American International Pictures
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Madhouse
If stark terror were ecstasy...living here would be sheer bliss!
A horror movie star returns to his famous role after spending years in a mental institution, but the character seems to be committing murders independent of his will.
- Original title
- Madhouse
- Language
- EN
- Country
- GB,US
- Budget
- —
- Revenue
- —
Wuchak
Nov 11, 2025 · via TMDB
**_Price and Cushing in this clunky Brit precursor to “Scream”_** Shot in the late spring of 1973 under the (superior) title “The Revenge of Dr. Death,” it was changed to the generic “Madhouse.” It didn’t open in the USA until a year and a half later in December 1974. I couldn’t help but think of “Scream” a couple of times while watching, so this obviously influenced that more popular 1996 slasher (and I like it better). It’s quirky and sometimes awkward due to butchering in the editing room by Milton Subotsky, yet it’s nevertheless colorful and entertaining. While Price and Cushing are highlights in the cast, there are several other notables, such as Robert Quarry, who appears dressed in his outfit from “Count Yorga, Vampire” during a costume party sequence. Winsome Linda Hayden stands out in the female cast, but there are several others worth mentioning, such as Julie Crosthwait (Ellen), Adrienne Corri (Faye), Catherine Willmer (Louise) and Jenny Lee-Wright (Carol), amongst a couple of others. There are well-done scenes involving the mad Faye that make me wonder if they were the inspiration for Overkill’s song “Playing with Spiders/Skullkrusher.” Since the film underperformed at the box office, it marked the end of Price’s collaboration with American International Pictures after 14 years, which started with “House of Usher.” Speaking of which, there are several clips from that flick, "Pit and the Pendulum," "Tales of Terror," "The Masque of Red Death," "The Raven” and “Scream and Scream Again,” all presented as Dr. Death (Price) movies. It runs around 1 hour, 29 minutes; and was shot in the studio in Twickenham, which is located just southwest of London, as well as areas of the city and Pryford Manor in Surrey, the latter further southwest of London. GRADE: B
John Chard
Oct 17, 2019 · via TMDB
Everybody thinks I'm dead, including myself. Madhouse is directed by Jim Clark and written by Angus Hall, Ken Levison and Greg Morrison. It stars Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, Robert Quarry, Adrienne Corri and Natasha Pyne. Music is by Douglas Gamley and cinematography by Ray Parslow. A horror movie star returns to his famous role after recovering from a nervous breakdown. But the character seems to be committing real life murders... The madhouse of the title is a metaphor for the movie making industry, with the makers here clearly having some sly asides to the industry that made them, whilst some of the in-jokes are sharply observed. Featuring genre legends Price from "AIP" and Cushing from "Hammer", it's a horror picture that's more of fond fan piece than anything substantial. Especially given that the two horror greats don't get enogh screen time together. Pic is packed with too many red herrings and some scenes actually don't make any sense, you sometimes feel that it is written on the fly. The insertion of clips from a couple of Price's Corman films are a nice touch, as are a couple of homages, but it still feels like a cobbled idea for a film cribbing from the "Dr. Phibes" scheme of things. While the big reveal for the finale is a bit of a let down and hardly surprising. So not a great film then (it sat on the shelf for two years before getting released), but there's still plenty enough to enjoy here - not least Corri's mad spider obsessive character, Michael Parkinson interviewing Price, and even Price singing! But mostly it's for fans of Price because his horror career was winding down to a close. 6/10
barrymost
Sep 30, 2019 · via TMDB
An old actor returns years later to the role that made him famous--that of evil, psychopathic killer, Dr. Death. But why does everyone on the movie set keep dying violently? Alright, so it's not either one's greatest film, but it is Vincent Price and Peter Cushing, so cut them some slack. The plot is chock-full of holes, but still mildly entertaining, and has a good (if inexplicable) twist ending. That, as well as the two stars, are the only reasons this gets a rating of 6/10 from me. Would I recommend? Not particularly, as there are much better films you could watch to see Price and Cushing at their best. But it's one of your few chances to see both great actors together, and it isn't a total waste of time.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Vincent Price
