on some softcore porn flicks, they end up getting a distributor interested in giving them some financing if they can make 'the sickest film possible.'Easier said than done, especially on a budget under $100,000.00 and having very little knowledge or experience in the world of moviemaking. Hey, people are still trying it today, even though 16mm has been replaced by digital video. See how all the 'counterculture' and 'underground' horror filmmaking began!Szulkin covers writing the script, casting the movie, shooting the movie, editing, and distribution. Nothing is left out, and there's even reproductions of the original script pages and props lists!If you're a horror buff with a curiosity on the history of one of the great drive-in classics of all time, this book is for you. If you're a moviemaker looking for shortcuts and motivation, this book is ALSO for you.The handsome tome contains hundreds of rare stills with a full color insert in the middle! This includes various poster art for video and foreign releases and frame grabs from one of the last 'uncut' 16mm prints of the film!Szulkin leaves no stone unturned in documenting the making of LAST HOUSE. From interviews with the girls who played the victims to a detailed chapter on all the various cuts that were made to the film (and why), it's all here. Can't forget a chapter on all the copy-cat movies that followed LAST HOUSE, either!Incredible. This one will be water cooler discussion for the true horror fans over the next decade to come.Order at www.fabpress.com
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Rating: nan out of 10.0 - votes cast total
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