Madman

On the final night of summer camp, a group of counselors and campers accidentally summon legendary murderer Madman Marz.

Madman is a cult favorite amongst horror fans. I'd seen it before, but it had been a very long time and I could barely remember any of it. After this re-watch, I can partially see why.

The movie has a great opening scene. Counselors and campers are gathered around the camp fire telling scary stories. Max - the oldest counselor (mid-50's), played by Frederick Neumann - tells the story of local legend Madman Marz, and warns if you speak his name louder than a whisper, he'll come for you. Neumann's delivery of this monologue is excellent, and it creates great atmosphere early on.

Unfortunately, it's somewhat downhill from there. Madman has very slow pacing, and not much at all happens in the first 40 minutes (aside from the campfire scene). It's hard to explain, but there are a few scenes that feel like they last 30 seconds too long. The camera just kinda lingers.

Even when the movie gets going, it's still pretty slow; the characters aren't given a lot to do. One (very much alive, but very stupid) camper is missing, and the counselors - one by one - go looking for him, only to get killed. Otherwise, they don't do much, and there aren't really any subplots or character development. Max, the best character, isn't in most of the movie because he drives into town to play poker.

On the plus side of things, the kill scenes are pretty solid. One jump scare got me good (popcorn bowl flying in the air level) and it wasn't an unearned one. The most memorable scene is when one of the characters, while fleeing from the killer, decides to hide inside of a refrigerator; this was the scene I remembered from my previous viewing. Speaking of the killer, he's pretty cheesy looking; kinda like the Abominable Snowman.

I do think the atmosphere established early in the movie mostly holds up decently throughout the movie too. Even though it takes place at the end of summer camp, the movie was filmed in November and screams 'autumn'. Definitely a different feel than the Friday the 13th films.

There were some glaring technical issues in Madman, but I'll partially forgive those because I assume this movie was made for zero money. I couldn't find the budget anywhere, but I did find this was a non-SAG movie, which is why several of the actors used stage names in the credits (Dawn of the Dead's Gaylen Ross, who stars here in one of her only other film roles, is credited as 'Alexis Dubin'). This movie was written and director by Joe Giannone, and was his only credit before passing away in 2006. Though the movie is below average and flawed, I think he did a decent job all things considered.

A slick attempt at a slasher with very impressive night photography.

Madman Marz, the film's killer, is a local legend made flesh who kills a bunch of wimpy teens and their counselors.

Joe Giannone's direction of the suspense sequences and ground level camerawork is a cut above. The storyline is serviceable but predictable. The acting ain't worth more than a line.

But do check out the film's night photography. Usually I hate night scenes because they're so poorly illuminated. Not so here. Some very stylish set-ups and artful compositions.

Memorable, thumpy score, too.

"Madman" is essentially an early '80s retread of the summer camp slasher (done exponentially better by "Friday the 13th" and "The Burning" before it, and "Sleepaway Camp" after it). In the beginning of the film, a group of camp counselors and preteens are around a campfire— it's the week before Thanksgiving (who goes to camp in November?), and since the camp is shutting down, the counselors decide to tell the story of a local farmer named Madman Marz who hacked his family to death with an axe. One of the counselors decides it would be a good idea to call out his name to the surrounding woods, and lo and behold, when they come a'calling, he comes a'killin'.

Hailed as a cult film by many fans, I'm halfway baffled as to why so many consider "Madman" to be as extraordinary as they do. It's not that the film suffers from being routine — that's expected from an '80s slasher epic— but there are a lot of other issues with it that leave something to be desired. The script, for one, is beyond hokey, and the villain himself is about the least scariest maniac I can recall on film— an ogreish redneck in overalls with a clearly prosthetic face? It just ain't scary, folks. Lackluster performances and truly indistinguishable characters don't help much either.

The film does feature some really great photography at times, especially during the nighttime sequences in the woods, which make up the bulk of the film, but incredibly dodgy editing and an abrasive synth score detract from the moodiness of the proceedings. Even the darkness of the upstate New York forest and the musty cabins of the camp fail to establish a solid sense of atmosphere here, and the film suffers for it. There are a couple of gruesome killings, but by and large even the murder sequences are anticlimactic. Perhaps the film's most indubitable sin, however, is that it flashes the murder sequences of each character across the screen in the opening campfire scene. I mean, obviously we know that most of them are going to die anyway, but why strip any potential surprise from a virtually incredulous film?

It's not that I have a bias to the summer camp/backwoods slasher either, nor did I want to dislike this film. There are dozens of films that follow this thread which I am a fan of: "The Burning," "Friday the 13th," "Just Before Dawn," "The Final Terror"— the difference with those films though is that, despite their formalities, they excel in other areas and are able to distinguish themselves because of it. "Madman" doesn't do that; the most it has to offer is some neat nighttime cinematography, a ridiculous hot tub sex scene, and perhaps the most absurd theme song in film history. Highlights: the eerie silhouette of Madman in the tree (as depicted on the 2003 Anchor Bay cover art), and the downbeat ending. 4/10.

I first saw this in the early 90s on a vhs.

Revisited it recently.

Well, most will agree that this is a rip off of FT13 n The Burning but this one has some moments of lol.

The film is tedious, there is zero nudity inspite of a lousy sex scene in a hot tub.

The moustachioed guy's girlfriend acted terrible n her chase was more lengthier than the final girl.

Some hilarious description bah our killer : face wise he is more like the blind chap from Rituals (1977).

He runs like a kid but walks limping and the best part is the way he hides for his prey. (While waiting for the moustachioed guy's girlfriend).

Watch out for his sharp long nails by which he tears a female's cheek. By the way his dungaree n strength inspired Victor Crowley.

There is a character Richie who stalks the mad serial killer and he disappears from the screen at 28th min and later appears aft 60th min and within that screen disappearance time, many murders happen n he is still alive stalking the killer. He again disappears from the screen and again mayhem ensues n voila, he reappears just before the end credits.

The editing is horrendous as scenes keep cutting abruptly.

Madman is nowhere near as good as some would have you believe, but it does have a slow, creepy atmosphere. The one bit that I will always remember is when you see Madman's silhouette in the trees. That one shot of him alone saves this from being just a regular boring slasher film. It creeps you out enough so that the rest of the film seems ever more creepier as he stalks around the woods killing everyone off. There are plenty of dull moments including a love scene used for padding, and a lot of the time you will be waiting for something to happen. There is a hilarious scene where one of the girls hides herself inside a refrigerator. The ending somewhat spoils the creepiness that had been built up throughout, as we get to see Madman in full light and he just looks like a regular person in a rubber mask. It just goes to show how it's better to leave such things to the imagination.

This is an essential film for any slasher fan, but beware, it's only for those able to tolerate a slower paced slasher.