Madman (1982 film)
| Madman | |
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Film poster
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| Directed by | Joe Giannone |
| Produced by | Gary Sales |
| Written by | Joe Giannone |
| Starring |
Gaylen Ross Paul Ehlers |
| Music by | Stephen Horelick |
| Cinematography | James Lemmo |
| Edited by | Daniel Lowenthall |
| Distributed by | Jensen Farley Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $350,000 |
| Box office | Unknown |
Madman is a 1982 slasher film written and directed by Joe Giannone. and starring Gaylen Ross, Paul Ehlers, Tony Fish, Harriet Bass, Seth Jones, Jan Claire, Alexander Murphy, Jr., Jimmy Steele, and Carl Fredericks. The film was also produced by Gary Sales, composed by Stephen Horelick, and distributed by Jensen Farley Pictures.
The story focuses on an axe-wielding murderer named Madman Marz who, after accidentally summoned by a group of campers during a campfire tale, begins to stalk and murder the group who summoned him. Originally based on the upstate New York urban legend of the Cropsey maniac, the film's central premise and main antagonist was changed last minute due to conflicts with The Burning (1981), which was in production at the same time. In the years since its release, the film has achieved a cult following.
A group of senior counselors and campers, consisted of T.P., Betsy, Ellie, Dave, Stacy, Bill, and the middle-aged head counselor Max, are gathered around a campfire and tell the legend of Madman Marz (played by Paul Ehlers); a murderer who murdered his wife and children with an axe, and was hung on a noose for conviction before he mysteriously broke free and escaped into the woods. Told by Max, he explains that anyone that says his name will awaken him and have him get that person. Richie, a cocky teenager, awakens Marz by shouting his name and throws a rock into his old home. Annoyed, Max then ends the campfire session and sends everyone to their cabins while he goes into town to stock up on supplies. Richie stays behind when he sees Madman Marz hidding in a tree and sneakily follows him back to his house. While everyone is inside their cabins, Chef Dippy is then killed by Marz outside.
After the kids have gone to sleep, the rest of the counselors go to the rec room to relax; T.P. and Betsy kiss in a hot tub, unbeknownst that Marz is watching them from outside. Meanwhile, Dave finds out that Richie didn't follow them back, and informs the counselors about this. T.P. searches out into the woods for Richie, and is hung by Marz with a noose up on a tree; he is killed when Marz pulls down his legs and the noose snaps his neck. Marz later returns to the camp and grabs the axe out of the log.
While Richie tries looking for a way back to camp, Dave ventures out into the woods due to Betsy worrying about T.P.'s disapperance, and is decapitated by Marz. Stacy tells Betsy to watch the kids in the meantime, and gets Ellie and Bill back to the camp due to the disappearances. Stacey drives out into the woods and, panicking from discovering Dave's headless body, tries to escape in her car in which stalls. She opens the car's hood, and Marz stands on top of the car just before he jumps down onto the hood, decapitating Stacy. Later, Ellie finds Madman Marz and screams, prompting Marz to flee and bringing Stacy's body with him. Bill soon arrives and consoles her while they try to head back to the camp using Stacy's car. Madman appears, and drags Bill out of the car to snap his back. Ellie is then chased back to the camp by Marz, and murders her with his axe.
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