Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

The Last House on the Left 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 7, 2023

Wes Craven's original version of The Last House on the Left featured one of the more memorable advertising campaigns in the annals of horror films, an urgent reminder that "to avoid fainting, keep repeating, 'it's only a movie, it's only a movie, it's only a movie. . .'". Some may approach this 2009 version, one sparked by Craven himself if ultimately it ended up being directed by Dennis Iliadis, by jokingly repeating "it's only a remake, it's only a remake" ad infinitum. That "remake" descriptor may be a two edged sword in a way, though. As remakes often go, this one probably has more to offer than many of its general ilk, but at the same time I'm sure there will be fans of the original film who feel that Craven's decision to up the budget and provide at least a relatively happier ending (for some, anyway) may not have necessarily aided the visceral impact of the story (which is still quite evident, just to be clear), as part of the original's force was its very lo-fi ambience. As Craven mentions in a supplement, the plot mechanics of The Last House on the Left in this iteration at least rely on a coincidence so ridiculous that it may subvert its own impact, but given that one perilously ludicrous device, this version still offers a rather unsettling feral intensity at times.

The Last House on the Left had a previous release well over a decade ago on Blu-ray courtesy of home studio Universal Studios, and those wanting a plot recap as well as a well reasoned reaction to the film are encouraged to read Ken Brown's The Last House on the Left Blu-ray review of that now long ago release. Some may also find some value in my own The Last House on the Left Blu-ray review of the original, which in turn points to another review by Casey Broadwater.

The Last House on the Left 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from Arrow's 1080 presentation of the Theatrical Cut. This release does not offer the Theatrical Cut in 1080.

The Last House on the Left is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Arrow Video with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow's insert booklet is the same for both its 1080 and 4K UHD releases of the film, and contains the following information on the presentation:

The Last House on the Left is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio.

The UHD presents the film graded in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, while the Blu-ray presents the film in standard dynamic range.

The feature masters were supplied by NBC Universal. The 4K HDR grading was completed by Visual Data Media Services.

All audio mixes were remastered by NBC Universal.

Ken really liked the look of the Universal Blu-ray, while stating up front that those who don't like really heavy grain had best stay far, far away from this presentation. If anything, and judging solely by some screenshots shared between the two reviews, it appears that Arrow's version is slightly darker and even grainier looking than Universal's own release, and the grittiness of the grain is frankly only increased in this 4K UHD version, which may provoke varying reactions from viewers. I've often been securely on record as stating that I'm not always completely fond of how heavy grain looks in the 4K UHD format, and there were at least some passing moments in this presentation where that was definitely my reaction, though kind of interestingly several of them were for more brightly lit moments, where the speckled black quality of the grain tends to mask things like bright blue skies. As with the 1080 presentation, and arguably even more so in 4K UHD, the grain can lead to some definite texturing and fuzziness in some darker moments. I'm probably marginally less consistently pleased with the tightness of grain resolution in this version than I was with Arrow's 1080 release. On the plus side, HDR and/or Dolby Vision have noticeably improved shadow definition throughout the many dark parts of the film, and while the palette has obviously been toyed with, both the yellow and blue gradings offer some really interesting moments with some added highlights in this version, and with fine detail levels remaining largely intact, at least when lighting conditions allow. The increased resolution of this format also results in some subtle but still noticeable improvement in fine detail levels. There's no significant damage of any kind to report.

The Last House on the Left 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Last House on the Left features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that sounds (sorry, no pun intended) like it mimics the track Ken reviewed on the Universal release. Arrow's version also offers an LPCM 2.0 option. The surround track delivers consistent immersion that includes a veritable glut of ambient environmental sounds since so much of the film takes place outdoors, but even the claustrophobic confines of the lake cabin provide some really excellent (and frightening) placement of sound effects. An evocative score by Stephen Coleman also resides comfortably in the side and rear channels. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Last House on the Left 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc One (4K UHD)

• Theatrical Version (UHD; 1:49;43)


• Introduction by Dennis Iliadis (HD; 6:02) is available under the Play Film Menu, and is authored to move on to the feature.


• Commentary by David Flint and Adrian Smith


• Interviews

  A River of Blood (HD; 31:27) is an interview with Sara Paxton.

  
  

  The Notorious Krug (HD; 27:01) is an interview with Garret Dillahunt.

  
  

  Suspending Disbelief (HD; 18:26) is an interview with screenwriter Carl Ellsworth.

  
  

  Reviving the Legend (HD; 33:06) is an interview with producer Jonathan Craven.

• Look Inside Featurette (HD; 2:41) is a brief archival piece from 2009.


• Deleted Scenes (SD; 8:58)


• Trailer (HD; 2:25)


• Stills Gallery (HD)

Disc Two (1080)

• Unrated Version (HD; 1:53:35)

Arrow also provides another nicely appointed insert booklet with an essay by Zoe Rose Smith and the typical assortment of technical and cast/crew information. Packaging features a slipcover.

The Last House on the Left 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As Ken mentioned in his review of the Universal release, this may be a "glass half full, glass half empty" situation for some where both pluses and minuses can be argued when comparing this to Craven's original. This 4K UHD release itself has pluses and minuses, and I'd say reactions to it are going to depend on individual tolerances for at times very heavy grain. Otherwise, technical merits are largely secure and as usual Arrow provides some excellent supplements. Recommended.