I never realized some of the bad cinematic choices made by my parents while growing up until recently. I say this not because HOTEOTP is a bad movie, it's the fact that the decision to allow a seven/eight year old kid to watch this Italian sleazefest - That's the bad part. God love them, tho. David Hess pretty much carved his career in stone as forever being a brutal sadistic rapist with no regard for women or life in general with this Rugerro Deodato brute-fest. Last House on the Left left him wounded, walking in a dead mans waddle, but House on the Edge of the Park was the fatal shot. Alex (Hess) and Ricky (Italian sleazemeister Giovanni Lombardo Radice) are quiet the abnormal pair. From the get go, we're introduced to an 'ambush' rape - Alex seeing a short haired blond in the car next to him, forcing her off the road, then raping her. For a few minutes, one may get the inkling that Krug had somehow survived and made his way to Italy. We shouldn't be so lucky. Alex and Ricki are two lone mechanics - Alex being the semi-boss, or the brains of the bunch, using the somewhat 'slow-minded' Ricky as a superiority crutch - someone to boss around and ultimately shove around. Ricky is somewhat likable, as we see his childish innocence right away. From the start, we realize that Alex and Ricky don't make a good pair, especially the way Alex seems to be the one in control. It's evening and Alex is getting all dolled up in his black and yellow club suit, looking mighty fine. Ricky is decked out in his leather jacket and jeans, discussing certain plans for the evening. Before long, a crew on their way to a party need a quick fix for their car and offer Alex forty bucks to fix it. Incidentally, after looking the car over, the crew invite the two dressed up mechanics out for a night of 'boogieing'. They soon arrive at a very large mansion, where a few more party goers await - one of the most memorable being a bald black woman. Yeah, a bald black woman. Things go pretty good at first, until one of the guys at the party suggest playing a game of poker. Ricky has to pretty much ask Alex if he can play, but Alex being the good slave driver he is, allows Ricky to play. Soon, Alex realizes that they're taking him for a ride and scheming together to beat his every hand. Ricky has no idea that he's being taken advantage of, not even after the little fiasco earlier, involving a half naked Ricky and the cold clubby hands of the female party goers. To put it bluntly, Alex doesn't take well to the fact that they're trying to pull one over on them. He pretty much goes ballistic, beating the total shit out of a couple of the guys and cutting up and raping every woman in his path. He takes the house under siege, locking everyone in, telling them their every move. Ricky, being somewhat 'easier minded' than his bugged out friend Alex, just wants to call it a night, but Alex isn't done yet - He wants to have some fun. To make a long story short, what we get is a brutal, sleazy, sadistic, mysgyonic piece of cinema, that serves no other purpose than to shock and repulse you. I'm not sure which is worse in terms of brutality, Last House on the Left or House On the Edge of the Park. I have actually interviewed both David Hess and Giovanni Lombardo Radice, and both guys have fun memories of each other, and most of all, fund memories of making House on the Edge of the Park. (I'll post the interviews soon). Like most rape/revenge flicks, Alex gets what's coming to him, but not after lashing out and accidentally mortally wounding little old Ricky. Hess puts on a pretty good performance and is always strangely likable, even when he's a sadistic psycho. I could never understand this. Anyway, this ain't for the squeamish. I really feel sorry for people who actually 'enjoy' or as Lomberto-Radice likes to say, 'get off on'' these types of films'. Films like these are pretty much a one time thing with me, as the subject matter is just a little to tight - The same can be said for I Spit on Your Grave. I still find myself watching this little Italian dung-fest from time to time, but I really have to put on my blinders and remind myself that I'm not depraved, I just need a wake-up call.
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