Paul Toombes
Peter Cushing
Herbert Flay
Robert Quarry
Oliver Quayle
Adrienne Corri
Faye
Linda Hayden
Elizabeth Peters
Natasha Pyne
Julia Wilson
Michael Parkinson
TV Interviewer
Barry Dennen
Gerry Blount
Catherine Willmer
Louise Peters
Julie Crosthwaite
Ellen
John Garrie
Inspector Harper
Peter Halliday
Psychiatrist
Basil Rathbone
Basil (archive footage)
Boris Karloff
(archive footage)
Michael Craze
Reporter (uncredited)
David Jackson
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Patrick Jordan
Ship's Steward (uncredited)
Christopher Sandford
Reporter (uncredited)
Jim Clark
Director
Samuel Z. Arkoff
Executive Producer
Milton Subotsky
Producer
Mortal Remains
Birth of a MURDERER
Secrets of a Soul
A Knock at the Door
Twin Peaks
Se7en
Memento
The Secret in Their Eyes
Freaks
The Maltese Falcon
Blue Velvet
The Big Sleep
The Name of the Rose
Slice
Once the Killing Starts
Lucky Number Slevin
Saw
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Blow-Up
The 39 Steps
The Conjuring 2
The Day of the Beast
K-PAX
Dead Ringers
House of the Disappeared
Red Dragon
Arlington Road
On Dark Paths
Silo Killer
The Frighteners
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Ginger Snaps
A Canterbury Tale
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Blood: The Last Vampire
Night of the Creeps
Martin
Reminiscence
Child's Play
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Hansel & Gretel
Harper
Sacred
Saw II
Scoop
The Masque of the Red Death
Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is
The Bricklayers
Hart to Hart: Till Death Do Us Hart
Jugular
Time to Die
Pumpkinhead
Saw III
Next Door
Wrong Turn
Planet of the Vampires
The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue
Tony Rome
Old
Hannibal Rising
Foul Play
The 39 Steps
From.Beyond
Death Warrant
The Toxic Avenger
Phantom of the Opera
Scary Tales
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
The Hide
Invitation Only
Clownhouse
The Anchor
Vampire's Kiss
Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman
The Sinners
The First Purge
Evil Nanny
Insomnia
1922
Perfect Stranger
Residue
The Good German
Ring 2
Cut Bank
The Baylock Residence
The Omen
The Rage: Carrie 2
Scare Package
Dr. Renault's Secret
White Noise 2: The Light
Dark Fables
Children of the Pines
Candles at Nine
Dead in 3 Days
Dying Breed
Dahmer
Slumber Party Massacre
Harvey
The Pumpkin Man
Uncle Sam
The Trace We Leave Behind
The Enigma of the Folies-Bergère
Bingo Hell
Sick Girl
Run! Bitch Run!
The Scarehouse
Like a Bat Outta Hell
Naina
The Pumpkin Man
Seed
Faces of Death III
The Wicked One
Pendulum
School of Horror
Big Top Evil
Beware the Horror Ghost
Brother Sister
Honto ni Atta! Noroi no Video 25
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Is Your Daughter Home?
Jekyll
The Thing About Beecher's Gate
Elliott Mallane's Murder
The Binding Box
What It Takes
Mickey Dogface
Spooked: Banshee
Murder Ballads: How to Make It in Rock 'n' Roll
Girl Forgotten: What Happened To Brianna Wells? Part 1-3
Psycho
Crossword Mysteries: Abracadaver
Crossword Mysteries: Proposing Murder
The Bourne Identity
Miss Marple: 4.50 from Paddington
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: A Game of Cat and Mouse
Peeping Tom
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: A Very Foul Play
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Heist and Seek
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Til Death Do Us Part
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Dracula
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: How to Con A Con
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: An Inheritance to Die For
The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog
The Bad Seed
The Scarlet Claw
Grindhouse
Strange Darling
House on Haunted Hill
Young Sherlock Holmes
Woman on the Run
Enola Holmes 3
Strange Harvest
Silver Bullet
Luther: The Fallen Sun
The Raven
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Psycho II
Kept Woman
Watcher
The Cellar
The Blue Gardenia
The Invitation
Crooked House
Like Minds
Creep
The Dogs
Race with the Devil
The Exorcist III
MaXXXine
Night Watch
Jigsaw
The Mean Season
Basilisk: The Serpent King
The Jester
Overdrive
Maniac
Mercy Black
Night of the Hunted
Stalked by My Doctor
Candyman
Dracula's Daughter
Tower of London
Spiral: From the Book of Saw
D-Railed
The Hand
Fear in the Night
Thirteen at Dinner
Eyes of Laura Mars
Mar 28, 1974
May 22, 1974
San Francisco, California
May 24, 1974
