For its original UK cinema release (as "California Axe Massacre") cuts were made to a razor slashing during a rape scene, the beating of Aubrey, and heavy edits to the infamous scene where the salesgirl is shot at and splashed with ketchup, and the film later found itself on the official DPP list of video nasties in the 80s. It was eventually issued on the Exploited video label, under its cinema title, in 1999 but received 19 secs of cuts to the previous razor slashing scene. The BBFC said they would have passed it uncut but previous illegal distribution of the uncut version led to a prosecution under the obscene publications act (the same reason
The House by the Cemetery (1981) and
Blood Feast (1963) were slightly cut). The cuts were fully waived for the 2005 ILC release and the film reverted to its original title of "Axe".
