Ingmar Bergman’s Oscar-winning The Virgin Spring, a tale of savagery in medieval Sweden, served as a direct influence on Wes Craven’s debut feature, The Last House on the Left.
But despite the similarities in their premises, these harrowing dramas about rape, murder, and revenge showcase the distinct styles of their directors. The earlier film is a powerful interrogation of faith and morality, while Craven’s spin is a shocking piece of exploitation filmmaking that was initially banned for its depiction of sadism and sexual violence.
