Virginia works at a used book store. She's really into horror novels and discovers a really good book. It's called "I, Madman" and it's about an insane doctor who cuts off people's noses, ears, and hair and puts them on his face to please a girl he likes. Only Virginia discovers that the book is nonfiction, and every time she picks up the book to read it, she sees him. The insane doctor from the book has escaped the book into our reality. Written by

Plot Synopsis:
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peter-109 (petr@glas.apc.org) from Moscow, Russia
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Although everything about this movie (especially the title) suggests that it must be trash, surprisingly enough it isn't. The plot involves a girl who likes reading scary books and one day finds that the events of the book she is reading, called "I, Madman", start to repeat themselves in reality. It has the logic of a dream - that is, no logic at all, - but don't see this one for the sake of the plot. What lifts it out of the B-movie pit is the imaginative way the seedy world of trashy novels from the 50s is recreated on screen; the smartly executed shifts between fantasy and reality, past and present; Jenny Wright's appealing and intelligent heroine; and finally, the director's genuine feeling for the atmosphere of time and place. It is a little like a cross between Cornell Woolrich and a mad doctor horror movie. Do not try to figure out why things are happening, just enjoy the way this film is so different from anything else. A totally unexpected pleasure.

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GroovyDoom from Haddonfield, IL
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For fans of horror flicks, this movie might be a nice little surprise if you haven't yet seen it. Jenny Wright plays a woman who finds that the pair of obscure pulp novels she has been reading are beginning to cause very real events to happen in her own life, as the crazed doctor at the center of the stories begins to enter the real world with the intention of mutilating Virginia's friends in order to replenish his own missing facial features.

The gory premise allows for some great physical horror, while the actual story is interesting enough to keep you watching for more than just the shocks. There's even some interesting stop-motion animation for one of the weirder monsters in movie history, "Jackal boy".

On the downside, the film runs out of steam after the first two thirds, delivering a disappointing final act that does not live up to everything that came before it. Specifically, the character played by Jenny Wright suddenly goes flat. She starts out really interesting and seems intelligent, but toward the end of the movie she's whimpering and starts acting really dumb. For instance, why does it take her so long to figure out that the killer will target people she knows? One scene where the madman corners Virginia in an elevator is particularly laughable because of the botched delivery of the lines. Considering how strong her early scenes are, I suspect Jenny Wright was directed to act this way, and the film suffers for it.

Still, this movie has a great look. The sets are memorable, even if they're a little unrealistic (how could Virginia afford such a great apartment if she's a book clerk? Geez!). There's a great establishing aerial view of Virginia's noir-ish neighborhood, and the acting isn't that bad (except as mentioned above). The graphic violence is also memorable, reminiscent of "Dawn of the Dead" in the way that the gore comes off as cartoonish instead of realistic. Recommended, although be prepared for the film's third-act fumble.

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Coventry from the Draconian Swamp of Unholy Souls
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Even though the premise sounds very ordinary and repetitive, this late 80's thriller features an unusually great deal of tension and slick elements. Tibor Tikacs' (love the name) "I, Madman" focuses on a young woman – Virginia – obsessed by reading bloody horror novels. She recently discovered the oeuvre of a bizarre but stylish writer named Malcolm Brand. Especially his book "I, Madman" fascinates her as it describes the acts of a horribly deformed doctor who kills people in order to make an actress fall in love with him. But fiction turns into reality when Virginia finds herself chased by the book's eerie doctor and murders are committed all around her. This film contains a few very bloody sequences but it's not at all a gore flick like so many other similar productions from that decade. The power merely lies in the subtly build up suspense-scenes (with excellent depressing images of a nearly pauperized city) and, especially, the presence of an ultra-grim monster! This mad doctor/writer/hurt romanticist is a fine horror creation that'll certainly appeal to every fan of the genre. Jenny Wright gives away a fairly good acting performance as the petrified heroine. Horror fanatics will surely recognize her from the outstanding vampire film "Near Dark" and a few years after this, she stars in "the Lawnmower Man", next to Pierce Brosnan. The hunky guy who plays her boyfriend Richard isn't very convincing as the police detective, though.

