Lisa, Lisa (1974)

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.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

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.

In its trailer, Axe promises to be another slice of rural American Gothic in the vein of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and Psycho (1960), but bears more of a resemblance to two other films on the final DPP list, The Last House on the Left (1972) and Fight for Your Life (1977). Unfortunately, and despite its claims to be as good as Chain Saw Massacre, Axe comes as a major disappointment. After watching Stephen Thrower's glowing review on the excellent DVD Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide, I was expecting a 'beautiful and well-made' little gem that could hold its own against Polanski's Repulsion (1965). I should have kept in mind that this is the guy who loves and defends Jess Franco movies. Far from being the 'well made and beautiful' art film Thrower would have us believe, Axe is a very poor movie in almost every respect. Its premise is familiar but has great potential: three low-life criminals on the run from the police hide out in the country farmhouse inhabited by a near-mute, neurotic girl and her invalid grandfather. Even before the criminals arrive it is clear that the girl, Lisa (Leslie Lee), is capable of extreme behaviour, which makes an inventive change from the usual, 'normal' household invaded by violent outsiders.However, this one spark of inspiration quickly becomes forgotten during the course of an incredibly plodding, amateurishly-made movie. Most of the blame lies with writer-director-editor Friedel, for whom this was clearly a labour of love. The script is weak, with bland, stereotypical bad guys and flat dialogue; the direction is hopeless with regards to telling the story and creating tension, while the editing only compounds the flaws in both of these departments. (The interminable opening and closing credits are a good indication of the film's deadly slow pacing.) Then there's the acting: Jack Canon comes off 'best' (a relative term) out of the three villains, playing the leader of the gang, while Friedel easily gives the movie's worst turn as Billy, the criminal with a conscience but an atrocious beard-and-hair combo. Even the actor playing Lisa's invalid grandfather gives a more emotive, engaging performance. Yes, Friedel is bested by a man playing a fully-paralysed mute. Lee, however, is surprisingly effective as the enigmatic Lisa, and it's a shame she didn't have a better script and director at her service. There is something in her performance that recalls Camille Keaton in I Spit on Your Grave (1978) or Zoe Tamerlis in Ms. 45 (1981), but unfortunately this film is far too weak to stand up against these superior movies.So why did this end up on the DPP list? As has been pointed out by others, one can only assume that the film's title and the misleading video sleeve were to blame, suggesting something along the lines of The Driller Killer (1979) or The Toolbox Murders (1977). It's unlikely that any of the film's few murder scenes would have made an impression on any of the MPs watching the Nasties compilation in the House of Commons, nor for that matter anyone renting this out in the hope of an evening's entertainment. As Thrower pointed out in his review, had the film been released under its original title, Lisa, Lisa, this probably wouldn't have come near the Video Nasties list; better still, it may never have come near my DVD player.Film: * (out of 5) Nastiness: * (out of 5)

LISA, LISA (aka AXE) is one of the 74 entries on the notorious video nasties list compiled in the UK by the DPP (now CPS) back in the 1980s.Whilst it is evidently one of the weaker entries on the list, it is definitely not the worst. It fares better than THE GHASTLY ONES and the absolutely dire SNUFF.The plot follows that of a typical exploitation movie from the 1970s period. Three gangsters break into a guy's apartment, murder him and his lover and then seek refuge at a farmhouse inhabited by a strange girl who hardly speaks. I'm sure you can work out the rest.The exceptionally short running time is perhaps the strongest point of this movie. In addition, a few good scenes stand out from an atmospheric point-of-view or an unintentional comical point-of-view.The producers of the movie were clearly inspired by Wes Craven's exploitation classic, THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. LISA, LISA is however, a much tamer movie as many who wrote on this comments page have already stated. The title, AXE, used as an alternative to the official LISA, LISA title is somewhat misleading. I won't give away spoilers as to why but you'll find out if you see the movie.The acting in this movie is quite bad but definitely not as bad as that exhibited in the movies of gore legend Herschell Gordon Lewis. A murder scene early in the movie was so badly acted and directed that I struggled not to laugh. Sadly the movie did not contain much else to provoke such laughter in the same manner as the HG Lewis movies, which were entertaining due to high levels of unintentional humour.On the subject of HG Lewis, viewers of this movie will see the inspiration taken from him with regard to gore. Sadly the gore-hounds will be disappointed with the results.The movie is shot on the usual grainy film stock seemingly reserved for its type. However, it lacks the documentary style that was used so perfectly in THE Texas CHAIN SAW MASSACRE and THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT.Whilst the movie has potential to be very creepy or exploitative, such potential is wasted by a combination of poor direction and a very flat acting performance from the lead actress, Leslie Lee. Much of the movie between the good scenes is very dull and can be something of an endurance exercise for less patient viewers.The lack of explanation of motives or reasoning of any kind may have worked excellently in THE Texas CHAIN SAW MASSACRE due to the testament of the movie's strength to horrify and shock, but simply does not work at all in LISA, LISA.Overall, this movie proved a disappointment. Exploitation fans will be disappointed by the tameness of the movie, whilst fans of the "so-bad-it's-good" movies will find few laughs or much else to entertain themselves with by seeing it. The movie adds nothing to either genre.I recommend this movie only to "completists" of video nasties or exploitation movies. Gorehounds should stick to HG Lewis movies. Exploitation fans should stick to THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE. Fans of the "so-bad-it's-good" movies would do better to see TROLL 2 again. And everyone else should stick to the well-established horror classics.

Strange, even as short 'Axe' was (running time barely just past an hour) the movie seemed so long. Some scenes were drawn so far out and even the opening and closing credits were all but on "pause." Then, as if the director/actor realized this, he jumps some scenes hilariously from one character/object to another at light speed. And speaking of jerking cameras, to prove there was little to zero budget, every time an action or horror scene was to happen, the camera would blink away. Case in point, one of the most hilarious scenes was a man jumping out of a window 10 or so stories (get this, to avoid death) and you not only can't see him jumping, you simply hear glass and a character looking behind drawn shades. Clearly, this was just another typical 70s horror, no budget revenge/bad guys getting what they deserve flick, a la 'Last House on the Left.' The title escapes me, because the heroine uses an axe (again off screen) but also uses many other devices. I suppose it was just to draw the same 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' audience. Three men who kill another man while watching, I guess, was his partner plunge to his death, try and secure safety in a farm house occupied by a paralyzed grandfather and his granddaughter. They apparently pose a deep threat to the twosome, yet no attempts at escape entail. When one tries to rape her, she goes savage and offs him. It doesn't stop there. Blah, blah, nothing new, even back then. Slightly creepy in closing, but again, this hour-long movie seems like three hours. Not even recommended for revenge/torture/rape victim rights group movie lovers.