Madhouse

After suffering a nervous breakdown, an actor (Vincent Price) reluctantly revives his Dr. Death character at the urging of his screenwriter friend (Peter Cushing) and producer (Robert Quarry).

Madhouse is a campy horror in the vein of Price’s earlier The Abominable Dr. Phibes and Theater of Blood. Unfortunately, Madhouse has neither the stylish design of the former, nor the over-the-top absurdity of the later, and, as a result, is disappointing, especially given the cast.

Vincent Price is fine as the lead, though the script by Ken Levison and Greg Morrison does little to tailor the role. A few more asides and in-jokes (aside from the clips of Price’s earlier American International pictures) would have gone a long way.

Supporting Price, Peter Cushing and Robert Quarry have practically nothing to do. Granted, there is a great costume party scene where Cushing and Quarry both dress as vampires (Cushing as Dracula as an allusion to his Hammer work with Christopher Lee, and Quarry as an almost mirror image of his Count Yorga character), but aside from this, they’re both wasted.

Add to this an overlong, and truly absurd, third act and you’ve got the makings of a severe disappointment.

Those with a great love of camp horror may be able to salvage something here, but others would do well to watch The Abominable Dr. Phibes or Theater of Blood instead.