Deranged | |
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US theatrical poster
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Directed by | Alan Ormsby and Jeff Gillen |
Produced by | Tom Karr Bob Clark (uncredited) |
Written by | Alan Ormsby |
Starring |
Roberts Blossom Cosette Lee Leslie Carlson Robert Warner |
Music by | Carl Zittrer |
Cinematography | Jack McGowan |
Distributed by | American International Pictures |
Release date
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Running time
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82 minutes |
Country | Canada United States |
Language | English |
Deranged is a Canadian-American horror film made in 1974 and directed by Alan Ormsby and Jeff Gillen. It is also known by the title Deranged: The Confessions of a Necrophile in the USA. It is a low-budget movie that has since become something of a cult film and is based on the life of Ed Gein. The title is, however, misleading since Ed Gein never experimented with necrophilia; although a necrophile is also defined as "an obsessive fascination with death and corpses."
The movie disappeared after its release in 1974 and was later rediscovered in Florida in the mid 1990s.
Ezra Cobb lives with his mother in an unidentified region of the Midwest. His mother, a religious fanatic, has indoctrinated him since childhood to hate women. Upon her death, Ezra digs her up again, believing that she is still alive.
Ever more deluded each passing day, Ezra digs up various bodies, restoring them from their decomposition and even using them as home decor. Soon, Ezra's obsessions go beyond the dead themselves, and he becomes a serial killer. Luring women into his grasp, he soon finds various other "creative" ways in which to decorate his home.
Deranged received mixed reviews from critics. Film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 40%, based on 5 reviews, with a rating average of 6.3/10.Allmovie gave the film a positive review, writing, "Deranged is interesting because it as witty as it is scary. The film suffers from rough edges, the main problems being inconsistent pacing and a stilted framing device involving an investigative reporter, but remains compelling because it adds some perceptive social satire into the mix."
In 2002, MGM released Deranged as part of its "Midnite Movies" collection of double feature DVDs. It was released along with the 1980 feature film Motel Hell. A second release of the film was also made available in the United States on DVD from Desert Island Classics on March 5, 2014.