"Madhouse" is an adaptation of the novel "Devilday" by Angus Hall, going pretty far on the value of three horror genre acting greats: Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, and Robert Quarry. Price is in his element as Paul Toombes, a genre star thanks to his franchise role of Dr. Death, and Cushing plays his old friend Herbert Flay, an actor-turned-screenwriter-turned actor who helped create the character. Paul has a nervous breakdown following the murder of his fiancee; 12 years later, Herbert persuades him to rehash Dr. Death for a TV series. Then various cast & crew begin to be killed in ways that hearken back to death scenes in the Dr. Death series.
With copious footage taken from such VP classics as "Tales of Terror", "The Raven", and "House of Usher", "Madhouse" is a nice tip of the hat to VPs' career in horror. It seems lightweight compared to his earlier favourites, but it still offers a good deal of fun, especially at the end. The finale is the best part, with some tour-de-force acting by VP and some delicious moments to close the picture. At first, it looks like Adrienne Corri's character, Faye, is under-utilized, but she is paid off at the end. She plays a former actress who has similarly disconnected from reality (but she certainly develops an affinity for the care and use of tarantulas).
VP is allowed to be theatrical to his hearts' content, much like the grand "Theatre of Blood" from the previous year. The supporting cast is good, with Linda Hayden as an aggressive wannabe starlet, Natasha Pyne as the helpful Julia, interviewer Michael Parkinson playing himself, and Barry Dennen as a TV director. With Corri, Hayden, Pyne, Jenny Lee Wright, and Julie Crosthwaite among the actresses on hand, there's no shortage of delectable female eye candy. Cushing is wonderful as always, and Quarry is superb as the crass TV producer.
All in all, "Madhouse" is entertaining, and worth seeing for the stars at the very least, even if the main plot is rather trite.
Directed by Jim Clark, usually an editor on things like "Marathon Man", "The Killing Fields", and "The Mission".
Seven out of 10.
With copious footage taken from such VP classics as "Tales of Terror", "The Raven", and "House of Usher", "Madhouse" is a nice tip of the hat to VPs' career in horror. It seems lightweight compared to his earlier favourites, but it still offers a good deal of fun, especially at the end. The finale is the best part, with some tour-de-force acting by VP and some delicious moments to close the picture. At first, it looks like Adrienne Corri's character, Faye, is under-utilized, but she is paid off at the end. She plays a former actress who has similarly disconnected from reality (but she certainly develops an affinity for the care and use of tarantulas).
VP is allowed to be theatrical to his hearts' content, much like the grand "Theatre of Blood" from the previous year. The supporting cast is good, with Linda Hayden as an aggressive wannabe starlet, Natasha Pyne as the helpful Julia, interviewer Michael Parkinson playing himself, and Barry Dennen as a TV director. With Corri, Hayden, Pyne, Jenny Lee Wright, and Julie Crosthwaite among the actresses on hand, there's no shortage of delectable female eye candy. Cushing is wonderful as always, and Quarry is superb as the crass TV producer.
All in all, "Madhouse" is entertaining, and worth seeing for the stars at the very least, even if the main plot is rather trite.
Directed by Jim Clark, usually an editor on things like "Marathon Man", "The Killing Fields", and "The Mission".
Seven out of 10.