Madhouse
Country: UK
Year: 1974
Studio: Amicus
Director: Jim Clark
Stars: Vincent Price (Paul Toombes), Peter Cushing (Herbert Flay), Linda Hayden
Madhouse
I absolutely adore Vincent Price movies. He's got such screen charisma and he's just tremendous to watch onscreen. Some of his later films have a tendancy to slip into parody however. In this, his last low budget number for AIP, Price plays aging horror actor Paul Toombs (sound familiar at all?) whose trademark role is "Dr Death". After his fiancee is murdered he suffers a breakdown and his film career is effectively over. Years later, he revives Dr Death for a television series but cast and crew soon begin to die in ways that reflect scenes from Toombs' movie career...
One of the most marvellous things about this film, is the inclusion of clips from Price's film back catalogue in the guise of Toombs' career - including one of my favourites: "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" from the movie "Tales of Terror" (1962). Therefore we see cameos from greats like Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff. It's always nice to get a glimpse of old favourites during new films (an odd view I realise but hey-ho!). Peter Cushing also stars as Toombs' writer Herbert Flay and the Price/Cushing double act is as fab as it ever could be - two horror greats that work brilliantly together.
Generally this is a good fun romp of a horror. It's no award winner, it's a little formulaic and probably isn't for everyone, but Vincent Price fans will revel in it. A Sunday afternoon flick with popcorn - watch out for Parky interviewing!
Reviewer - @helen_of_horror
Madhouse Movie Spoiler - If you want to know the ending of the film.
