Madman

Rating:
Summary: rating madman
Review: I,seen this movie long ago in grade five or six. i spent years,as in almost 17 years.
looking for it ,i finally found it last year i had to order it and im glad i did,still one of the top horror movies i think from the 80`s.good gore effects and a good plot make it one movie to add to,
anyones dvd horror collection!

Rating:
Summary: Lost classic
Review: Imagne dark autumn woods,campfire,scary stories,the wind in the trees and night when campfire story about madman in the woods came true.Isnt it perfect atmosphere for real horror film?
Madman use it very well,there are no long silent places,just old good fear and feeling,that you are watching for some reason forgotten classic.

Rating:
Summary: Typical post Friday The 13th Slasher Picture
Review: Let me see...Camp Fire....a bunch of Counclers...children....old scary story of a brutal murder years ago...Crazy madman then kills the counclers...YUP! your typical 80's slasher pick.

This killer is named and horribly so, Madman Marz! He is probally the weakest of the 80 slashers. So weak the guy couldn't even get a sequel when he well you see what happens at the end. In the prologe they explain that Madman Marz went crazy and killed his family. Now that is scary, but then all of a sudden he is a speechless, grunting, Santa looking guy all of a sudden? If they would have kept him more human it would have really worked.

The directer tried to use the same style of John Carpenter's Halloween. Long shots where you see the victim and then if you are looking close you could see the killer in the background just a little. Then when you look again he is not there.

If I did an Horror Film Top 100 I am sure Madman would rank in that. Maybe someone in the 60's or 70's, but I am thinking that might be to graceful.

This movie is a fun pick up and watch with a bunch of friends late at night. Not sure I would buy this film, but its definitley worth a rental for some late night fun.

Rating:
Summary: A GEM IN THE SLASHER FILM GENRE!
Review: Madman is a horror flick you should put right next to Friday the 13th and Halloween on your horror shelf. Madman was very well done with some interesting twists that make it stand out from the typical slasher movie. Usually when the killer starts chopping his victims up you can pick which character or characters are going to be the survivors. Madman almost plays on what typically happens in a slasher flick against you. The gore scenes are entertaining as well. I don't believe I've ever heard a skull crack in a horror movie before. Lastly the "Beware The Madman Marz" song at the end was great! While it may not stand up to Friday the 13th or Halloween in terms of originality or pure horror it sure deserves a look.

Rating:
Summary: A CAMP FIRE CLASSIC!
Review: Madman was well thought out and well written. Some of the acting is good and some is really bad. But that's what you'd expect when you buy a stalker in the woods movie. It starts out with 7 camp leaders and about 8 kids telling stories around the camp fire. The oldest leader starts to tell the legend of Madman Marz. The legend says that if you say his name over a whisper he will come and hunt you down. Don't bet on who will die or live because you will be supprised. The death scenes are very cool. One of them has one of the counselors getting their head cut off by a car hood! The dvd features a theatrical trailer,subtitles and scene selection. I would reccomend this for those who enjoyed the Friday the 13th series. ...

Rating:
Summary: Old slasher, good slasher.
Review: Madman

(The Plot)
A group of children and camp workers sit around a campfire telling scary stories into the night. One tells of Madman Marz, a farmer who drank too much and beat his wife. One night Marz hacked his and family to death. So legend has it that it you say his name above a whisper, he'll come after you...

(The Movie)
This is one of the better early 80's slashers that quickly followed Friday the 13th. The movie starts of quite quickly, getting right into the story about Madman Marz, they show some flashbacks of him killing his family with an axe and such. Once the secret of not saying Madman Marz's name out loud was given to everyone else at the campfire, the stupid teenager just couldn't resist in yelling it out and even throwing a bottle through a window into Marz's house.

When the teen notices a gigantic man looking at him from a tree, that's when the fear set in. I'm sure a lot of people who have seen this movie got a little freaked out right away as Marz slowly makes his way down the tree. That is one scene that I will never forget from this movie. It doesn't take too long for Marz to make his first kill as you don't really get to see much of his face until the last half of the movie. Marz looks like a really old man who was never told about a little thing called "haircut" (...).

This is still your normal, average slasher movie that doesn't really do much different from the others, though some of the camera angles used in this movie are sweeter than sugar. If you're a slasher fan, it's a must see but I'd still even recommend it to anyone looking for a scare or perhaps... a laugh?

(The DVD)
This is a really old, low-budget film which can be excused for not having perfect picture and sound quality. Picture can sometimes seem really good though half the time it does get a little hazy in certain scenes and the audio seemed quite dull most of the time. An example of the audio would be like hearing a new movie which had something (i.e. a blanket) covering the speakers, muffling the sound.

The extras are few but more than what anyone should expect from a film like this. You get an audio commentary track which I have only partially listened to though it seemed interesting enough (normally, I only listen to audio commentary on movies that I really love), quite a few TV Spots and the theatrical trailer.

