EDGE OF THE AXE

The maniac at large

EDGE OF THE AXE (1988/aka Al filo del hacha/1988). Director: Joseph Braunstein (Jose Ramon Larraz).  

A woman killed in a car wash by an ax-wielding maniac is the first of several female victims in the small town of Paddock, which has only two cops. There are plenty of suspects: computer geek Gerald (Barton Faulks); his best friend, the exterminator Richard Simmons (Page Mosely), who married his older wife Laura (Patty Shepard of The Killer is One of 13) for her money; Police Chief McIntosh (Fred Holliday), who tries to discourage everyone from thinking a serial killer is on the loose; creepy Father Clinton (Elmer Modlin); and others. 

Christina Marie Lane and Barton Faulks

Now you might think that the residents of this town, not to mention the (unseen) mayor, would insist that the Police Chief call in the FBI when there is murder after murder with no one being arrested. Then it develops that all of the victims are connected, but only the computer nerd figures it out and only near the very end. The only thing more ridiculous is the identity of the killer -- this come out of nowhere -- who really doesn't seem physically capable of the killings, which are gruesome if not too graphic. The script is disjointed, as if if were written on the fly, or if scenes were left on the cutting room floor. Barton Faulks gives a more than decent performance as Gerald, but both he and best buddy Richard are pretty obnoxious characters. Apparently the director has some sort of following but it's hard to see why, as this film -- while it may have some suspense -- has no style or special flair to it at all. You wouldn't know that this was a Spanish production as the American cast all speak English and no one is dubbed. The movie was filmed at Big Bear in California.

Verdict: An ax murder movie you can miss. **1/4. 

SCORPIUS

SCORPIUS. John Gardner. Putnam's; 1988.

Absolutely one of Gardner's best 007 efforts, and one of the most entertaining and chilling Bond novels ever written. Bond takes on a malevolent cult leader named Father Valentine, who turns out to be none other than loathsome arms dealer Vladimir Scorpius, who has switched from selling mechanical weapons to marketing the services of his brainwashed cult members, The Society of the Meek Ones, as human bombs. A campaign of terror reigns in England as these human bombs blow themselves up at public gatherings, taking many public officials and innocent spectators and police officers with them. Father Valentine has also issued a smart card, a credit card, Avante Carte, to his members, and it also has menacing possibilities. Bond joins forces with Harriett Horner, an American IRS agent, and a military man named Pearlman whose daughter is a member of the cult. But Bond isn't certain that either can be trusted, as someone seems to know his every move... It all winds up on Hilton Head Island, off South Carolina, where Valentine/Scorpius has his headquarters, and Bond tries a thrilling escape through a nest of hundreds of scorpions, and a run across a beach occupied by dozens of deadly snakes whose one bite means near-instantaneous death. The thrilling climax has Bond desperately trying to prevent a final attack on both the Prime Minister and the President.

Scorpius is prime Bond. It pulls the reader along from the first paragraph and never lets go. The supporting cast is more interesting and dimensional than usual, and more than one of the characters comes to a moving fate. The novel also taps into contemporary fears of cults and terrorists and human bombs, who have become all too common in the real world. As an in-joke, Gardner has Bond watch The Untouchables on an airplane in which “a favorite actor of his” played a Chicago cop. (The role was essayed, of course, by Sean Connery.) Possibly expressing his own feelings about the death penalty Gardner has Bond, improbably, make the comment that “I don't believe this eye-for-an-eye business... I've been in the game too long, and there's something particularly vile about snuffing out life if there's another way.” Not so improbably, Bond forgets all of this stuff and deliberately engineers the death of the truly miserable villain at the end. (Bond would try not to take a life if he could help it – he was certainly never as casual about death as the movie 007 is -- but he would take pleasure in snuffing out certain despicable and merciless parties if it came to it.)

Verdict: Despite some suspect or illogical moments, Scorpius is the real deal.***1/2.

JACK THE RIPPER (1988)

Michael Caine and Lewis Collins

JACK THE RIPPER (two-part mini-series/1988). Director: David Wickes. 

In Whitechapel London in 1888, Scotland Yard Inspector Abberline (Michael Caine) is assigned to the case of the grisly murder of a young prostitute over the objections of the local constabulary. Abberline, who "tibbles" a bit too much, is partnered with the handsome Sgt. George Godley (Lewis Collins, who looks like something out of Gentleman's Quarterly.) As the murders continue, and "Jack the Ripper" sends a letter to the press, Abberline is concerned that the killer may be a member of the royal family. 

Armand Assante

Suspects include actor Richard Mansfield (Armand Assante), who is starring in a theatrical version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; clairvoyant Robert James Lees (Ken Bones), who allegedly has visions of the killer; Prince Albert Victor (Marc Culwick), who visits the fleshpots in Whitechapel; vigilante George Lusk (Michael Gothard of Lifeforce), who stirs the populace up against the police; Sir William Gull (Ray McAnally), one of the queen's personal physicians; coachman John Netley (George Sweeney); and others. 

Michael Caine pursues the Ripper

I first watched this when it aired in 1988 and found it riveting; less so this time around, although it is still entertaining enough. The problem I have this time is that the alleged solution, which was touted at the time as being a brand-new theory but really wasn't, has since been discredited and the reputation of a perfectly innocent, indeed admirable, man has been besmirched. Michael Caine gives a dynamic performance -- too dynamic, as he seems to be ferociously chewing on the scenery in several segments, his character's anger and frustration notwithstanding -- Lewis Collins provides a more restrained and credible counterpoint to Caine/Abberline. I far more enjoyed the performances of such excellent players as Armand Assante (who is just perfect as Mansfield) and the amusingly-named Ken Bones as the psychic. There's a little too much of George Lusk in this story, although he is well-played by Gothard, and there are other good turns as well, especially from Jane Seymour as, I believe, a fictional artist named Emma. Susan George and Edward Judd are also in the cast but I didn't recognize either of them. 

Verdict: Interesting take on Jack the Ripper -- employing mostly real-life characters -- as long as you recognize that the denouement is crap. ***.