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Comparison between the theatrical cut and the video version, both included on the U.S. Blu-ray by Dark Force Entertainment. Carl works as a mechanic in a car repair shop. His hatred of women forces him to commit gruesome murders. In the housewife Nancy Ulman he discovers the perfect partner for him. When her husband goes on a business trip for a few days, he takes the opportunity to break into Nancy's house...
In 1973, during the Golden Age of Porn, Shaun Costello brought Forced Entry, an X-rated film that dealt with the horrific aftermath of the Vietnam War, into porn theaters. In it, Harry Reems plays a Vietnam veteran who forces women into sexual acts and eventually kills them. During the rapes and the murders, gruesome stock footage scenes from Vietnam are repeatedly cut into it, so the film is very hard-hitting. None of the sex scenes are stimulating in any way.
A year later, Jim Sotos produced a kind of soft exploitation remake, which was released in theaters under the same title. Ron Max here plays the mechanic who stalks and kills women. Tanya Roberts, who made her film debut here, plays the female lead and was smart enough to forgo nude scenes. One of Carl's victims is played by Nancy Allen, who was still at the beginning of her career here. Forced Entry focuses primarily on the actions of Carl, ending in the abuse of Nancy as the finale. The minimalist film works very well in phases, but also has moments that drag on forever.
Two versions on US Blu-rayThere are different versions of the film. Titled The Last Victim, the film was first released on Blu-ray in the US by Dark Force Entertainment on March 06, 2019. Included on it were what appears to be the first version with The Last Victim title, which had little success in theaters, and a re-cut of Sotos. On June 21, 2022, Dark Force Entertainment followed up with a second edition, this time featuring the Forced Entry theatrical cut, which runs longer than the two versions from the first Blu-ray. It also includes the video version, which is the longest version of the film. According to Dark Force Entertainment, the additional scenes from the video version no longer exist on film. The video version has additional plot and violence/sex scenes. In the Forced Entry version, the scenes where three people talk about Carl were put at the beginning of the film. In the video version, they come at the end. It is also interesting that the woman who has a car breakdown has a different dubbing voice. The Forced Entry version appears to be dubbed in. Since Dark Force Entertainment's second Blu-ray features both the longest theatrical version and the full video version, this is the release to prefer. If you really need all the versions, you also have to reach for the first edition. By the way, the German theatrical version doesn't seem to be shortened and very similar to the Forced Entry US theatrical version, only without the change of scenes in the beginning.
Image comparison:
Theatrical cut:
 Video version:
 Running Times:
Theatrical version: 83:14 min.
Video version: 88:28 min.
[00:00:00][00:00:00]
The theatrical version begins with a shot of a school. A speaker is heard who says that he remembers Carl well because he usually smelled bad. He was an unremarkable student with no profile.
After that, a church can be seen. A speaker reports that Carl's mother was a good Christian woman who had no problems with the upbringing of her son. This one was an average boy. He can't imagine that Carl did something like that.
A shot of a small store follows. A narrator tells us that Carl was often there and always paid for everything. He was often in the store with Carl, which now makes him shudder. He can't even guess how many crazy people he has to deal with who seem completely normal.
In the VHS version, these scenes follow at the end of the film. Theatrical cut (= TC): 1:16 min, [00:07:50][00:06:35] Carl can be seen at the wheel earlier.
TC: 1 sec [00:09:24][00:08:08] The woman with the broken down car explains to Carl that she's been trying to start the car for 15 minutes and it's probably not doing much good to look at the engine. She asks Carl to drive her to a phone so she can call her roommate and a tow truck.
VHS: 17 sec [00:10:18][00:09:20] After the kick between the legs we see Carl again. He goes down on his knees but quickly recovers.
VHS: 7 sec [00:10:25][00:09:34] In an additional shot, Carl follows the woman.
VHS: 2 sec [00:11:03][00:10:14] In the TC the gas station can be seen earlier.
After Carl has thrown the woman to the ground, she asks him not to hurt her in the VHS version. Carl tears off the rest of her top and takes off her panties and dress. He bends over her and rapes the woman. While her hands feeling a broken bottle, Carl pushes her hand down before finally strangling her. Carl gets up and leaves.
TC: 1 sec VHS: 2:13 min [00:27:47][00:29:10] When the female cyclist is abused by Carl, the VHS version shows how Carl pushes an empty bottle between her legs. Slowly he moves the bottle up the woman's legs before inserting it against her will.
VHS: 1:28 min [00:41:32][00:44:22] After Carl wakes up from the dream, a flashback follows in the VHS version. On the beach, he throws the half-naked hitchhiker, whose hands are tied, to the ground.
VHS: 20 sec [00:41:44][00:44:55] This is followed shortly by another flashback in which Carl urges the hitchhiker to perform oral sex on the beach.
VHS: 45 sec [00:42:08][00:46:04] In the TC you can see Carl going to the bathroom for a longer time.
KF: 1 sec [01:20:44][01:24:38] In the VHS version, the opening scene of the theatrical version comes after the children have gone into the house. The three narrators talk about Carl.
After that, you can see how the children open the door earlier.
VHS: 1:18 min |
