Edge of the Axe (1988)

An axe murderer terrorizes a small Northern California mountain community, while two young computer-obsessed adults attempt to solve the killings.

Director:

José Ramón Larraz (as Joseph Braunstein)

Writers:

Joaquín Amichatis (screenplay), Javier Elorrieta (screenplay)

Stars:

Barton Faulks, Christina Marie Lane, Page Mosely

Cast

Credited cast:
Barton Faulks	...	Gerald Martin
Christina Marie Lane	...	Lillian Nebbs
Page Mosely	...	Richard Simmons
Fred Holliday	...	Frank McIntosh
Patty Shepard	...	Laura Simmons
Alicia Moro	...	Rita Miller
Jack Taylor	...	Christopher Caplin
Conrado San Martín
Joy Blackburn	...	Susan Nebbs
May Heatherly	...	Anna Bixby
Elmer Modlin	...	Reverendo Clinton
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Javier Elorrieta
José Frade
Christina Lane

Storyline

A deranged guy in a mask kills people with an axe.

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Plot Keywords:

axe wielding maniac | mask | axe | falling down stairs | body count | 

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Alternate Versions

The UK video version was cut by 26 secs to tone down the axe murders.

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Connections

Referenced in Rewind This! (2013)

User Reviews

decent slasher that doesn't quite live up to its great opening scene

The pre-credits scene is the best scene in the movie. A woman takes her car through a car wash. We glimpse a figure through the translucent window looking in on the car wash, and through the suds covering the car windows. A figure wearing a mouthless white mask swings an axe at the front windshield, killing the driver. Her blood drips down the window with the soap suds.

Following the credits, we meet computer geek and freelance electronics repairman Gerald. He and a friend stop by a restaurant/bar and Gerald meets Lillian, a video game nut. They start a relationship, and he gives her one of his old computers so they can instant message each other. Meanwhile, bodies are turning up: mostly women, but even a decapitated pig and a dead dog.

One suspect is a workman at the church (Lillian's father, I think). Lillian tells Gerald she fears her brother Charlie might have something to do with it. She says after she accidentally caused him to fracture his skull he was hospitalized and she hasn't heard what become of him since.

There are some good scenes involving the discovery of bodies or just body parts and a scene involving blood dripping from the ceiling. The killer's attack scenes are fairly good. What happens in between isn't as good, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to pick up a cheap ex- rental copy of this and to watch it.

Unfortunately, the end credits do not identify the actors and their characters. Some actors are named in the opening credits, but the end credits identify only the crew.

Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 September 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Beira do Machado

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Calepas International, José Frade Producciones Cinematográficas S.A.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1