ChanBot i must have seen a different film!!

Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Bergorks If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Ginger Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

prguy721 Last Summer is a shockingly bold film for its time period (late 1960s) and very well acted, featuring actors who went on to virtual stardom at a time when they were just starting out: Barbara Hershey, Richard Thomas and Bruce Davison. Portraying restless teenagers at Fire Island for the summer, they meet and begin hanging out together, eventually encountering Rhoda (Catherine Burns), a teenager who doesn't quite fit their mold but wants to make friends. And this is where the story really gets moving. As the plot advances, it seems the behavior of the original three becomes increasingly edgy and even cruel. Meanwhile, Rhoda, with her sincerity and vulnerability, senses she is out of place but desperately hangs in to be part of the group, even though she sets herself up for embarrassment, conflict and possibly even danger. Unfortunately, copies of Last Summer are pretty much impossible to find and it is almost never shown on television. I saw it when it was originally released, but the only time I saw it on cable TV was in 2013; to my great disappointment, the print wasn't in letterbox and had been edited for content, reducing both the film's impact and significance.

MartinHafer WARNING: Before you watch "Last Summer", you really need to be warned that the movie is quite adult and has a very traumatic rape scene. Many will find this too troubling--and perhaps it could bring back your own traumatic past experiences as you watch. I am not saying not to watch it--just be aware.As far as the movie goes, it's well made but quite difficult to watch--not just because of the rape but because the characters are quite often jerks--very unlikable jerks. It is set at a beach community on Long Island. Three young people (Barbara Hershey, Richard Thomas and Bruce Davison) meet and soon become friends. However, it soon becomes apparent that there is a lot of sexual tension in these new friendships and a ménage à trois of sorts is in the making. From a voyeuristic point of view, the film is rather stimulating....but any sexual excitement on the part of the viewer may quickly disappear as you begin to see that these people (when together) become jerks. It's as if alone they are normal but together their inhibitions and sense of morality diminishes. Later, when they meet a nerdy and less attractive fourth member of their little group (Catherine Burns), this becomes all the more apparent and the three original members exploit this very vulnerable new member.The acting is competent and the story is decent because it is unique and explores very dark aspects of supposedly 'typical' teens. And, fortunately, while the film has very explicit content, the director manages to hide most of what occurs through creative filming and it is not necessarily exploitational--just very, very dark. Frankly, I did not particularly enjoy the movie--it was a very tough viewing. But, it was well made and hence my overall score of 5.

dage1 WARNING: this review contains major spoilersThis is a movie about cruelty. Sandy is a sociopath. Her maniacal laugh, what she ultimately does to the seagull, her treatment of Rhoda, and her behavior toward her computer date are all examples of this.Sandy uses the possibility of sex to manipulate the naïve Peter and Dan. The entry to her clique is the admission of some past act of cruelty.Other reviews paint this movie as an nostalgic examination of a summer at the beach. They totally ignore the fact the trio rape and kill Rhoda.

rand1964 I woke up in a cold sweat at 4 a.m. in the morning and realized "Oh my God! They killed her".Just as Sandy had killed the bird when it turned on her and bit her, she instigated the rape of Rhoda. When they all three came up to the dune at the ending, I kept waiting for Rhoda...she never appears. It has to be just like the bird, they had to have killed her. I even wonder if it wasn't planned. Remember when Peter says "I will kiss you at the bottom of the ocean"...I thought that was a hint just like Rhodas mother who drowned.I also wondered if Anibel wasn't supposed to be an "alibi".Need to read the book to get more clues I guess.