Alongside the slasher boom, the early 1980s saw a revival of 3D thanks to the surprise hit Comin’ at Ya! Between 1981 and 1983, 3D movies like Friday the 13th Part III, Parasite, and Jaws 3D hit theaters. Enter filmmakers Simon Nuchtern and Bill Milling, who first met working on the 1981 horror film Nightmare. Seeing the popularity of slasher films and the interest in 3D, they decided to combine the two. Around this time, numerous publications reported on mental asylums letting patients out early for budgetary reasons. The two used this as the backbone and hired Bob Zimmerman and Nelson DeMille to help with the script. With a budget of roughly $600,000, filming took place around Nyack, New York, using the ArriVision 3-D camera system. After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, Silent Madness hit movie screens in October 1984 in both 2D and 3D.
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Synopsis
The Craven Mental Institution has recently implemented a program that releases patients they feel are fit for society. Not everyone favors this, particularly Dr. Joan Gilmore (Belinda Montgomery), who thinks it could be dangerous. She’s proven right when a homicidal patient named Howard Johns (Solly Marx) gets released due to a clerical error. Dr. Kruger (Roderick Cook) explains that Howard Johns passed away, but Gilmore suspects something is up, so she investigates further. With help from newspaper owner Mark McGowan (David Greenan), she goes undercover at a sorority house where Johns committed murder. She tries getting help from Sheriff Liggett (Sydney Lassick), but he refuses when the hospital tells him Johns is dead. Elsewhere, Kruger enlists orderlies Jesse (Philip Levy) and Virgil (Dennis Helfend) to bring Johns back and deal with Gilmore. Will Gilmore uncover the truth, and who will be the next victim of Silent Madness?
Review
While I wouldn’t call Silent Madness an unsung classic, I will say that it’s better than most non-franchise slashers. One aspect that makes it stand out is the acting, which is above average compared to similar movies. Belinda Montgomery makes for a strong lead as Dr. Gilmore, acting confident, self-assured, and willing to stand her ground. David Greenan also does an excellent job as Mark McGowan and has great chemistry with Montgomery. Although her scenes are brief, classic actress Viveca Lindfors is also memorable as the sorority housemother, Mrs. Collins. Also, Sydney Lassick of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest fame steals the show as the foul-mouthed sheriff. Solly Marks is a solidly intimidating killer, and Roderick Cook is great as the sinister Dr. Kruger. Even the sorority sisters are very likable, though they have little to do. Also, look for Sleepaway Camp actors Paul DeAngelo and Katherine Kamhi.
What also makes this film stand out is the 3D, which is as gimmicky and cheesy as you can imagine. Admittedly, it’s not as fun as the 3D in Friday the 13th Part III, but the 3D that’s there does add to the charm. Most of the time, the actor will hold an object to the camera and pause, which adds some unintentional humor. Still, I’d rather have this old-school, gimmicky 3D over Avatar’s flashy, atmospheric 3D any day. Also, while the kills are relatively tame and lacking in gore, many are imaginative and creatively unique. A memorable one involves a girl upside down strangled by a rope tied to a dumbbell thrown out a window. There’s also a flashback sequence where several girls get gunned down with a nail gun, which is just brutal. The kills are above your typical slice and dice, even if not bloody.
Whether intentional or not, the film also has a slight anti-corporate message and provides commentary on the healthcare system. We see patients mistreated by the staff, technical errors swept under the rug, and management more concerned with money. Considering the filmmakers’ inspiration for this film, it wouldn’t surprise me if this commentary was intentional. Granted, I’m probably giving this movie more credit than it deserves, but this is more ambitious than typical slashers. Criticisms aside, it’s clear the filmmakers tried making something unique, and even if some of it didn’t work, they tried. At slightly over 90 minutes long, parts of the film could’ve been shorter, but it moves at a decent pace. So, if you’ve seen all the big slashers and want something else, give this a shot. Overall, Silent Madness is hardly a classic, but its ambition, story, and acting put it above its contemporaries.
Buy Silent Madness from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3SaB3Tr.
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