The Last House on Dead End Street. Roger Michael Watkins (as Victor Janos), 1977.
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Edition screened: Included on Vinegar Syndrome Corruption Blu-ray #098, released 2015. English language. Runtime approximately 78 minutes.
Summary: Explicit slaughter house footage. The blood drains from the head of a just-killed cow, 9:59-10:35.
This bloody scene is real “found footage” cut into The Last House when a character mentions that he formerly worked in a slaughter house. It has nothing to do with the film and probably was included simply for shock value or to set a horrific tone early in the viewing experience.
The Last House on Dead End Street is Watkins’ first film and some aspects are substandard or amateurish, notably the impulse to include the unrelated cow killing. But many of the story ideas, visual compositions, and the creative use of props are among the finest examples found in this type of horror film. Through costuming, blocking, and minimal dialogue Watkins creates and sustains moods that are truly horrifying, perfectly nightmarish in a way we rarely see portrayed.
Note that The Last House on Dead End Street is included as a secret bonus on Vinegar Syndrome’s Corruption Blu-ray. Access the film by scrolling down to the bottom item on the main menu, then push ‘down’ six more times. The /t/in the title Corruption at the top of the screen will gain a shadow. Select and play.