Wow! Such a good movie.

Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

I finally got round to watching this one today. It's a shame it took me so long to see it, but I'm so glad I finally did. It was fantastic. The film opens up with Alex, played by David Hess, who rapes a poor woman in her car before the opening credits even begin. Yep, it's THAT kinda movie. Later, Alex and his friend attend a party where rich snobs try to scam them out of their money. Alex catches on pretty quick and things turn ugly when they start terrorising the part guests. The reason why this movie is so awesome is because of David Hess' performance. Even though he plays a sleazy rapist, he is still more likable then the party guests! One particular guest, the dude with the long blonde hair, had this annoying, smug smirk on his face for the majority of the movie. I was secretly happy when Krug, pardon me I mean Alex, beat the crap out of him. Hess' enthusiasm and commitment to the role was outstanding! He made this movie. My favourite shot, was the epic (and I mean EPIC) slow mo shot of him yelling at the end. Utter brilliance! This movie just oozes with sleaze. Never mind romantic music during rape scenes, or lingering shots of boobs, or female characters beginning to consent to invasions of their body. Director Ruggero Deodato gets away with all of that, probably because the characters are that unlikable (with the exception of Cindy, I really liked her and felt very disturbed when she was being sliced up). It seems Deodato doesn't mind who he offends, but since this movie is pretty damn entertaining, he pulls it off nicely. I'm glad I finally got round to seeing this one. Hess was so brilliant in it. A shame he has passed away, he was such a cult icon for the video nasty genre. For those interested in these exploitation flicks, I highly recommend this one. It was loads of fun. 8/10

A psychopathic rapist and his simple-minded companion brutalize a group of wealthy young people. Starring David Hess and Giovanni Lombardo Radice (in his film debut).Deodato calls this film a "mistake" made only "to satisfy the producers". He says the "screenplay was really poor". So, if you think the movie is a failure, you would be in agreement with its creator. For me, there was little offered beyond a few cute naked women.Taking place in the disco era with the appropriate music and outfits, this is a truly odd experience. Somehow a Radice striptease comes into play here.. which is, um, interesting to say the least. And then you have people who realize they are going to get tortured, so rather than fight they just accept it...Luca Palmerini sums up the film as a "listless remake of Last House on the Left. Boring." Of course, it is not a remake, though it was clearly influenced by "Last House" and adding David Hess to the cast only calls that to our attention. Jim Harper calls the plot "paper-thin" and the characters illogical. Harper also believes the film "goes too far" in its treatment of rape. This may be due to the script being written by Gianfranco Clerici, who also wrote "New York Ripper" and "Nazi Love Camp 27", among others.

Some might call this a sleaze-fest, some might call this a video nasty, some might call this beyond exploitation, and all might be correct. There are few redeeming qualities exhibited by " House on the Edge of the Park". David Hess clearly is in full sociopath mode, winning women through intimidation. Lurid and sadistic, with Hess carrying the film pretty much alone, as the uninvited guest to a swingers party. Rape and razor slashing ensues as Hess and his accomplice get down to business. None of the victims elicit any sympathy, so the audience really is apathetic as to the outcome, which includes a twist ending. Acceptable entertainment for the slasher crowd, others beware. - MERK

Ruggero Deodato's "La Casa Sperduta Nel Parco" aka. "House On The Edge Of The Park" of 1980 is very obviously a rip-off of Wes Craven's disturbing debut "The Last House On The Left" Of 1972, but it is nevertheless an interesting and disturbing film experience on its own and those familiar with Mr. "Cannibal Holocaust" Deodato will probably not be surprised that this is even more explicit in its sick brutality and violent detail than Craven's film from 8 years earlier.Sleazy thug Alex (David Hess) and his slightly retarded buddy Ricky (Giovanni Lombardo Radice) invite themselves to a party hosted by a couple of rich young snobs after repairing their car. The snobbish party hosts are soon to find out that Alex is a sadistic psycho par-excellence...I am a huge admirer of director Deodato, his brilliant and disturbing masterpiece "Cannibal Holocaust" (also 1980), which has to be seen as the best and most important film of its kind, makes him absolute master of disturbing Horror cinema, and, as far as I am concerned he is way greater a director than Wes Craven. That being said, "The Last House On The Left" is Craven's best movie up to date, and although "House On The Edge Of The Park" is even nastier and more explicit in violent details than it's predecessor, it doesn't come up to Craven's film.Deodato copies the LHOTL plot quite shamelessly, and David Hess (brilliantly) plays a role almost identical to his previous role. The acts of violence in "House On The Edge Of The Park" are even more perverted and intense than in LHOTL, but it failed to move and sadden me the way Craven's film did. The perverted acts of violence are disturbing, all right, but I simply didn't quite feel for the snobbish victims in this, as I did for the innocent girls in "Last House On The Left". While the cruel fate of the girls in Craven's film should disturb and deeply sadden anybody who watches the movie, it is at times hard to care for the decadent party hosts in Deodato's Rip-off. Nevertheless, "House On The Edge Of The Park" is a highly interesting Video Nasty that shouldn't be missed by any fan of cinema of the kind. The acting performances are very good, especially David Hess is (once again) outstanding in the role of the sadistic psychopath. Playing these psycho roles is obviously what Hess was born for, and he he is very believable as he plays the sadistic Alex with disturbing brilliance. Furthermore there is a twist in the end that is unexpected enough to make the story more solid and well-founded (even though not too realistic).All things considered, "House On The Edge Of The Park" does not quite reach the greatness of "Last House On The Left", but it certainly is an interesting and disturbing film that fans of violent exploitation should not miss. Recommended to Deodato-fans and lovers of violent exploitation.