I, Madman (Hardcover) (1989)

41% of users liked it
(1,280 ratings)

This commendable horror effort from Tibor Takacs is a stylish and more entertaining follow-up to his directorial debut The Gate. Employing a novel twist to the story-within-a-story convention, the plot involves meek but intense bookstore clerk Virginia (Jenny Wright), who develops an overpowering… More This commendable horror effort from Tibor Takacs is a stylish and more entertaining follow-up to his directorial debut The Gate. Employing a novel twist to the story-within-a-story convention, the plot involves meek but intense bookstore clerk Virginia (Jenny Wright), who develops an overpowering affection for the works of the late pulp horror author Malcolm Brand. A deranged murderer who removed parts of his body as offerings to his unrequited love, Brand had once claimed to his publisher that the bizarre supernatural tales in his books were purely autobiographical. After plunging into Brand's final novel I, MADMAN, Virginia soon becomes convinced that elements from the book are haunting her in the real world. It turns out that's only the half of it: it seems Brand himself (played by Randall William Cook, who also designed most of the effects for the film) has apparently returned to life to pursue her, believing her to be the woman who once jilted him. Pulp horror elements dominate this atmospheric and clever film, which boasts fine performances from Wright and Clayton Rohner as her detective boyfriend, and features a genuinely creepy villain. There's even a bit of excellent stop-motion animation, depicting one of Brand's ghastly storybook monsters, which tears its way into the real world for the ultra-violent climax. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Tibor Takács
Genres: Horror

In Theaters: Oct 13, 1989 Wide
On DVD: Aug 26, 2003

Critic Reviews

Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily
A passable low-budget horror flick with a winning performance by Jenny Wright (Near Dark).
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner
This quirky and oddly nightmarish film doesn't always make sense but certainly gets points for trying.

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Featured Audience Ratings

El Hombre I

The story is an interesting attempt to change up what is really nothing more than a standard slasher movie. The idea that a killer is brought to life by someone reading a book is different than most other ideas I've seen in the slasher genre. Filmed with brown tones, passages… More
The story is an interesting attempt to change up what is really nothing more than a standard slasher movie. The idea that a killer is brought to life by someone reading a book is different than most other ideas I've seen in the slasher genre. Filmed with brown tones, passages from the book are played out on the screen, and then the two worlds begin to merge with some decent stop-motion model effects thrown in for good measure. One of those films I was worried on whether or not I'd enjoy it as much as I did when it was new, but thankfully, it didn't disappoint. Jenny Wright is fun to watch in this ode to the late night B-movie. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view¤t=imadman01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/imadman01.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
jd c

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