StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Leofwine_draca 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.

tomgillespie2002 It's quite often difficult to ascertain the reasons that many of the films on the video nasties list are there. We all just assume that they are there due to graphic violence, and explicit gore. We also largely assume that they are mostly, intrinsically rubbish. Whilst I have not seen all of the films on the list, the handful that I have, are varying in quality. It's always a surprise when the film is interesting, or has some kind of purpose, or layering of meaning. Axe, or the more ethereal original title, Lisa, Lisa, is one of the ones that at once, looks cheaply made (some sequences had the strange mise-en-scene of a H G Lewis movie), but also has an idea - simplistic but well thought-out - that gives the film a subtle gravitas.The first part of the film follows three criminals, Steele (Jack Canon), Lomax (Ray Green), and the moral voice to the violence, Billy (played by the writer/director Frederick R. Friedel). On the journey with these characters, we are introduced to their brand of criminal activity. In a convenience store, Steele and Lomax mock and taunt the female clerk, throwing fruit at her, then forcing her to take off her blouse, humiliating her before going further. This shows overtly the misogynistic attitude of the main two. Billy, as throughout the film, is the person against the murdering, and acts as the moral arbiter to the horrific acts.After this the trio drive up to a large house that is occupied by Lisa (Leslie Lee), who looks after her completely paralysed grandfather. Lisa is a strange, seemingly internal character, who is forced to take the criminals in for the night, and feed them etc. After one Lomax attempts to rape her, she takes it upon herself to kill him, then proceeds to act this out to the rest of the criminals. There are some very effective scenes, and some that are genuinely disturbing. The first killing of Lomax, Lisa takes a razor blade to the back of his neck. After he has clearly lost consciousness, she continues to saw at the neck. It's making me wince writing about it. So there are some very effective kills, and this is partly where I see the reason for it's contentiousness for the DPP. But I think fundamentally the reasons for the banning was more to do with the contempt for women. This is something that even the BBFC has many issues with.In conclusion, the film is disturbing at times, and it's moral fibre a little on the side of misogyny. However, the film is quite interesting, and certainly has more going for it in narrative terms than much of the video nasties on offer.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

Scarecrow-88 Weird psycho-drama regarding a trio of killers, in suit and tie, who flee a city after pummeling someone to death(..the victim's gay lover takes a dive out a 12 story window to escape them!)barging in on a teenager and her senile grandfather, hiding out in their farmhouse, intruders demanding food and shelter. What the these three don't expect is that pretty Lisa doesn't hesitate in using a chopping ax to defend herself. Meanwhile, the grandfather, lost to the world around him, remains comatose, staring blankly, as the men offer danger to his granddaughter.At a mere 61 minutes, you'd think a film with a synopsis as this would be over-the-top and gratuitous, but director / writer Frederick R Friedel adopts a more minimalist approach instead and both the performances and mood are very low-key. Most of the characters(..what few there are)are rather vacuous, empty vessels and the film presents them all as outsiders from society, misfits "hiding away" from civilization. The score uses a lot of drum beats and tambourine, along with a rather depressing music box tune and some chilling piano chords..like many low budget movies during the 70's, the score has moments where it's very eerie, while other times it can be a bit overbearing due to an overuse. Despite the graphic nature of the titular weapon used by Lisa to escape two attempts at rape by her captors, there is very little violence shown on screen, I'm guessing due to little budget. The film looks like it cost 10 bucks, with limited locations, and rather claustrophobic story staging most of the action within the farmhouse. There's more dependency on film blood while the blunt blows of the ax is shot off-screen. Leslie Lee never breaks, as Lisa, from a look of other aloofness, seemingly off in another world. Perhaps her mundane existence and watching as her grandfather left her emotionally(..just a human shell, rotting away day by day) not to mention having no other family members, has created the person she is. Jack Cannon as ringleader Steele, plays him rather antagonistic, at times quite calm, with outbursts showing the kind of monster he truly is(..a little eccentric touch shows Steele cutting his finger nails before commencing to kill the fellow at the opening, and his toe nails the night they besiege Lisa's house). Ray Green, as tubby cigar-smoking Lomax, is about as depraved as Steele is, while Friedel(..the director of the movie), as Billy, seems to be a reasonable enough chap, along for the ride..Billy didn't partake in the clubbing of the victim, and openly chastises them for killing the man. But, even when they provoke and attempt to harm others(..like a supermarket check-out girl), they're more restrained than what you might see in other films concerning murderous bastards who enjoy hurting innocent people. While nothing exactly extraordinary, Axe might appeal to those who enjoy low-budget oddities..I imagine this would be perfect material for a drive-in double bill. The story itself is simple enough and doesn't waste time..the history of it's production might account for why this is the case. Axe is another representative of an era(..the glorious 70's) where film-making was a possibility for quite a many folks. I think the most memorable aspect of the film is the central character, Lisa, because Leslie Lee paints a haunting figure, a young woman without much of a future, who seems to be merely existing, her only purpose as caregiver.

Leonard Smalls: The Lone Biker of the Apocalypse Well, my journey down the 'video nasty' road has brought me to a little-known gem called "Axe." My buddy loaned it to me and I checked it out with great expectations. I'd heard lots about this movie and how gritty it was. I have to say, I am not too impressed.I like the mediocre acting, the cheesy plot, and the music, but there just wasn't enough violence and blood in this film for me. You never actually see someone get hacked up. It's one of those 'camera cuts away just before' movies. The plot was pretty much a run of the mill "Last House on the Left" ripoff. Sadistic lunatics torture a family. Big deal.Even for the low budget, "Axe" should have been better. I mean come on...how expensive is fake blood? 4 out of 10, kids.