Lisa, Lisa (1974)

You won't be disappointed!

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

This no-budget schlocker follows a group of criminals— two of them unabashed chauvinists — who murder two gay men and then take off into the countryside to hide from the police. They come across a rural farmhouse where a young woman lives with her mute paralyzed grandfather. Expecting Southern hospitality, they get a little more than they bargained for."Axe" (also known as "Lisa, Lisa") has been on my "must watch" list for years now, so I'm happy to have finally seen it. The plot here is nonessential; there really isn't a story to be told. Writer and director Frederick Friedel takes concepts from other indie schlock films of the era ("Last House on the Left" comes to mind, as well as "I Spit on Your Grave," though "Axe" predates it) and moulds them into a tight-knit mood piece that is engaging in spite of the fact that it really goes nowhere.There are few thrills to be had here and the unfolding of the skeletal narrative is lugubrious at best, but there is something to be said for the film's moody presentation. At times the cinematography evokes an almost documentary feel akin to Tobe Hooper's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," and the languid farmhouse setting is quietly sinister. The characters are fairly one-dimensional; among the criminals are the two ruthless killers/chauvinists/rapists, and a sympathetic sidekick who actually possesses a conscience. The character of Lisa is inarguably the most ambiguous, lounging around the farm in a white prairie dress when she's not cutting herself in the bathroom or butchering chickens. The acting is sub-par but overall decent given the type of film this is.Maybe the strangest thing about it is how brisk it is. The film barely runs over an hour in length, and this fact paired with the loose narrative ends does give the sense of an underdeveloped concept, although the quirks that come with its underdevelopment are perhaps what make it most memorable. In spite of what the advertising would have you believe, the gore is minimal, but the film is appreciable on an aesthetic level— especially for genre fans who find the notion of an unhinged Laura Ingalls wielding a hatchet to be inexplicably fascinating. 7/10.

Weird psycho-drama regarding a trio of killers, in suit and tie, who flee a city after pummeling someone to death(..the victim's gay lover takes a dive out a 12 story window to escape them!)barging in on a teenager and her senile grandfather, hiding out in their farmhouse, intruders demanding food and shelter. What the these three don't expect is that pretty Lisa doesn't hesitate in using a chopping ax to defend herself. Meanwhile, the grandfather, lost to the world around him, remains comatose, staring blankly, as the men offer danger to his granddaughter.At a mere 61 minutes, you'd think a film with a synopsis as this would be over-the-top and gratuitous, but director / writer Frederick R Friedel adopts a more minimalist approach instead and both the performances and mood are very low-key. Most of the characters(..what few there are)are rather vacuous, empty vessels and the film presents them all as outsiders from society, misfits "hiding away" from civilization. The score uses a lot of drum beats and tambourine, along with a rather depressing music box tune and some chilling piano chords..like many low budget movies during the 70's, the score has moments where it's very eerie, while other times it can be a bit overbearing due to an overuse. Despite the graphic nature of the titular weapon used by Lisa to escape two attempts at rape by her captors, there is very little violence shown on screen, I'm guessing due to little budget. The film looks like it cost 10 bucks, with limited locations, and rather claustrophobic story staging most of the action within the farmhouse. There's more dependency on film blood while the blunt blows of the ax is shot off-screen. Leslie Lee never breaks, as Lisa, from a look of other aloofness, seemingly off in another world. Perhaps her mundane existence and watching as her grandfather left her emotionally(..just a human shell, rotting away day by day) not to mention having no other family members, has created the person she is. Jack Cannon as ringleader Steele, plays him rather antagonistic, at times quite calm, with outbursts showing the kind of monster he truly is(..a little eccentric touch shows Steele cutting his finger nails before commencing to kill the fellow at the opening, and his toe nails the night they besiege Lisa's house). Ray Green, as tubby cigar-smoking Lomax, is about as depraved as Steele is, while Friedel(..the director of the movie), as Billy, seems to be a reasonable enough chap, along for the ride..Billy didn't partake in the clubbing of the victim, and openly chastises them for killing the man. But, even when they provoke and attempt to harm others(..like a supermarket check-out girl), they're more restrained than what you might see in other films concerning murderous bastards who enjoy hurting innocent people. While nothing exactly extraordinary, Axe might appeal to those who enjoy low-budget oddities..I imagine this would be perfect material for a drive-in double bill. The story itself is simple enough and doesn't waste time..the history of it's production might account for why this is the case. Axe is another representative of an era(..the glorious 70's) where film-making was a possibility for quite a many folks. I think the most memorable aspect of the film is the central character, Lisa, because Leslie Lee paints a haunting figure, a young woman without much of a future, who seems to be merely existing, her only purpose as caregiver.

I thought that axe was a well made horror movie, despite having a low budget to film on. I found most of the scenes disturbing to watch. Especially on ones where the 13 year old girl Lisa is cutting off chicken heads which are later fed to her paralysed grandfather. I heard that this was one of the video nasties which were banned in the 1980's I found there to be a lot of gore in the film. the only disappointment that i had was that the film only had a runtime of only 76 minutes, which did not give enougth time for the film or characters to develop. I have seen many horror movies and this one seems to be the weirdest of them all!!. GOOD MOVIE

I'm still wondering why "Axe (a.k.a. Lisa, Lisa)" was one of the notorious video nasty's in the 80's. It really doesn't have the quality or the shocking moments that made comparable movies like "Last house on the Left" and "I Spit on your Grave" so infamous and instant classics. The story is rather dull with almost no action and the characters are very stereotypical. The most strange thing is that there appear to be two different versions: the cut and the uncut one. I'm sure I saw the uncut version, but I'm wondering what in the hell had to be cut out for the "R-rated" version. There's no gore, just some blood which was rather fake, red paint that was way to bright. The movie clocks off at 68 (!!) minutes, but that's o.k: I guess you couldn't stretch this simple story any longer. Worth a look only for the 70's and early 80's mood, that's done well but no classic in my book.