when it didn't take place in Cali and certainly wasn't filmed there?
Oh, and if I recall correctly, only one person was killed with an axe... far from any "massacre."
"I don't have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem."
It was originally released as AXE. Which was a fitting title, since she killed one man with an axe, and dismembered the other with the axe in the bathtub.
The title was banned in Amercia among several other titles and labled as VIDEO NASTIES. During that time, they changed the name to California Axe Massacre to bypass the banning, and allow it a new shelf life on video. Nowhere in the film was any location mentioned, so they figured California was just as good as anyplace. Origanlly it was filmed in Charlotte, NC.
But now that the ban has been lifted, it has been released again under it's original title AXE. The makers never placed MASSACRE anywhere in the title, nor California.
it was probably titled that way to make it sound like "the Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
sharethe original title was LISA, LISA...it wasen't retitled to AXE until 1977
shareYou are correct, it WAS LISA, LISA. I was only refering to it's life on video. But I remember it being Lisa, Lisa. I even have the movie poster for it AS Lisa, Lisa. her face is above the house with the axe buried in the house and blood spilling ut and creating a large pool underneath. I also have the movie poster for AXE. Also, a cool poster.
share[deleted]
It was banned in the U.K., not the U.S.
The "Video Nasties" was a British scandal during the early 1980's. I discus the topic briefly on the first episode of my Video Nasty Podcast, "Born Nasty". The links are below.
YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mttsimo9EW4
SoundCloud: https://tinyurl.com/y9fmleu8
Here's the Axe episode of my podcast!
Below are both Youtube and Soundcloud links.
https://youtu.be/VsedCX2fhPM
https://tinyurl.com/y85m5bnd
I have an Australian ex-rental VHS copy, the title screen on the film has the original title of axe with the words "the california" superimposed over the top of it and the word "massacre" under it, looking like bad subtitles.
A blurb on the front cover also refers to the main character as Tina.
LOL. What a blunder. I am thinking of recording my dad and I watching this again and getting a commentary from him. At least it would be from one of the actors. Too bad we cant find any others to do the same.
This could really be pushed as a GRINDHOUSE CLASSIC.
great! that would be brilliant, keep us posted.
shareWhen frederick Freidel made the film ,it was called Lisa, Lisa.
He sold the rights for distribution to Harry Novak International and they were teh ones who kept changing teh title to make it sound mroe appealing. It went to AXE, then Virgin Slaughter. on video, it was even called CALIFORNIA AXE MASSACRE.
A few horror films used "massacre" in the title to cash in on the success of Texas Chainsaw Massacre....Nail Gun Massacre, Mardi Gras Massacre.....
The same could be said for Texas Chainsaw Massacre, only one person killed with a chainsaw.
I collect dead pigeons then I press them between the pages of a book.share