Description

In addition to creating some of the most sinister and memorable characters within the murky world of horror movies leading man David Hess was also a highly skilled musician and songwriter. His work contained some truly beautiful songs, the discovery of which, for some, may be in stark contrast to the brutal displays of sadism and violence for which he was known to purvey onscreen. The fact that Hess could perform as both the poet, and the monster, is a testament to his skill as an artist. The soundtrack to Last House On The Left is a brilliantly unique and diverse mixture of farcical comedy, poignant, reflective folk music and instrumental experimentalism. Hess constructed a wonderful counterbalancing entity, which serves only to accentuate the impact of the movie.

Its a truly wonderful soundtrack. The music divides people who watch the film, perhaps, the upbeat jolliness of some scenes completely at odds with the grimy, low-key feel to others. The soundtrack brings the many facets of the film together, and it includes some of Hess wonderful original songs for the film. They are without doubt something to be agreed upon theyre utterly lovely.

I absolutely love Wes Cravens The Last House on the Left, and I still believe the film stands up strong. One of the many reasons why I love the original is because of the late David Hess music which he composed for the film. Sadly it has been extremely hard to get a copy of the original soundtrack, but thankfully someone has heard the call.

Hess music is a real trip, with a sense of trying to hold on to the hippy dream as destroyed by Charles Manson, along with an awesome Joplinesque ragtime song about the murderers and their exploits.

Even as a kid one of the things that stayed with me was the music, done by lead actor David Alexander Hess. I couldnt understand how the same guy who was raping and carving up the girls on screen was singing these peaceful almost hippy-like folk ballads that underscored the horror. I remember reading the credits, thinking Id misread it, that David Hess wrote and performed all the music. Sitting in that theater, where I had gone by myself, and knew no one, I felt this overwhelming feeling of nostalgia. I just missed those songs, and I missed when songs like that were commonplace in horror. (Romeros The Crazies and later My Bloody Valentine are other examples.) Often the lyrics of the songs reflected what the characters were going through, and the tone was somewhere between Harry Nilsson and Simon & Garfunkel. I will be forever grateful for what David did, and for all the memorable performances and everlasting music he gave us. Thanks in big part to David Hess, my road lead to somewhere. Eli Roth

Comes with extensive and exclusive liner notes from:
RUGGERO DEODATO (Cannibal Holocaust, The House On The Edge Of The Park) ULLI LOMMEL (The Boogey Man, Zodiac Killer) FRANCO NERO (Django, Django Unchained, Die Hard 2) GIOVANNI LOMBARDO RADICE (The House On The Edge Of The Park, Cannibal Ferox, City Of The Living Dead) MARC SHEFFLER (Happy Days, Whos The Boss?, Charles In Charge)
and many more