Horror in the 80's got marked by a few obvious milestones (The Evil Dead, Day of the Dead, Nightmare on Elm Street…) and an overload of meaningless slashers. Between all those, there are a couple of worthy gems to discover, and "I, Madman" definitely is one of them. Tikacs did a professional directing job here and he clearly controls the horror tactics well. This unquestionably is his best work as he later made the overly silly "The Gate" films

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Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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In Los Angeles, the librarian and aspiring actress Virginia (Jenny Wright) works in a bookstore of used books with her friend Mona (Stephanie Hodge) and her boyfriend is the police detective Richard (Clayton Rohner). Virginia is reading an horror book called "I, Madman" written by Malcolm Brand (Randall William Cook) and is impressed with the creepy story of Dr. Alan Kessler, a deranged doctor that takes pieces of his victims. Soon Virginia realizes that the book is non- fictional and everything that she read really happens. She tries to warn Richard, but his superiors believe that Virginia is nutty. But she is frightened since Dr. Kessler's next victim is her.

"I, Madman" is a cult-movie with a original story and the gorgeous Jenny Wright from "Near Dark" in the lead role. The movie deserved a better conclusion but anyway is a great horror movie with a wonderful music score. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): Not Available in DVD or Blu-Ray

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James Bourke (Canadianbacon1971@hotmail.co.uk) from United Kingdom
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Well back in the day when I was an impressionable teenager, I couldn't even tell the difference between such things as fact or fiction. That being said I always knew a pretty decent horror movie when I saw one.

This little gem first caught my attention when I caught the trailer prior to it's initial release, and much like many a movie with a decent trailer I just knew that I had to see it.

The trailer I saw courtesy of Entertainment in Video announced the title as 'Hardcover' Of course I never realised that the movie was actually called 'I Madman' which was the better title, and which currently graces my MGM retail release which is sitting right by my side as I write these very words.

The 1980's were a good time for horror movies, and they were also a good time for me when it came time for me discovering the many gems that sprawled themselves across the videostore shelves, I still remember hiring the likes of 'Pumpkinhead' 'Killer Klowns From Outer Space' 'Retribution'.

As with most movies that I liked and revered down through the years there have been some that haven't quite stood the test of time, 'Society' springs to mind, that being said, certain elements of 'I Madman' have always remained within my memory.

Having just watched the movie prior to writing these words, it struck me just how visually stunning the movie was and more importantly just how good the script written by David Chaskin was.

Filled with many a wonderful set piece, director Tibor Takacs really knew what to do with the camera, and aided superbly by the acting talent he had to work with, Jenny Wright as Virginia the bookstore clerk who begins to find herself immersed within the hideous world of the mad scribe Malcolm Brand, always had a very distinct acting style, very distant but always alluring, a prime example of this was her star turn in Eric Red's ultra cool 'Near Dark'.

Also on hand and acquitting himself admirably was Clayton Rohner, (who I'll always remember from Nigel Dick's 'P.I. Private Investigation')as Virginia's detective boyfriend, who can't quite bring himself to believe anything that Virginia's tells him, as he attributes her flights of fancy to her taste in reading material written by the villain of the piece Malcolm Brand.

If truth be told one of the best performances in the movie comes from Murray Rubin as Brand's publisher Sidney Zeit, the way he talks, his mannerisms and the interior of his office just encapsulate that closed in world of the low rent publisher.

Kudos also must go to Randall William Cook, who not only does he appear as the titular on screen villain, but he also doubled as the special effects creator, truly rocks as the lovesick Brand, who'd do just about anything for the love of his life(and if you haven't seen the movie, just wait and see and wait for your jaw to drop when you see what he's done to his facial features).

Director Takacs might not have directed anything of note in the last decade of so, but this movie along with the original 'The Gate' stand as a testament to his directing talents and as for scriptwriter David Chaskin, yes he might have been lambasted for his scripting of 'Nightmare On Elm Street 2' but through this movie he truly showed that he really had an ear for good dialogue and attention to detail when it came to setting a good gore laden set piece.

It really is too bad that the MGM release doesn't have a director's commentary attached to it, as it would have been nice to hear how the movie was financed and put together.

This movie would make a good companion piece with John Carpenter's 'In The Mouth Of Madness' and as a stand alone feature, this horror movie really delivers upon the promise of it's trailer and it's artwork cover, plus it's a true testament to it's abilities to chill and entertain twenty plus years later.

