The Last Horror Movie

Did You Know?

• Hart Sharp Video released the DVD Director's Cut and normal cut versions on 7 December 2004.
• Arts Alliance America also released the film on DVD that same day.
• The film was last released on DVD by Jinga Films on 26 August 2014.

Plot

Max Parry works as a wedding videographer, but he also records his own murders. The movie starts with a familiar slasher scene, then Max interrupts to say he has recorded over a rented film. He brings in his unnamed assistant, who handles the camera for most of the story. Max explains he wants to make a true film about killing. They drive around England, capturing and murdering people while talking about violence and why audiences watch it. Max often speaks straight to the viewer. At one point, two murders happen off-camera, and Max asks if the viewer wanted to see them and why they are still watching. At the end, Max suggests this tape might be the only copy, hinting that whoever watches it could become his next target.

Development

Richards found his initial spark for the film in Stephen King's book Danse Macabre. He also drew from the concept that horror stories can let people process tough anxieties, a notion his killer, Max Parry, twists to defend his murders. Shot with a tiny crew on a shoestring budget, the main production headaches came from the prosthetic makeup. Those effects had to function in real time while staying out of the camera's sight.

Reception

The film has a 50% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from eight reviews, averaging 5.7 out of 10. ReelFilm found it repetitive, arguing it would have been better as a short film. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave it one star, describing it as "smug and drearily nasty." In contrast, Dread Central praised it as a thought-provoking movie, noting that such films are rare. Marc Savlov of the Austin Chronicle awarded 2.5 out of 5 stars, highlighting the film's horrific realism and a clever screenplay that makes viewers feel complicit in the protagonist Max's on-screen actions.

Sequel

Back in 2003, Richards first floated the idea of a follow-up, saying it could stick with the found-footage video diary style or shift to a more standard slasher format. By 2012, he confirmed he was actively working on a sequel, set years after the original. In this version, Max would be living in Los Angeles, obsessed with social networking sites, using them to pick his targets.