Review of Madman

Madman (1981)
3/10
More likely a camp for the ugly and the stupid.
14 August 2009
A low-grade ripoff of "Friday the 13th", (would that make it Friday the 12th?) starring the most aesthetically unappealing cast in movie history. On the last night at a cottage for gifted kids, Max the proprietor of the place, tells a story about Madman Marz, a local farmer that killed his own family and was properly hung by the locals for this crime. Supposedly he did not stay dead which is very rude and if anyone says his name out loud well, you ain't gonna like it. This is the cue for one of the counselors to immediately say his name. Not too bright. Marz returns to his house which seems located conveniently by the cottage and picks up where he left off. Surprisingly he does not go to a family crisis counselor and talk about his pent up feelings. The cycle of violence continues.

There is nothing here to suggest that this is a cult classic rather than a cult wishing this was a classic. This is far and away the most ugly cast of actors I have ever watched. From pointed noses, to oddly spaced eyes, to terrible hair and bad mustaches it leaves little wonder why most of these actors never appeared on film again. If ever there was a movie to be broadcast in braille this is the one.

The cottage is home for gifted children, all six of them, and must be an experiment as they are saddled with a bunch of functional retards as counselors. Every character in this movie makes the most boneheaded decisions that ultimately leads to his or her own death. The formula gets old quick. One person goes into the woods. Gets killed. Another person follows. Repeat until you're bored to tears. One imbecile actually tries to flee Madman Marz by hiding in a refrigerator. When the final counselor left rises above her monkey intellect and realizes what is happening, does she call the cops? No! She calls Max the old man storyteller that went out to the bar that night. Simply brilliant. Most of the acting gives the forest a run for its money as far as wooden performances go and the kills are lackluster at best. Still, it was amusing when one of the counselors stumbles upon a headless corpse only to query, "Are you alright?". This movie IS the ugly tree!
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