After graduating from Richmond College, Gary Sales and Joe Giannone entered the film business in the late 1970s. With the rise in low-budget horror films like Halloween and Friday the 13th, Sales and Giannone decided to pursue that. While developing the screenplay with Giannone, Sales recalled hearing the legend of Cropsey and chose that as their basis. However, they learned of a similar movie in production around the same time with a similar story, The Burning. Sales decided to rewrite the script to avoid similarities and create a new slasher villain with a unique backstory. Principal photography began in November 1980 on a budget of $350,000 at Fish Cove Inn in Southhampton, Long Island. While most of the cast were unknown, Gaylen Ross from Dawn of the Dead played the lead as “Alexis Dubin.” Despite premiering in October 1981, Madman didn’t get a wide release until early 1982.
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Synopsis
At a summer camp for gifted children, head counselor Max (Carl Fredericks) tells an urban legend by a campfire. He tells the kids and other counselors about Madman Marz (Paul Ehlers), a crazed farmer who killed his family. Marz was hanged for his crime but escaped from the noose and now stalks the nearby woods looking for victims. One of the counselors, Richie (Jimmy Steele), doesn’t believe Max and jokingly calls out for Marz, unknowingly getting his attention. While the rest of the counselors and campers leave for the night, Richie wanders off and finds Marz’s farmhouse. After Max leaves, the other counselors in charge, T.P. (Tony Fish) and Dave (Seth Jones), search for Richie. Unfortunately, neither of them returns, so the other counselors search for them, leaving Betsy (Gaylen Ross) to watch the kids. Who will survive, and who will fall victim to Madman Marz?
Review
Madman is pretty standard compared to many slashers released around this time, though it has some stand-out qualities. For one, the late Joe Giannone manages to capture the look and feel of an old campfire tale. With all the fog, shadows, and minimal lighting, the movie has a very eerie atmosphere that adds to the tension. Even though the film is supposed to take place during the summer, it has an autumn vibe. This vibe adds to the campfire tale feeling of being alone in the woods with a crisp, cool breeze. Admittedly, there are a few out-of-focus shots, but considering the low-budget nature and short schedule, it adds to the charm. Story-wise, there isn’t much more than just a series of kill scenes loosely strung together. Granted, a movie like this doesn’t necessarily need a complex story with many subplots to excel.
Casting-wise, everyone does a decent job, but many of the lesser-known actors don’t stand out in a particular way. Gaylen Ross, arguably the biggest name in the cast, is probably the biggest stand-out, though she doesn’t do much. Conversely, Paul Ehlers makes for a good slasher villain with his imposing figure, massive size, and menacing walk. On top of that, he’s even got a catchy theme song that adds to his mystique as an urban legend. While the kills aren’t as memorable as those made by Tom Savini or his contemporaries, there is some gruesome slashing. Probably the most creative death is when a character gets decapitated with a car hood, which is undoubtedly unique. At slightly under 90 minutes, this film flies by pretty quickly and provides enough scares to keep you invested. Overall, Madman has its issues, but it’s an underrated gem among a sea of slasher imitators.
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