Axe (film)

Axe
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Frederick R. Friedel
Produced by J.G. Patterson Jr.
Written by Frederick R. Friedel
Starring Leslie Lee
Hart Smith
Carol Miller
Music by George Newman Shaw
John Willhelm
Cinematography Austin McKinney
Edited by Frederick R. Friedel
J.G. Patterson Jr.
Production
company
Frederick Productions
Empire Studios
Distributed by Boxoffice International Pictures (BIP)
Release date
  • July 23, 1974 (1974-07-23)
Running time
 72 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Axe (original title: Lisa, Lisa; released theatrically as California Axe Massacre[1]) is a 1974 American exploitation horror film written and directed by Frederick R. Friedel and starring Leslie Lee. The film is one of the famous "video nasties" that was banned in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s.

Plot

A group of three psychopaths on the run from the law kill a man and flee into the countryside. They descend on an isolated farm which is home to a young girl named Lisa (Leslie Lee) and her paralyzed grandfather. After suffering much humiliation at the hands of the gang, Lisa takes a ghastly, murderous revenge. She kills two of the psychopaths after they attempt to rape her, the last intruder finds one of their bodies and runs from the house where he is gunned down by the police.

Cast

  • Leslie Lee as Lisa
  • Jack Canon as Steele
  • Ray Green as Lomax
  • Frederick R. Friedel as Billy
  • Douglas Powers as Grandfather
  • Frank Jones as Aubrey
  • Carol Miller as Storewoman
  • George J. Monaghan as Harold
  • Hart Smith as Detective
  • Scott Smith as Policeman
  • Jeff MacKay as Radio and Television Shows (voice)
  • David Hayman as Radio and Television Shows (voice)
  • Don Cummins as Radio and Television Shows (voice)
  • Jaqueline Pyle as Radio and Television Shows (voice)
  • Lynne Bradley as Radio and Television Shows (voice)
  • Richie Smith as Radio and Television Shows (voice)
  • George Newman Shaw as Radio and Television Shows (voice)
  • Ronald Watterson as Radio and Television Shows (voice)
  • Beverly Watterson as Radio and Television Shows (voice)
  • Graddie Lane as Radio and Television Shows (voice)
  • Suzy Bertoni as Radio and Television Shows (voice)

Production

The film was shot on location in a farmhouse outside Charlotte, North Carolina.[2]

Release

Home media

The film was released on DVD by Image Entertainment on September 25, 2001. In 2006, it was released by ILC Prime on March 27th, April 10th, and October 9th. It was later released by 4Digital Media on October 20, 2008. The film was released for the first time on Blu-ray by Severin on December 15, 2015 as a double-feature alongside Kidnapped Coed. The double-feature was also released on DVD that same day.[3]

Critical reception

Sean Leonard from HorrorNews.net gave the film a mixed review, writing, "I have a hard time coming to an opinion on a film like this. At one point, I certainly won’t say it’s horrible, as it does have enough good moments to raise it above being classified as a waste of time."[4] Justin Kerswell from Hysteria Lives! awarded the film a negative 1.5 out of 5 stars, calling it "amaturish", and "mind numbingly dull". In his review, Kerswell criticized the film's plot, pacing, and soundtrack.[5]

TV Guide gave the film three out of four stars, calling it "a well-photographed, refreshingly naturalistic drama of almost mythic retribution and victimization. [...] The psychological narrative can be slack, and the acting and technical aspects are uneven. But overall, the film makes you wish Friedel had directed more pictures."[6]

References

  1. ↑ "California-Axe-Massacre". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
  2. ↑ Albright, Brian. Regional Horror Films, 1958-1990: A State-by-State Guide with Interviews. McFarland. p. 273. ISBN 978-0786472277.
  3. ↑ "Axe (1974) - Frederick R. Friedel". Allmovie.com. AllMovie. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  4. ↑ Leonard, Sean. "Film Review: Axe (1977)". HorrorNews.net. Sean Leonard. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  5. ↑ Kerswell, Justin. "SILENT NIGHT BLOODY NIGHT". Hysteria Lives.co.uk. Justin Kerswell. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  6. ↑ Lovece, Frank. "Axe Review". TV Guide. Retrieved 2014-12-09.


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