House on the Edge of the Park

Sex, utterly horrifying violence, copious amounts of nudity, stunningly beautiful actresses, poor dubbing after filming (it was shot in English dialogue, and dubbed afterward in English, meaning they didn't appear to have a budget), minimalistic sets and scenes, some surprisingly good acting, a great looking DVD transfer (very sharp and clear), some catchy Italian disco songs, and the legendary David Hess as the villain. 70's horror exploitation just doesn't get much better than this. A lot better than Last House on the Left, too.

"House on the Edge of the Park" is an exploitation classic that I was eagerly awaiting on DVD. Unfortunately, Shriek Show has burned its fans with a poorly-mastered image. Remember "Demonia," one of their early efforts at remastering, to try and play in the same league as Anchor Bay and Elite? Well, this one suffers the same problems--grainy nighttime scenes, pictures hanging on walls that shift around, doors that won't stay still in the background, people's faces and hair shift around and won't stay still. This is all terribly distracting and annoying, to the point where you'll be watching for flaws in the picture instead of the movie itself. (Lucky I have a widescreen VHS bootleg...sheesh.) The sound quality is all right, and when the scenes are well-lit, the image tends to stay still. The supplements are excellent, the main attractions are thorough, informative interviews with David Hess (5 scenes long!) and Giovanni Lombardo Radice, who possess fond memories of the shoot; but the Ruggero Deodato interview, though only 8 minutes, ISN'T SUBTITLED! If this was an oversight in rushing the DVD out to the public, it was a pretty major one, as I doubt many "Region 1" DVD owners are fluent in Italian. Sheesh. Ultimately, if you want the definitive version of "House on the Edge of the Park," you'll have to look elsewhere--though the suppliments will appease enthusiasts like myself, the movie itself is at least a 4-star revenge flick given the one-star treatment. Piggy to you, Shriek Show.

Had a blast watching this. So ludicrous, so implausible, so sleazy. If you have a sense of humor, you should have a pretty good time with this. A good flick to throw on during a party. Add some alcohol, it won't hurt. David Hess is the MAN! in this movie. He's a mean, dirt-ball rapist, but his performance is so genuinely smooth that you can't help but root for him. It's made easier by the fact that all of the other characters are really unlikable.

In reality, it's a really bad movie, but that's what is so good about it.