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THE
LAST HOUSE ON THE BEACH
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Italy
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1978
Directed by Franco Prosperi
Starring
Florinda Bolkan
Ray Lovelock
Laura Trotter
Color
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90 Minutes
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Not Rated
Format: DVD (R1
- NTSC)
Severin Films
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6
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10
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Guest
Review by Troy
Howarth |
A
trio of ruthless killers (Ray Lovelock, Flavio
Andreini, Stefano Cedatri) flee to a supposedly
empty seaside villa, not realizing it is being
occupied by a nun (Florinda Bolkan) in charge
of a group of schoolgirls...
The
surprise success of Wes Craven's watershed The
Last House on the Left (1972) lead to an inevitable
string of cash-ins, many of them Italian. Franco
Prosperi's The Last House
on the Beach (originally La Settima
Donna, "The Seventh Woman") is one
of the last of these films, and it's also one
of the best. Compared to its American model, it
offers slick cinematographic technique to go along
with the sleaze and carnage. It is also legitimately
disturbing in spots, though it never pushes the
boundaries quite so far as its American model.
The screenplay
by Romano Migliorini (co-author of Mario Bava's
gothic masterpiece, Kill,
Baby... Kill!, 1966) and Gianbattista Mussetto
isn't particularly novel up to a point, but it
introduces its masterstroke around the midpoint
by revealing that Bolkan's buttoned down instructor
is a nun, thus tying the film into that other
exploitation film staple, the "nunsploitation"
picture. In the hands of director Prosperi (Mondo
Cane), the film moves at a decent pace and
includes competent performances from its small
ensemble. Prosperi milks its big shock set-pieces
— the rape of Bolkan,
the implied sodomy of one of the school girls,
and, most memorably, the deflowering of a virgin
with a large wooden pole —
for all they are worth, but he actually implies
more than he shows. Though not exactly subtle,
the film nevertheless avoids eroticizing its violence
and depicts the sadistic rapists as the scum they
are. The schoolgirls, in contrast, are kept sympathetic
throughout, thus making the atrocities they endure
all the more affecting.
Florinda Bolkan (A
Lizard in a Woman's Skin, Flavia
the Heretic) gives a fine performance as the
morally conflicted nun who offers to help the
criminals on the condition that they spare the
schoolgirls. Bolkan brought tremendous strength
and gravitas to all her horror and exploitation
roles, and this is no exception. She is convincing
throughout and manages to hit all the right notes
of piety and rage and regret. Ray Lovelock (The
Living Dead at Manchester Morgue) makes the
best impression of the three rapists. A handsome
and likable performer, he often played heroic
roles in Italian horror films and gialli, but
his casting here is interesting in the way it
subverts expectations. The supporting cast does
capable work, though Stefano Cedatri tends to
overact as the injured member of the gang.
Set to a very '70s soundtrack
by Roberto Pregadio (Jess Franco's Cannibals),
including a vocal performance by Lovelock himself,
the film offers some stylish cinematography courtesy
of Cristiano Pogany. Production values and makeup
effects are well done, as well, and a tightly
structured 90 minutes the film can hardly be accused
of overstaying its welcome. Sleaze fans should
be satisfied, but there's enough delicacy of touch
to ensure that more restrained viewers might find
something of interest in its nihilistic examination
of the baser side of humanity.
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Severin Films presents the U.S. DVD debut of The
Last House on the Beach, and once again
they have much to be proud of. The 2.35/16x9 transfer
looks very good on the whole —
some grain is in evidence and there is minor color
fluctuating in a handful of shots, but beyond
that it looks very nice indeed. Colors are strong
on the whole, detail is sharp and the print is
fully uncut. Apart from some minor edge enhancement
issues, the mastering is first rate. Audio options
are limited to the mono English dub —
a pity, really, as the English soundtrack is a
bit hokey in spots. Even so, the track sounds
as good as one could realistically hope.
Extras
include German and Italian trailers, as well as
a lengthy featurette, Holy Beauty vs. the Evil
Beasts, which interviews Ray Lovelock. Lovelock
provides background on everything from his name
(it's his real name, not a pseudonym), to his
origins in the film business, to his memories
of Last House and
its participants. The gracefully aging actor chain-smokes
his way through the memories, and he comes off
as a down to earth and likable sort. 11/11/08
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