Chiller Tuesday; Madman 1981

 What's better than Monday Mayhem? Chiller Tuesday? Maybe not better, but just as good. This week Kris the Horror Queen digs deep into her VHS archives to 19981's Madman! Please make sure you follow Kris on Instagram and also her amazing Podcast Gizmos Corner. 

Madman(1981)
Today in the VHS crypt, don’t even whisper his name! We’re focusing on 1981s “Madman”, directed by Joe Giannone. Filmed in New York, this movie initially intended to follow the tale of Cropsey murdering kids around a camp, but production soon caught wind of “The Burning” (also released 1981) which followed the exact same story. This forced them to rewrite, and essentially end up creating their own urban legend with Madman Marz.
The movie opens around a campfire, where the senior (and I do mean senior) counselor T.P. is telling the tale. Madman Marz, who killed his entire family with an axe, was hung for the crimes but broke free soon after only to disappear into the woods. Legend has it that anyone who says his name above a whisper, will draw him out and also be murdered. Right on cue, counselor Ritchie yells out for him while throwing a rock through the window of Madman’s home. After being scolded, everyone leaves the campfire to return to their cabins, where Ritchie sees a towering glimpse of the Madman in a tree. As the night continues on, one by one the counselors begin meeting grisly fates as Marz proves to be much more than lore for campfire tales.
Typical of 80s slashers, the dialogue is not absolutely mind blowing, but not the worst either. We get an incredibly catchy theme song  and some great gore! One of the top Slashers of the 80s in my opinion, hitting all the marks for an enjoyable watch with friends or alone…..if you dare.
Streaming: YouTube, Amazon Prime, Tubi