An evil spirit leaves the body of his human host, a criminal on death-row, and sneaks into the body of his next human host, a French magistrate.An evil spirit leaves the body of his human host, a criminal on death-row, and sneaks into the body of his next human host, a French magistrate.An evil spirit leaves the body of his human host, a criminal on death-row, and sneaks into the body of his next human host, a French magistrate.
- The Horla
- (voice)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFinal theatrical film of Lewis Martin.
- GoofsAt the start of the movie the date in Magistrate Simon Cordier's diary states 1886 as the year. 18-19 minutes into the movie, when he returns the picture of his dead wife and son back to the trunk upstairs, the camera pans to the right after it's open and there is a Teddy Bear. Teddy Bears weren't around until shortly after the November 16, 1902 newspaper cartoon of "Teddy" Roosevelt's based on his bear hunting trip in Mississippi earlier in the month. ("Teddy" refused to kill a baby bear after its mother was killed). Steiff bears started at the Leipzig Toy Fair in March 1903.
- Quotes
[first title card]
Title Card: "... the vulture has eaten the pigeon; the wolf has eaten the lamb; the lion has devoured the sharp-tongued buffalo; man has killed the lion with an arrow, with spear, with gun-powder; but the *"Horla"* will make of man what man has made of the horse and of the ox; His chattel, His slave, and His food, but the mere power of His will. Woe to us!"... Guy de Maupassant
- Crazy creditsOpening credits are revealed by a knife cutting through red fabric.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Creature Features: Diary of A Madman (1970)
For a while I had seen this movie floating around but since the title reveals zero about what the movie is about - I never bothered with it! Just had my first viewing. Better late than never!
Despite being too studiobound and needing about 20 minutes of dull footage cut out, Diary of a Madman is a knockout movie. And frankly, a very odd one, but odd in a good way.
We are missing the wonderfully campy Price dialogue we got in House of Wax and House on Haunted Hill, but instead we get a deadly serious Price who is very pleasing.
Having no location filming gives it a television movie look but the rich Richard LaSalle score makes the whole thing seem rather grand.
If you think you have heard some of the LaSalle cues before, you have, in TV's Lost In Space (1965) and Land of the Giants (1968).
Despite some mild flaws, an outstanding and wonderfully oddball flick.
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $350,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 36 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1