One of the key factors in Last House on the Left's history, is the trouble that it aroused with the censors. It isn't only the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) that had trouble with the movie, but also the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) and world-wide cinema. It is the film's graphic representation of rape and violence that turned people's heads in the 70's, and continues to rattle the chains of censor big-wigs.

The current versions of Last House available, are heavily cut. Even the US release is cut by 8 minutes, rolling in at 83 minutes. European releases have been cut extensively to just 81 minutes. The amount of cuts needed have rendered the film banned in Britain, and the movie's current distributors refuse to disembowl Last House on the Left. The cuts made to the film, and the fight to get it released in the UK, will be covered here...
The BBFC Report on 'Last House on the Left'
When submitted to the board in 1999, the distributor's received the following reply:

The Board has concluded that The Last House on the Left is not suitable for cinema exhibition because of the explicit and sadistic sexual violence contained in the film. This is the second time that The Last House on the Left has been refused classification by the BBFC. The present version refused classification is some four minutes longer than the version offered in 1974, but is still several minutes shorter than the original uncut version. Although the recent
resubmission was of a cut version of the film, it was still found to contain elements which are unacceptable under the Board's published Guidelines. The Board asked for further cuts to remove images of the horrific stripping, rape and knife murder of two women. The option of making additional cuts was offered to the distributor in May 1999 and in September they confirmed that the film would be resubmitted with further cuts. After much delay it is now clear that the distributor has declined the option to proceed further. The Board is therefore unable to classify the film in this version.
Sadie's throat gets slashed in the film's finale
Weasel is seduced by Mrs Collingwood, and castrated during fellatio.
To tell the truth, censorship has hung over Last House on the Left since the time of it's production. Director Wes Craven - who had taken up the task of editing too - had felt that he went too far in some of the movie's more violent scenes. Before the film was ever screened in any cinema, the movie had been cut several times over, with footage being taken out, and then re-inserted.

When the film eventually saw a theatrical run, it was met with considerable outrage - which actually helped in it's marketing campaign. Most people hated the film, and due to complaints, even projectionists snipped the film in several places. BBFC director James Ferman seems to have a conclusive answer as to why Last House was banned in Britain:

"[It was] rejected because the violence was very exploitative, unpleasant and it was felt that the film revelled in it. The film was never resubmitted, although the distributor told us he had cut some of the worst bits already. 104 courts in Britain have found the film obscene - it wasn't acquited by one of them. In fourty-four cases it went before a jury under Section Two of the Obscene Publications Act. Even if we wanted to classify it now, we can't take that view when so many juries have judged it obscene."

Full marks to Video Excellence, for trying in 1987 to slip the film past the censors. The print in question, ran for 82 minutes and was presented under its lesser-known title of Krug & Company. After the film was banned, an appeal was made to the Board of Review. Their response was as follows:

"Krug and Company (aka The Last House on the Left), directed in 1972 by Wes Craven, is a relentless, gross and insensitive exploitation film that, in the unanimous opinion of the Film Board of Review, should not be approved for classification. It depicts in a highly objectionable way the implied rape,slashing, terrorization, butchery and murder of two young women by psychotic thugs.  In his verbal submission to the Board of Review, Mr Allan Tibbits of Video Excellence expressed the view that the Censorship Board had been influenced by the fact that the violence is perpetrated against women. TheBoard of Review noted that among the acts of mayhem is one strongly implying oral severing of male genitalia by a women. The Board of Review felt that, regardless of the degree of explicit sexual violence, butchery and cruelty remaining after heavy editing, the film is inherently so dehumanised and insensitive (and totally unrelieved by the inappropriate comic interludes) that release on video could not be justified. The Film Board of Review accordingly confirms the decision of the Censorship Board to refuse to approve the classification of Krug and Company (aka The Last House on the Left)"

Many Last House fans are aware that the movie did see a British release on video, in the early 80's, as part of the Replay Video label. This was previous to the infamous 'Video Nasty' era, and this print of the movie was banned, and the video subsequently ceased production. Copies of this original VHS have surfaced over the years, and has even been up for auction on Internet site Ebay.

The sad part of the whole situation, is the fact that all over of the prints released upon video or DVD, are nowhere close to the movie's original running time of 91 minutes. Until someone spends some money on finding the lost footage, and restoring it, the 'uncut' version of Last House on the Left will cease to exist.