‘There is nothing silent about nights in Paddock County.’
Edge of the Axe is a 1988 Spanish slasher horror film about a psychopath on a killing spree in a rural Californian community. The original title is Al filo del hacha
Directed by José Ramón Larraz [as Joseph Braunstein] (Deadly Manor; Rest in Pieces; Vampyres; Symptoms; Scream – and Die!) from a screenplay co-written by Joaquín Amichatis, Javier Elorrieta and producer José Frade.
The movie stars Barton Faulks (Future-Kill), Christina Marie Lane, Page Mosely (The Jigsaw Murders; Open House; Girls Nite Out) and Fred Holliday (Lobster Man from Mars).
The sometimes jarring soundtrack score was composed by Javier Elorrieta (The Spectre of Terror).
Plot:
The rural community of Paddock County is being rocked by the crazed exploits of an axe-wielding psychopath, who stalks the night in a black trenchcoat and mask.
As the victims pile up, the authorities attempt to keep a lid on the situation, whilst computer whizz-kid Gerald and girlfriend Lillian seek to unmask the killer before the town population reaches zero.
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Edge of the Axe is being released on Blu-ray for the first time by Arrow Video in the US, UK and Canada on January 28th 2020. Special features include:
Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative
English and Spanish language versions of the feature
Original uncompressed mono audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
Newly translated English subtitles for the Spanish soundtrack
Brand new audio commentary with actor Barton Faulks
Brand new audio commentary with The Hysteria Continues
Newly-filmed interview with actor Barton Faulks
The Pain in Spain – a newly-filmed interview with special effects and make-up artist Colin Arthur
Image Gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by Justin Osbourn
Reviews:
“The acting is ok but the twist ending is dumb. It’s one of those endings that doesn’t make any sense once you think about. The film features terrible country songs and one such song ruins what could have been a semi-creepy ending. Edge of the Axe is for the slasher completist only.” 80s Horror Central
“Slasher movie fans, particularly of the European stuff will find this one to be an enjoyable diversion. Deeply flawed as it is, it still offers some dumb fun and gore […] The kill scenes, though all done with an axe, are still gory enough to fit the shameless tone of the movie.” Bad Movies for Bad People
“[Larraz] injects some Argento-esque style into the murders to separate the film from its otherwise regional slasher trash roots. It’s sort of like taking a trip to northern California with a couple of schmucks, to one of these Redwood preserve towns, and occasionally a cut-rate giallo breaks out.” Cinema Gonzo
“Part of the charm, I say; this film is loaded with touches unique to European cinema; that is, when they try to mimic American – the dialogue is awkward (as opposed to just bad), the story makes little sense, and the product placement is just odd (think Coke; like a lot of Coke talk). But we’re here dealing with a big baddie, and such details hold little sway over the enjoyment – of the kills, and of the characters.” Daily Dead
“The killer looks creepy in Michael Myers-like blank mask and rain slicker, and the movie transcends its budget. The beautiful summer-laden backdrops are visually picturesque and there’s enough plot expansion to relate to the main characters.” Hysteria Lives!
” …the story (littered with trademark Giallo twists, turns and red-herrings) is all over the place and the dialogue is downright hilariously bad. If it didn’t take itself so seriously, it could play as a spoof on the slasher genre. Oh and the computer technology looks really lame by today’s standards – but even so, the use of voice activation was a little ahead of its time.” Kultguy’s Keep
“This script and these characters are not good enough, and the computer business makes it harder to take seriously. But it looks good and the murder scenes are well done. I like the mask even though it’s basically a knockoff of Michael Myers minus hair.” Outlaw Vern
” …the film is unique on three fronts: 1), there is some pretty great Gothic imagery, admittedly at odds with the sunny and bucolic surroundings, 2), the age gap relationship between a male and his older missus, rather than the preponderance of bikini/killer bait that typically dots these films and 3), a nascent proto-Internet technology developed by one of the film’s protagonists…” Really Awful Movies
“The axe slayings seemed more visceral than I’m used to. The story has a soapy V.C. Andrews quality that I feel at home in. Doomed teen romances in California Mountain towns. Jose Ramon Larraz has arrived to the slasher genre and his vision of it is going to leave a lasting impression.” Scumbalina
“We get some grisly axe murders, regional hang-out horror, country music, goofy dialogue, ancient computer graphics, coca-cola product placement, booming synth score, I could go on forever. I love that our main character and his love interest communicate with each other almost solely via the only computers in the entire town.” Taylor Heider
“The kills are less graphic than most of the slasher ilk, but they pack some ferocity (particularly the novel opening one in a carwash). The film winds down instead of having a traditional slice and dice finale, but the conclusion is refreshingly cynical.” Teenage Frankenstein
“Larraz manages to create some tension from time to time but the film peaks with the opening axe ‘em up at a car wash and its climax appears slightly skewered once all of the red herrings are eliminated, with a motive so contrived and unlikely…” Vegan Voorhees
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