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Episode #014 – The Hills Have Eyes
Few directors in film history slashed their way onto the scene like Wes Craven. His early films were not critically acclaimed red carpet fare. They, instead, were met with a fanfare of screams and moral outcry.
Wes Craven launched his directing career with the controversial rape/revenge film entitled, Last House on the Left. A film that New York Times reporter, Howard Thompson called “sickening tripe” filled with “repulsive people and humans.” Craven recalled that – quote – ”When the film first ran in the U.S., people actually rushed to the projection booths trying to get to the print and destroy it. Theatre owners were bodily threatened, there was a fist-fight in one theatre, a heart-attack in another, reports of grown men weeping.” – unquote.
The film was also, like many films of the time, banned from Cinemas in the U.K. by British censors for being – quote – “unacceptable both in terms of our published guidelines and in terms of public expectations.” – end quote.
Last House affected Wes Craven’s personal life as well. The family he’d grown up with was crushed, his friends and colleagues were, in large part, disgusted by the film. Wes recalled in an interview that people would no longer leave their children with him, or would end a conversation and leave the room immediately when they found out he directed the film.
There was a strong sense of separation that was felt between Wes Craven and “normal society.” He attempted to get 6 or 7 films off the ground, including comedies, romantic films, and a war film, but no producer would back him. The ones that did offer money were only interested in one thing – another horror movie.
After hitting financial bottom once the money from Last House on the Left – and the adult film he made the year after – ran out, Wes finally listened to his friend and producer Peter Locke whose promptings pushed Wes to go to California and write and direct his next feature film – The Hills Have Eyes.
On this episode, I’ll be talking about this fascinating film, as well as the 2006 remake of the same name.
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By Eric SkwarczynskiFew directors in film history slashed their way onto the scene like Wes Craven. His early films were not critically acclaimed red carpet fare. They, instead, were met with a fanfare of screams and moral outcry.
Wes Craven launched his directing career with the controversial rape/revenge film entitled, Last House on the Left. A film that New York Times reporter, Howard Thompson called “sickening tripe” filled with “repulsive people and humans.” Craven recalled that – quote – ”When the film first ran in the U.S., people actually rushed to the projection booths trying to get to the print and destroy it. Theatre owners were bodily threatened, there was a fist-fight in one theatre, a heart-attack in another, reports of grown men weeping.” – unquote.
The film was also, like many films of the time, banned from Cinemas in the U.K. by British censors for being – quote – “unacceptable both in terms of our published guidelines and in terms of public expectations.” – end quote.
Last House affected Wes Craven’s personal life as well. The family he’d grown up with was crushed, his friends and colleagues were, in large part, disgusted by the film. Wes recalled in an interview that people would no longer leave their children with him, or would end a conversation and leave the room immediately when they found out he directed the film.
There was a strong sense of separation that was felt between Wes Craven and “normal society.” He attempted to get 6 or 7 films off the ground, including comedies, romantic films, and a war film, but no producer would back him. The ones that did offer money were only interested in one thing – another horror movie.
After hitting financial bottom once the money from Last House on the Left – and the adult film he made the year after – ran out, Wes finally listened to his friend and producer Peter Locke whose promptings pushed Wes to go to California and write and direct his next feature film – The Hills Have Eyes.
On this episode, I’ll be talking about this fascinating film, as well as the 2006 remake of the same name.