And what a ride it is. "The House on the Edge of the Park" is yet another variation (I'll avoid the term 'rip-off') of "Last House on the Left," which succeeds because of David Hess's outstanding portrayal of a razor-wielding psycho. Unlike "Last House," which made generational conflict its primary theme, HotEotP is an unashamed exploitation picture that director Ruggero Deodato uses to embellish the excesses of the genre, and there's no better an actor than Hess to carry out such activities.

Hess plays Alex, a NY mechanic who, before the opening credits begin to roll, rapes and strangles an anonymous female (although it's not made clear whether the girl is actually dead). Cut to him and his friend Ricky (Giovanni Lombardo Radice),who have plans to go "boogie-ing" when they're accosted by a rich young couple with car trouble. Ricky fixes the problem (a torn alternator wire),and Alex persuades the couple to invite them to a little 'get-together' at an appropriately-secluded villa. Before long, Alex and Ricky are engaging in some rather heavy petting, and things turn violent.

That's the basic plot setup. At times, the movie moves from scene to scene as if being improvised on the spot, which either intesifies the action or slows it down. That the house (as a setting) is rather small limits the amount of action that can go on inside it. Yet Ruggero Deodato knows how to manipulate his audience--his use of violence and sex to advance the film along works in all the right ways, and keeps your attention. And the sex, violence, and depraved behavior here is pretty extreme, to say the least (the film boasts only one murder, but is far more vicious than LHotL, in my opinion).

Also elevating the film a few levels is a surprisingly name cast of genre actors, including Christian Borromeo ("Tenebrae"),Radice ("The Gates of Hell"),and Lorraine De Selle ("Cannibal Ferox"). These familiar actors add a unique gloss to the sleaziness of "House on the Edge of the Park."

7/10

If it's called a "horror" film, doesn't it make sense to give the audience plenty of "horror" for their money? Ruggero Deodato, the director of CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST and CUT AND RUN, certainly thinks so, and that's why THE HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK is such a damn fine pic.

Vocalist Tina Corsini's rendering of Riz Ortalani's "Sweetly" opens this grim chiller and its placement in the film is a masterstroke. After thug Alex (David Hess) rapes a woman in her car, we follow him and fellow thug Ricky (Giovanni Lombardo Radice) to a party at a house on the edge (or thereabouts) of a park. It is here that the film's tense, sexually-charged drama unfolds.

Deodato, a director of great skill and intelligence, conducts the tension like a maestro as Alex and Ricky upset their hosts and force several confrontations that end in assault and rape.

HOUSE depicts a microscopic class clash and strips all players bare until all that remains is animalism.

The film turns the throttle right up on the psychological violence while keeping the blood and guts to a natural, realistic level.

Hess is totally believable as Alex, as is Radice, Alex's marginally retarded offsider, who questions his loyalty to Hess when the situation threatens to ignite.

Climax raises questions that can not be adequately answered, but Deodato wraps everything up so swiftly you hardly have time to complain.

This is tense, rugged, uncompromising horror.

Bless the talent of Ruggero Deodato, a director who truly delivers the goods with a basket of style.

Perhaps one of the most infamous violence-exploitation films ever made, and for good reason!

Slick rapist and his simple-minded buddy get invited to a snobbish get-together, where they quickly take over the house.

Disturbingly dark, oddly erotic, and subtly directed, Deodato's House on the Edge of the Park is an unforgettable tale of lust and violence. While the violence of this film is extreme, Deodato is careful not to let any of the characters become uninteresting. Even as the story is a somewhat convoluted, the occurrences on screen between the villains and their victims keep the audience well on edge. Also of note is the haunting music of Riz Ortolani, the song 'Do It To Me Once More' being especially appropriate for the film.

The cast is fairly good, the best is undoubtedly David Hess. Hess is no stranger to playing sleazy B villains, as he brings such fierceness to every character.

If you're seeking a sleazy exploitation film, or just a strong guilty pleasure, House on the Edge of the Park may just work! Definitely not for all (or even most) tastes.

** 1/2 out of ****