The New House on the Left

Late Night Trains is the Italian answer to the American success of Craven’sThe Last House on the Left. And at least two light years better. Though maestro Aldo Lado is equally sadistic and cruel, the violence in his work and in the context of the plot isn’t so cheap and gratuitous. The characters are more thoroughly developed, the ethical questions (does a parent have the right to kill their child’s killer?) are more apt and the formalistic aspect is more sophisticated. The initially slow pace gradually speeds up, taking the viewer through unexpected twists and shocks and leading to a breathtaking climax. Bravo! (01/07/2005)

A technically better executed Last House on the Left. The beginning is incredibly slow, but things start to get interesting on the night train. The abuse here is not exaggerated, it feels real and it’s quite strong as a result. I can take physical torture on screen, the problems begin when I have to watch fifteen minutes of psychological abuse. Really, I won’t watch this film again, I can’t say I enjoyed it, but it still deserves at least three stars. (10/29/2008)

The New House on the Left is among Italian films that aren't directly within the giallo genre. It's quite good because it shows that Italians could look at horror from a different perspective, a strongly realistic, almost naturalistic view. However, in this case, there's one significant flaw - The New House on the Left is simply unoriginal for its time. The message is still strong, but it's a pity the film didn't come four years earlier. (01/31/2015)