Rating:
Summary: Blah..
Review: Ok lets get something straight here. I am a huge horror fan, especially ones in the woods and from the 80s. But despite all that I hated this movie. The acting is so terrible and unbeliavable... which wouldn't be so bad if the kills were actually good. Madman Mars makes me laugh more. His constant grumbles are not scary. This movie blows. Try Friday the 12th part 1 instead.

Rating:
Summary: MADMAN: Magnificent...or Malodorous?
Review: Okay, 1982's MADMAN is admittedly low-budget schlock. That's a given. But does MADMAN qualify as schlock in the Ed Wood vein (i.e., so bad that it's actually fun)? Or is it just another run-of-the-mill '80s slasher flick whose creators wanted to hitch a quick ride on the lucrative HALLOWEEN (1978) and FRIDAY THE 13th (1980) gravy train? Well, that's actually hard to say, because MADMAN not only precariously walks the fine line between an enjoyable cult flick and unwatchable celluloid, it inexorably teeters back and forth to either side of that line during its entire 88-minute runtime. But again, is MADMAN so bad that it's actually good? Well, yes...and no.

There are aspects of MADMAN that aficionados of cheesy horror will certainly love. The synthesizer-based musical score envelopes the film in a cheesy but charming 1980s skin, with the catchy ditty played during both the opening and closing credits being especially droll. And the campfire tale of the murderous Madman Marz, told in the opening scene, is pretty spooky and functions as a fun set-up for the flick's plot. The film's setting is a wooded campground during the late autumn, and James Lemmo's excellent night-for-night cinematography gives the film a perfect Halloween-ish (the holiday, not the movie) texture. Also, some of the requisite killings are carried out in amusingly original ways--the decapitation via truck hood is a must-see for hardcore fans--with more men than women comprising the final body count (a slasher-flick rarity).

On the other hand, a lot of the acting in MADMAN is more monstrous than the eponymous killer, though to be fair, a lack of thespian talent is not necessarily a bad thing for a lovable trash pic. Whether this works to the film's advantage or not is debatable, but be forewarned that some of the performances here are, to put it bluntly, appalling. Several lines are delivered with improper inflection or with a palpable lack of appropriate emotion, and when lack of acting ability isn't the problem, some of the scripted dialogue is so insipid and unrealistic that even the best of actors would have trouble delivering it in a believable or natural manner. One notable exception is the performance of Gaylen Ross, here credited as Alexis Dubin. (Genre fans will recognize her from 1978's DAWN OF THE DEAD and 1982's CREEPSHOW.) As camp counselor Betsy, Ms. Ross exudes enough genuine pathos, even when spewing ludicrous lines, that hers is the one character the audience hopes will avoid a fatal encounter with the killer.

Ever since sexy P.J. Soles flashed her mammary glands in HALLOWEEN, slasher-film fans expect to see a certain amount of nudity. Alas, MADMAN hardly delivers here. Yes, there is a hot-tub scene where viewers get a light-speed flash of Gaylen Ross' bare chest, but to the dismay of male viewers--who make up the larger percentage of the slasher-flick audience--it is accompanied by a longer flash of a guy's naked behind! Not a good thing.

And finally, the make-up for the titular killer himself, Madman Marz, is a bit hokey. When the audience at last gets a good view of him, he looks more like a hillbilly version of ol' Saint Nick than an ol' serial killer. Director Giannone wisely keeps the old gent in the shadows for most of the movie, though, showing him only in quick glimpses or, better yet, in silhouette against the night sky. Pretty spooky, that. But again, the actual revelation is a letdown.

Alone, MADMAN deserves a middle-of-the-road rating of 2.5 stars (if amazon.com allowed for partial stars, that is). But Anchor Bay's very cool DVD packaging raises the film's rating to 3 stars. In addition to the theatrical trailer, the DVD includes several TV spots, as well as--believe it or not--a cool feature commentary with some of the crew and actors! On top of that, the disc's menu system is a "killer"! The cursor is a little bloody axe, and as it is moved from option to option, the blood disappears in transit but reappears when the cursor "whacks" into the top of that option! Also, when an option other than "Play" is selected, a much larger bloody axe swoops across the entire screen as, in its wake, the current menu imagery is replaced with new sub-menu imagery. Very clever and very cool.

Recap: MADMAN does lean towards the Wood-esque enough to provide a few laughs, and it also provides some genuinely eerie moments and a few imaginative killings. Hardcore slasher-flick fans will probably love MADMAN, and even casual fans of this sub-genre may want to watch it due to its historical significance as one of the first HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13th rip-offs. As for mainstream horror fans, it's really hard to say. MADMAN walks that fine line that divides enjoyable trash pics from the unwatchable, and it vacillates so much that personal preference will depend on just how low one's willing to go. The DVD package from Anchor Bay is so cool (and so affordable), though, that it alone justifies adding this film to any serious horror collection.

