“It’s crazy, all this blood and violence. I thought you were supposed to be the generation of love." Conservative mother Estelle Collingwood says this to her daughter Mari at the start of Wes Craven's cult classic The Last House on the Left (1972). With the Vietnam War coming in full swing and the long-term effects of the Manson Family murders, the counterculture of peace and love was nearing the end of an era American society had become more violent and corrupt, as had the. films that Hollywood was starting to release And with the new generation's directing style and the recent MPAA rating system, filmmakers were pushing the boundaries of their films and shocking audiences and critics to the core with new filmmakers. that come through the doors of Hollywood every year, it's no surprise that future horror icon Wes Craven fits right in with the new generation of Hollywood. Craven's early films fall into the category of. exploitation. They were extremely horrible, disgusting, appalling and ended up being banned in several countries. Craven would go on to make films that reflect on contemporary society using a number of recurring themes and formal aesthetics of cinema, including:1. Recurring themes of evil as a product of society2. Recurring themes of corruption of youth and innocence3. Juxtapositions of decor4. Subjective camera shotsEarly lifeWesley Earl Craven was born on August 2, 1939, in Cleveland, Ohio. Son of Wes Craven: Author of Exploitation & Violence 2Caroline Miller and Paul Craven, he grew up in a strict Baptist family. His parents had a long list of activities that prohibited Craven from participating in anything co-ed, including going to the movies. At five years old, his p...... middle of paper ......d cinematic aesthetic? Simple, because it asks questions that are still relevant in today's society. His views on certain morals and psychological corruption are represented by exaggerated forms of violence, to which he perhaps feels an emotional connection. Certainly this could be due to his strict religious upbringing and being told that everything and everyone is evil. And growing up through a time where you are exposed to violence on every corner can definitely make someone question their faith in what is right and what is wrong and is it okay to expose that wrong . As Craven states in an interview: “A lot of life is dealing with your curse, dealing with the cards you've been dealt that aren't so great. Does this make you a monster, or can you tone it down or accept it and go in another direction? (R. Mancini & W. Craven, personal communication, 2004).