EDGE OF THE AXE / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: JOSE RAMON LARRAZ / SCREENPLAY: JOAQUIN AMICHATIS / STARRING: BARTON FAULKS, CHRISTINA MARIE LANE, PAGE MOSELY / RELEASE DATE: 21ST JANUARY
With this release, Arrow Video are resurrecting another almost-forgotten slasher from the late 80s from its purgatory and giving it a new lease of life (or death).
Edge of the Axe is set in California but was made in Spain by José Ramón Larraz (of Vampyres notoriety amongst others) and it’s pretty obvious the main concern was making a few bucks on the VHS rental market. There’s nothing new or fresh (especially considering the Golden Age was behind it) in this tale of a masked killer stalking the people of picturesque Paddock County. As the bodies mount up, computer-fixated Gerald and new girlfriend Lillian try to figure out who the killer is while the Sheriff does his best to play down rising town concern.
It’s written-by-committee stuff through and through, from the horny dude leads to the red herrings, wafer-thin characterisation and mid-movie pacing lull that you could find in innumerable films of the time. That said, there are solid performances from all involved who do their best with a basic script. It’s a lot of fun though, and there are a few notable reasons for this. First up, Larraz can’t resist directorial flourishes and there’s more than one sequence in here that has his off-kilter touch. The kills are often suspenseful and bloody and scratch that slasher itch well. And then there’s the ending which places logic in a box, wraps it with a bow and pushes it off to the side of a dusty attic so it can go all out for agreeable final reel nonsense.
The scan here is a 2K restoration and is pretty damn spiffy. There’s almost no hint of damage, night scenes are clear and defined and the Madrid-for-California scenery is beautifully preserved. As for extras, it’s another solid lot from Arrow. There are two commentaries, one moderated by lead Brandon Faulks and another from The Hysteria Continues team. The first is full of enthusiasm and little tidbits from Faulks and the second is fair to the film and benefits from the different opinions of the THC team. There are two interviews, the first with a buoyant Faulks sharing his memories of getting the role and the shoot and the other from make-up artist Colin Arthur. There’s the usual image gallery and new and reversible artwork you would expect, and first pressings get a booklet with writing from the hugely knowledgeable genre expert Amanda Reyes.
If you’re a stalk-and-slash aficionado you really should pick this up because, despite all the other insane crap in the world, we also live in a wonderland where previously abandoned films are gifted love and attention like this. Warmly recommended.