Rating:
Summary: MADMAN: Magnificent...or Malodorous?
Review: Okay, 1982's MADMAN is admittedly low-budget schlock. That's a given. But does MADMAN qualify as schlock in the Ed Wood vein (i.e., so bad that it's actually fun)? Or is it just another run-of-the-mill '80s slasher flick whose creators wanted to hitch a quick ride on the lucrative HALLOWEEN (1978) and FRIDAY THE 13th (1980) gravy train? Well, that's actually hard to say, because MADMAN not only precariously walks the fine line between an enjoyable cult flick and unwatchable celluloid, it inexorably teeters back and forth to either side of that line during its entire 88-minute runtime. But again, is MADMAN so bad that it's actually good? Well, yes...and no.

There are aspects of MADMAN that aficionados of cheesy horror will certainly love. The synthesizer-based musical score envelopes the film in a cheesy but charming 1980s skin, with the catchy ditty played during both the opening and closing credits being especially droll. And the campfire tale of the murderous Madman Marz, told in the opening scene, is pretty spooky and functions as a fun set-up for the flick's plot. The film's setting is a wooded campground during the late autumn, and James Lemmo's excellent night-for-night cinematography gives the film a perfect Halloween-ish (the holiday, not the movie) texture. Also, some of the requisite killings are carried out in amusingly original ways--the decapitation via truck hood is a must-see for hardcore fans--with more men than women comprising the final body count (a slasher-flick rarity).

On the other hand, a lot of the acting in MADMAN is more monstrous than the eponymous killer, though to be fair, a lack of thespian talent is not necessarily a bad thing for a lovable trash pic. Whether this works to the film's advantage or not is debatable, but be forewarned that some of the performances here are, to put it bluntly, appalling. Several lines are delivered with improper inflection or with a palpable lack of appropriate emotion, and when lack of acting ability isn't the problem, some of the scripted dialogue is so insipid and unrealistic that even the best of actors would have trouble delivering it in a believable or natural manner. One notable exception is the performance of Gaylen Ross, here credited as Alexis Dubin. (Genre fans will recognize her from 1978's DAWN OF THE DEAD and 1982's CREEPSHOW.) As camp counselor Betsy, Ms. Ross exudes enough genuine pathos, even when spewing ludicrous lines, that hers is the one character the audience hopes will avoid a fatal encounter with the killer.

Ever since sexy P.J. Soles flashed her mammary glands in HALLOWEEN, slasher-film fans expect to see a certain amount of nudity. Alas, MADMAN hardly delivers here. Yes, there is a hot-tub scene where viewers get a light-speed flash of Gaylen Ross' bare chest, but to the dismay of male viewers--who make up the larger percentage of the slasher-flick audience--it is accompanied by a longer flash of a guy's naked behind! Not a good thing.

And finally, the make-up for the titular killer himself, Madman Marz, is a bit hokey. When the audience at last gets a good view of him, he looks more like a hillbilly version of ol' Saint Nick than an ol' serial killer. Director Giannone wisely keeps the old gent in the shadows for most of the movie, though, showing him only in quick glimpses or, better yet, in silhouette against the night sky. Pretty spooky, that. But again, the actual revelation is a letdown.

Alone, MADMAN deserves a middle-of-the-road rating of 2.5 stars (if amazon.com allowed for partial stars, that is). But Anchor Bay's very cool DVD packaging raises the film's rating to 3 stars. In addition to the theatrical trailer, the DVD includes several TV spots, as well as--believe it or not--a cool feature commentary with some of the crew and actors! On top of that, the disc's menu system is a "killer"! The cursor is a little bloody axe, and as it is moved from option to option, the blood disappears in transit but reappears when the cursor "whacks" into the top of that option! Also, when an option other than "Play" is selected, a much larger bloody axe swoops across the entire screen as, in its wake, the current menu imagery is replaced with new sub-menu imagery. Very clever and very cool.

Recap: MADMAN does lean towards the Wood-esque enough to provide a few laughs, and it also provides some genuinely eerie moments and a few imaginative killings. Hardcore slasher-flick fans will probably love MADMAN, and even casual fans of this sub-genre may want to watch it due to its historical significance as one of the first HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13th rip-offs. As for mainstream horror fans, it's really hard to say. MADMAN walks that fine line that divides enjoyable trash pics from the unwatchable, and it vacillates so much that personal preference will depend on just how low one's willing to go. The DVD package from Anchor Bay is so cool (and so affordable), though, that it alone justifies adding this film to any serious horror collection.

Rating:
Summary: Let's hide in the refrigerator!
Review: One of the better 80's slasher films. Way better than the Scream and the I Know...franchises. Low budget, fun, dated, and entertaining. The hot tub scene should've met the cutting room floor or at least the song removed. Probably the only film I know of that has someone hiding in the refrigerator hoping to escape from their killer Madman Marz. Do you know of anyone really named TP? I'm sure Gaylen Ross regrets this film. Go ahead and watch this pre-digital age relic. A warning for those under 25: You just might like this. It's one hundred more times better than the new Halloween movie!