Madhouse (1974)

Director:

Jim Clark

Writers:

Angus Hall (novel)
Ken Levison (screenplay)

Release Date:

March 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

If Stark Terror Were Ecstasy... living here would be sheer bliss!

Plot:

Horror movie actor Paul Toombes (Vincent Price), famous for playing "Dr. Death," suffers a nervous breakdown...

Plot Keywords:

Spider | Stabbed In The Neck | Studio | TV Show | Peacock

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Paul Toombes
Peter Cushing	...	Herbert Flay
Robert Quarry	...	Oliver Quayle
Adrienne Corri	...	Faye
Linda Hayden	...	Elizabeth Peters
Natasha Pyne	...	Julia
Barry Dennen	...	Blount
Catherine Willmer	...	Louise
Ellis Dayle	...	Alfred
Jenny Lee Wright	...	Carol
John Garrie	...	Harper
Ian Thompson	...	Bradshaw
Julie Crosthwaite	...	Ellen
Peter Halliday	...	Psychiatrist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Boris Karloff	...	Clip from 'The Raven' (archive footage)
Debra Paget	...	Clips from 'The Haunted Palace' (archive footage)
Michael Parkinson	...	TV Interviewer
Basil Rathbone	...	Clip from 'Tales of Terror' (archive footage)

Also Known As:

Deathday
The Madhouse of Dr. Fear
The Revenge of Dr. Death

Runtime:

92 min | USA:89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:X (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) | Finland:(Banned) | USA:PG

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

During the costume party Robert Quarry is dressed in his outfit from the film "Count Yorga, Vampire" (in which he played the title role).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Julia's dead body is breathing heavily after Paul Toombes discovers her.

Quotes:

Paul Toombes: Now I must play the final scene, the death of Dr Death!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 3 (1996) (V)

Madhouse is for Laughter.

Vincent Price (as Paul Toombes) is at it again! He's a old time horror movie star on the comeback trail; his attempt is, however, being thwarted by a series of horrific murders. Naturally, Mr. Price (aka "Dr. Death") is a prime suspect. Along for the movie ride are Peter Cushing (as writer Herbert Flay) and Robert Quarry (as producer Oliver Quayle).

Another interesting, but failed, follow-up to Price's successful "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" (1971) ********. The promising team-up of horror maestros Vincent Price and Peter Cushing, with Robert Quarry, in a "Madhouse" is decidedly anti-climatic -- in fact, the stars are not at all well-served. The film is cheap; and, the story inferior and predictable. Some of the scenes are laughable instead of horrifying -- the bed crushing apparatus looks very tacky when it comes down the second time, for example. Don't expect much from this "Madhouse".