A mystery thriller with suspense , intrigue , plot twists and brief touches of terror .

A fine movie with accurately depicted characters and with the support of dialogues that are never out of tune , adding a captivating atmosphere due to its disturbing incidents . The bossy father (José Calvo) of Urdaz family (Yelena Samarina, Fernando Cebrián , Óscar Monzón..) , as during the inaugural dinner he shows his wrath and crushes his children in a display of extreme cruelty and sadism . Then he receives a unsettling note with a death threat . The surprise is the next day, when he disappears. Later on ,happening a series of mysterious disappearances, both relatives and workers of the farm where they live. There are no traces of him . And fear and despair invades the old house at times... starting with the tyrannical father that everyone fears !.

A passable and absorbing film at times , with an intense intrigue that's reinforced by means of various kinds of shocks , chilling score although in some sequences it becomes too boisterous, and dark cinematography that almost produce a hypnotic effect on the viewer. The plot is typical and ordinary , a variant of the case of successive disappearances that take place in an environment that involves a small group of characters, and subsequently things go wrong . Dealing with strange disappearances and without a trace , as one by one, the Urdaz family is plagued by strange happenings , while glimpses of fine psychology are not lacking . The fear and bewilderment that take over the main roles are combined with a sensitive love story between a wealthy young -Oscar Monzón who has not managed to make a career- and a poor girl -Sara Lazana who had a long , successful career- , whose romance is opposed his family . Some weaknesses in the script is made up for the appropriate , suggestive atmosphere and Balcázar makes good use of the performers, all of them fascinating by the way, as are the characters they play . Balcazar skillfully developed the story and keeps the mystery alive until a denouement that manages to surprise and convince us , earning well-deserved applause. A decent film at the time , quite unknown and whose modest reputation is far below its quality .

The music by composer Adolfo Waitzman is very appropriate and inspired, and the photography by cameraman Juan Jurado is nice , giving the film a strong visual force with its lights and shades . Good cast of actors, well directed, with a lot of familar faces of the Sixties and Seventies such as José Calvo of For a fistful of Dollars, Yelena Samarina , Sara Lezana, Carlos Lemos , Fernando Cebrián , Manuel Guitián , Francisco Álvarez. Here excels the evocative cinematography in black and white shot on location in Comillas, San Vicente de la Barquera y Santillana del Mar with its Colegiata incluided .This was a very promising debut by Jaime Jesús Balcázar., though he falls short . It was shot in 1964 but premieredthree years later with little success. After "The Edge of Fear" Jaime Balcazar wrote/produced/directed irrelevant subsequent products . He was author of the outrageous script for ¨Superargo contra Diabolikus¨, and he managed to make some entertaining movies , though sometimes very mediocre . Juan Jose Balcazar alongside his brothers Francisco Balcazar and Alfonso Balcázar produced and directed a lot of Tortilla or Butifarra Western , most of them starred by Jorge Martin or George Martin , Luis Davila , Daniel Martin or Robert Woods ; such as 1972 The return of Clint , 1972 Judas... ¡Toma Monedas! , 1968 Sartana no Perdone or Sonora , 1967 With Death on Your Back, 1966 Dinamita Jim , 1965 Doc , Manos De Plata , 1965 Viva Carrancho , 1965 Five Thousand Dollars on One Ace . But J. J Balcazar also made other genres such as : Action as 1968 Crónica de un atraco , 1967 El hombre del puño de oro , 1967 El filo del miedo and Erotic as : Catherine Chérie , 1982 , Playa azul , 1979 Inés de Villalonga 1870 and 1970 El misterio de la vida and hisonly Musical : Españolear . Rating 5.5 /10 . Average though some brief moments fun . If you like traditional Spanish thrillers remains watchable. This movie is a good example that with a little budget but with expert skillness , appreciable results can be achieved in the crime genre.

Spanish-language cinema across Spain and Latin America is united by its engagement with history, cultural identity, and social transformation. In Spain, films often balance artistic experimentation with popular genres while reflecting on memory, politics, and family. In Latin America, cinema has been deeply tied to questions of colonial legacy, resistance, and community resilience, ranging from intimate dramas to bold political allegories.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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The horror genre features stories that aim to elicit fear, suspense, and a sense of dread in its audience. Horror stories often explore themes related to the unknown, the supernatural, and the macabre, and they frequently evoke strong emotional reactions such as anxiety, terror, and unease.

One by one, the Urdaz family is plagued by a series of mysterious disappearances, starting with the tyrannical father that everyone fears.

Sara Lezana and Yelena Samarina in El filo del miedo (1967)

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El filo del miedo

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