What makes it different from others?

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

disgusting, overrated, pointless

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

This grotty little exploitation film was obviously advertised to cash in on the popularity of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (hence the retitling from the film's original AXE), but it's not surprising that that film went on to be a classic while this languished in the depths of obscurity. This is a poorly-made, deadly dull affair, with the only positive side to the whole film being its relatively short running time. If you enjoy films where blank-faced actors and actresses deliver their lines stiffly, where the special effects look like they've come from a bottle of ketchup, or where the plots are so simplistic that a child could write them, then this film may just be for you.A big inspiration here has to be the sleazy LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, which has caused so much notoriety over the years. Many scenes share similarities, and California Axe Massacre tries very hard to evoke the same kind of disturbing disgust from the audience. But while LAST HOUSE was admittedly a very powerful film, the only power this film holds is the power to send you to sleep. A typical example is when our three 'gang' members enter a store and proceed to terrorise the staff there, asking a woman to take off her blouse and then throwing vegetables and pouring drink over her. It's hardly of the same standard, is it? The only thing this film is good for is a laugh, as scenes such as these frequently border on the amusing.Things kick off with a supposed 'shocking' beating of a man to death, with the aid of a child's doll. We are introduced to our gang of men. One of them is dim-witted and, although white, has a large afro protruding from his head. He's pretty funny and also happens to be the director, giving you some idea of what you're in for. The next seems to perpetually smoke cigars (in one harrowing moment, he shoves a cigar into some poor victim's mouth!), is overweight and greying, and also a male chauvinist. The third is the ringleader and the only threatening one of the group, obviously modelling himself on 'Krug'. He's the best actor in the film.After a long time, the gang arrives at a remote farmhouse where a blank-faced girl and her paralysed grandfather live. The thugs torment the grandfather, in scenes which border on bad taste. When one of them tries to rape the girl, she murders him with a razor, hacks his body up in the bath and puts the pieces into a trunk. Well, at least she's neat. This girl has a pivotal role in the film, which is why it's surprising that they chose such a non-actress to play her. After this happens, there's still half an hour to go, so many scenes of boredom. Eventually, the second bad guy gets axed to death, while the third is shot dead by police.Originally banned as a video nasty (although only god knows why), this was finally released in the UK a couple of years back minus about twenty seconds of footage. Thus, all of the murder scenes are jumpy and disappointing, with only a bit of fake-looking blood splashing about. However, I hardly think that an extra twenty seconds of gory footage are going to make this film much better, however good they might be. This is a shoddily made shocker, that totally falls flat as a horror film. One to avoid.

In its trailer, Axe promises to be another slice of rural American Gothic in the vein of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and Psycho (1960), but bears more of a resemblance to two other films on the final DPP list, The Last House on the Left (1972) and Fight for Your Life (1977). Unfortunately, and despite its claims to be as good as Chain Saw Massacre, Axe comes as a major disappointment. After watching Stephen Thrower's glowing review on the excellent DVD Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide, I was expecting a 'beautiful and well-made' little gem that could hold its own against Polanski's Repulsion (1965). I should have kept in mind that this is the guy who loves and defends Jess Franco movies. Far from being the 'well made and beautiful' art film Thrower would have us believe, Axe is a very poor movie in almost every respect. Its premise is familiar but has great potential: three low-life criminals on the run from the police hide out in the country farmhouse inhabited by a near-mute, neurotic girl and her invalid grandfather. Even before the criminals arrive it is clear that the girl, Lisa (Leslie Lee), is capable of extreme behaviour, which makes an inventive change from the usual, 'normal' household invaded by violent outsiders.However, this one spark of inspiration quickly becomes forgotten during the course of an incredibly plodding, amateurishly-made movie. Most of the blame lies with writer-director-editor Friedel, for whom this was clearly a labour of love. The script is weak, with bland, stereotypical bad guys and flat dialogue; the direction is hopeless with regards to telling the story and creating tension, while the editing only compounds the flaws in both of these departments. (The interminable opening and closing credits are a good indication of the film's deadly slow pacing.) Then there's the acting: Jack Canon comes off 'best' (a relative term) out of the three villains, playing the leader of the gang, while Friedel easily gives the movie's worst turn as Billy, the criminal with a conscience but an atrocious beard-and-hair combo. Even the actor playing Lisa's invalid grandfather gives a more emotive, engaging performance. Yes, Friedel is bested by a man playing a fully-paralysed mute. Lee, however, is surprisingly effective as the enigmatic Lisa, and it's a shame she didn't have a better script and director at her service. There is something in her performance that recalls Camille Keaton in I Spit on Your Grave (1978) or Zoe Tamerlis in Ms. 45 (1981), but unfortunately this film is far too weak to stand up against these superior movies.So why did this end up on the DPP list? As has been pointed out by others, one can only assume that the film's title and the misleading video sleeve were to blame, suggesting something along the lines of The Driller Killer (1979) or The Toolbox Murders (1977). It's unlikely that any of the film's few murder scenes would have made an impression on any of the MPs watching the Nasties compilation in the House of Commons, nor for that matter anyone renting this out in the hope of an evening's entertainment. As Thrower pointed out in his review, had the film been released under its original title, Lisa, Lisa, this probably wouldn't have come near the Video Nasties list; better still, it may never have come near my DVD player.Film: * (out of 5) Nastiness: * (out of 5)

Strange, even as short 'Axe' was (running time barely just past an hour) the movie seemed so long. Some scenes were drawn so far out and even the opening and closing credits were all but on "pause." Then, as if the director/actor realized this, he jumps some scenes hilariously from one character/object to another at light speed. And speaking of jerking cameras, to prove there was little to zero budget, every time an action or horror scene was to happen, the camera would blink away. Case in point, one of the most hilarious scenes was a man jumping out of a window 10 or so stories (get this, to avoid death) and you not only can't see him jumping, you simply hear glass and a character looking behind drawn shades. Clearly, this was just another typical 70s horror, no budget revenge/bad guys getting what they deserve flick, a la 'Last House on the Left.' The title escapes me, because the heroine uses an axe (again off screen) but also uses many other devices. I suppose it was just to draw the same 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' audience. Three men who kill another man while watching, I guess, was his partner plunge to his death, try and secure safety in a farm house occupied by a paralyzed grandfather and his granddaughter. They apparently pose a deep threat to the twosome, yet no attempts at escape entail. When one tries to rape her, she goes savage and offs him. It doesn't stop there. Blah, blah, nothing new, even back then. Slightly creepy in closing, but again, this hour-long movie seems like three hours. Not even recommended for revenge/torture/rape victim rights group movie lovers.

A 'video nasty' only in the sense that it smells like something nasty you stepped in at the park, this film features a mad girl killing off some trespassers on her and her disabled father's land one by one. Featuring a hysterical leading performance by a sixth rate actress, below budget effects you could probably recreate at home with some ketchup and a running time of just over an hour which still feels like an eternity, it all adds up to a real waste of time you watch at your own risk. I have no idea why it qualified as a two-disc special edition, but at least I can put a couple of beverages down on my table when a friend pops over without the stains on my fine mahogany. ZING! 2/10