Deranged (1987)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Chuck Vincent

Writer:

Craig Horrall (writer)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The Ultimate Horror Comes From Within.

Plot:

A woman kills a burglar in self-defense. The experience so unnerves her she begins to imagine that everyone is trying to harm her and begins to kill anybody who comes near her.

Plot Keywords:

Hallucination | Baby | Straight Razor | Living Dead | Birthday Cake

Cast

Veronica Hart	...	Joyce (as Jane Hamilton)
Jerry Butler	...	Frank (as Paul Siederman)
Jennifer Delora	...	Mary Ann
Jamie Gillis	...	Eugene (as James Gillis)
Jill Cumer	...	Mother
Loretta Palma	...	Margaret
John Brett	...	Darren
Jessica Rose	...	Young Mary Ann
Gary Goldman	...	Nick
Harvey Siegel	...	Dr. Freemont
Franke Cole	...	Merrick
Daniel Chapman	...	Minister
Bob Fitzpatrick	...	Valet
Nancy Groff	...	Teacher
Max Hamilton	...	Baby Frankie

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sensuality, language.

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Platinum Pictures (II)

Quotes:

Mary Ann: Are you sure you're okay? Is it the voices again>
Joyce: No! There's no voices, they're gone, I'm just tired.
Mary Ann: You want me to come up with you?
Joyce: No, I'm just gonna go straight to bed...
Mary Ann: I'll take the car then, if you don't mind.

Movie Connections:

References The Shining (1980)

Soundtrack:

Bring Back The Magic

Surprised!

I never would have guessed that a somewhat-mainstream feature film made by, and featuring, sex-film personalities could have turned out fairly impressive. That said, DERANGED is a semi-experimental film which is not without glaring flaws(especially the vague, inconclusive closing shot)...but a damned good college try, regardless.

As stated in other reviews, there is heavy REPULSION influence here, in the grim story of an heiress who goes insane in her NYC apartment. Is her lowbrow Brooklyn hubby out to kill her? Did her loving "Daddy" touch her "wrong"? Is everyone who ever met her out to get her money? These questions arise and are answered in random psychodramatic vignettes staged from a madwoman's delirious perspective.

Quite violent at points, and weird enough to merit a cult audience, DERANGED is an oddball film which will appeal to some, and completely repel others. I personally do recommend it, especially if your personal tastes are often questionable to most others. 5/10.

*footnote- Rather eerie is a shot during the opening credits, of a graveyard with the World Trade Center in the distance. Quite an omen!