The Last House on the Left (1972)
Cost $87,000, B.O. – 3.1 Million
Before emerging in the 80’s as one of the masters of the genre, Wes Craven had one of the more colorful careers on this list. While teaching English at Westminster College and Clarkson University, Craven was also pseudonymously directing and editing X-rated films to make cash and learn the trade. In the early 70’s he struck on the strangely literary idea to remake Ingmar Bergman’s “The Virgin Spring” (itself based on a 13th Century Swedish Folk Ballad) as a drive-in exploitation film. It is without question a brutal and nasty film, but it was also wildly successful, and launched Craven’s career as one of the most thought provoking filmmakers in the admittedly trashy genre.
