So much average

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Vicious blue collar psychopath Alex (an incredibly intense and ferocious performance by the incomparable David Hess) and his passive dim-witted partner Ricky (nicely played with sniveling aplomb by Giovanni Lombardo Radice) crash a posh private party being held by several rich snobs.Director Ruggero Deodato expertly crafts an uncompromisingly grim nihilistic tone, builds a tremendous amount of nerve-rattling tension, and certainly delivers on the sizzling sleaze, with generous servings of steamy soft-core sex and tasty female nudity. The harsh script by Gianfranco Clerici and Vincenzo Mannino offers a bitter commentary on the seething mutual disdain and distrust that the upper and lower classes have for each other. Moreover, it's acted with zest by a game cast, with especially praiseworthy contributions from Hess (who outdoes the scary slimeball he portrayed in "The Last House on the Left"), Radice, Annie Bell as the haughty Lisa, Lorraine De Selle as enticing brunette fox Gloria, Christian Borromeo as arrogant wimp Tom, and Brigitte Petronio as fragile virginal innocent Cindy (Alex's foul defilement of Cindy is super hard to watch). The startling outbursts of savage violence pack a potent punch to the gut. Sergio D'Offizi's sumptuous cinematography provides an attractive glossy look. Riz Ortolani's pulsating disco score hits the right-on groovy spot. Brutal and unpleasant for sure, but still undeniably gripping and effective just the same.

House on the Edge of the Park (1980) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Alex (David Hess) and his friend Ricky (Giovanni Lombardo Radice) are invited to a party thrown by some rich folks where the psychotic Alex soon realizes that they're basically there as a joke. This sets Alex off on a violent rampage full of rape and other sorts of perverted violence.This Ruggero Deodato film has become known as a rip-off of THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT thanks in large part to the casting of Hess but I think that's selling the film a bit short. There are a few too many problems here for the film to be a complete success but at the same time I think the film has enough interesting moments that make it worth watching. The film has also become somewhat notorious for its sexual tone but I think people will be shocked to see how un-violent it actually is.What I liked most about the film (especially one a second viewing) is how the "victims" in the film are also made out to be bad guys. This is basically a story of bad guys going up against an evil guy and I thought it made for a rather interesting atmosphere because there's really no one here you like. Instead of having people you like you're basically ranking people you hate from the most to the least. This was a bit of a twist than what you usually saw in films like THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and others like it.What doesn't work with the film is that it's got a really bad soundtrack that doesn't work and I'd also argue that something more needed to happen here. I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed going into such a notorious movie and finding out that it's really not all that violent. I mean, you've got the director of CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST but don't expect any of that type of violence. It's certainly got a very weird sexual tone to it that is rather unsettling. There's also a twist that doesn't work at all but I won't spoil what it is.I thought the performances were the real highlight of the picture with Hess once again doing an excellent job in the role of the madman. Radice also gets a lot of sympathy from his character and I thought supporting players like Annie Belle, Gabriele Di Guilio and Lorraine DeSelle were good too. HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK is certainly a film worth watching but with a few changes it could have been much better.

Dear Ruggero Deodato,I really don't know what it is with you and your choice of bad actors. There was not a single good actor in this film apart from David Hess. The rest of the actors were awful even by B-movie standards.The story and the twist at the end were great. It was not as shocking as Cannibal Holocaust either. Of course I cannot blame you for that. It is hard to beat Cannibal Holocaust. But it did seem like you relied too much on the twist in the end. Everything leading up to the twist/revelation at the end seemed to be uninspired.After watching your movies, everything else seems so lame to me. I cannot handle films about regular people anymore.The background score by Riz Ortolani was used very well. You really had a good ear for background scores.Best Regards, Pimpin.(6/10)

Ruggero Deodato's "La Casa Sperduta Nel Parco" aka. "House On The Edge Of The Park" of 1980 is very obviously a rip-off of Wes Craven's disturbing debut "The Last House On The Left" Of 1972, but it is nevertheless an interesting and disturbing film experience on its own and those familiar with Mr. "Cannibal Holocaust" Deodato will probably not be surprised that this is even more explicit in its sick brutality and violent detail than Craven's film from 8 years earlier.Sleazy thug Alex (David Hess) and his slightly retarded buddy Ricky (Giovanni Lombardo Radice) invite themselves to a party hosted by a couple of rich young snobs after repairing their car. The snobbish party hosts are soon to find out that Alex is a sadistic psycho par-excellence...I am a huge admirer of director Deodato, his brilliant and disturbing masterpiece "Cannibal Holocaust" (also 1980), which has to be seen as the best and most important film of its kind, makes him absolute master of disturbing Horror cinema, and, as far as I am concerned he is way greater a director than Wes Craven. That being said, "The Last House On The Left" is Craven's best movie up to date, and although "House On The Edge Of The Park" is even nastier and more explicit in violent details than it's predecessor, it doesn't come up to Craven's film.Deodato copies the LHOTL plot quite shamelessly, and David Hess (brilliantly) plays a role almost identical to his previous role. The acts of violence in "House On The Edge Of The Park" are even more perverted and intense than in LHOTL, but it failed to move and sadden me the way Craven's film did. The perverted acts of violence are disturbing, all right, but I simply didn't quite feel for the snobbish victims in this, as I did for the innocent girls in "Last House On The Left". While the cruel fate of the girls in Craven's film should disturb and deeply sadden anybody who watches the movie, it is at times hard to care for the decadent party hosts in Deodato's Rip-off. Nevertheless, "House On The Edge Of The Park" is a highly interesting Video Nasty that shouldn't be missed by any fan of cinema of the kind. The acting performances are very good, especially David Hess is (once again) outstanding in the role of the sadistic psychopath. Playing these psycho roles is obviously what Hess was born for, and he he is very believable as he plays the sadistic Alex with disturbing brilliance. Furthermore there is a twist in the end that is unexpected enough to make the story more solid and well-founded (even though not too realistic).All things considered, "House On The Edge Of The Park" does not quite reach the greatness of "Last House On The Left", but it certainly is an interesting and disturbing film that fans of violent exploitation should not miss. Recommended to Deodato-fans and lovers of violent exploitation.