Loose yourself in this great little horror curio tonight, you'll be awful glad you did! Without hesitation, 10/10

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t-birkhead from United Kingdom
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I think this film gets a wee bit overrated on these pages, for though it is a well made, enjoyable effort and better put together than many slashers, especially the late period ones, it is hardly some great underrated gem. The plot and general course of events are predictable but compelling, as an avid reader of pulp horror finds herself pursued by a disfigured, murderous writer. The film has a neat Fifties pulp feel to it, though updated with more scares and a bit of bloodshed. Director Tibor Takacs maintains a constant sense of reality bending intrigue and though nothing is especially surprising, the film has such a well oiled, easy flow that its near impossible not to get caught up in it. The acting helps a treat, Jenny Wright is constantly appealing as the heroine, Clayton Rohner is effective in the cliched unbelieving boyfriend role and Randall William Cook makes for a splendidly creepy villain. The dialogue is occasionally stilted, but it all fits the sorta campy tone. I could definitely have done with more gore, for while the kills are well filmed and have the rare skill of being effective without being graphic, there aren't too many and there are only really three notable grisly moments. The first kill is a cracker and sadly the later ones aren't as good, but they still just about work in the context. It helps that the effects, designed by Randall Willaim Cook, are pretty ace when they do appear. The film is sadly a bit underwritten, I could have done with more background and more explanation for what was going on, as well as perhaps some downtime to develop the characters a bit more. Its good fun while it lasts but it does rather streak by and afterwards I did have a number of questions about various plot and character points. Still, I can't really be too harsh on this one because very simply, I enjoyed it quite a lot. Worth a watch, though best not too expect fireworks.

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Lucien Lessard from Canada
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An young woman by the name of Virginia (Jenny Wright) is a fan of horror novels. She works in a used book store. When she reads a novel titled "I,Madman", which is a non-fiction novel. The villain of the novel seems to come out of the book to stalk the young woman and killing the people she knows.

Directed by Tibor Takacs (The Gate 1 & 2) made an entertaining horror fantasy thriller with an sharp performance by the underrated actress-Wright. The film was barely released to theaters in 1989. The film went on to be a Cult Classic. Clayton Rohner (From "April's Fools Day" and the T.V. Short-Lived Series "Good Vs. Evil" fame) co-star as a Police Detective. This is one of the most rarely seen and most underrated horror films of the late 80's. See it. Written by David Chaskin (A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2:Freddy's Revenge, The Curse). (****/*****).

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Woodyanders (Woodyanders@aol.com) from The Last New Jersey Drive-In on the Left
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Sweet and intelligent bookstore clerk Virginia (a fine and sympathetic performance by the lovely Jenny Wright of "Near Dark" fame) obsessively reads tacky old 50's pulp novels. Virginia's fixation on the morbid writings of the mysterious Malcolm Brand (well played with maximum creepy menace by ace special effects artist William Randall Cook, who also did the excellent and grotesque make-up) enables Brand to return to life in our world as a vicious and horribly disfigured scalpel-wielding psychopath. Alas, Virginia can't convince anyone that Malcolm is real and coming after her in order to win over her love. Ably directed by Tibor Takacs, with a supremely eerie and misty atmosphere, a clever and imaginative script by David Chaskin, a steady pace, a fair amount of grisly, but never too gross or excessive gore, polished cinematography by Bryan England, a wonderfully wholehearted affection for trashy 50's pulp fiction, some nice touches of dark humor, a nifty briefly glimpsed stop-motion animation monster, a spirited shuddery score by Michael Hoenig, good use of the gritty Los Angeles locations, and a tense and thrilling off-the-wall conclusion, this neat little B movie makes for a welcome and refreshing departure from the glut of run-of-the-mill slasher fare that was fashionable in the 80's. This film further benefits from sound acting from a capable cast: Wright registers strongly as an appealing and attractive heroine, Clayton Rohner is likable and credible as Virginia's amiable, but skeptical detective boyfriend Richard, Cook rates highly as one extremely scary and hideous villain, plus there solid supporting turns by Stephanie Hodge as Virginia's brash gal pal Mona, Michelle Jordan as ill-fated aspiring redhead actress Colette, and Murray Rubin as sleazy publisher Sidney Zeit. A hugely fun and worthwhile low-budget fright flick.

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trvwatson from london
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I first saw this movie a year after it came out, it was 1989, i was 14, and i have never been so scared in my life, I've just watched it again, and while its still scary i am now 32.

While a lot of horror films from this time focused on annoying teenagers being slashed up. this deranged killer was far more interesting and sadistic, (it seems they took ideas from jack the ripper with the killer in black with brief case and piercing eyes while walking round misty murky streets)) there is one scene near the beginning, a killing of an actress that is so bloody and gore fested that at 14 i threw up.

some of the acting is deliberately done bad, actors sometimes have to do this to make the movie look more enigmatic this seems the case with the lead actress jenny wright, I've seen her in other movies and she can most definitely act, the movie also has this 50's look about it, as the killer time travels his way out of her book.

The only thing that i found fault with, was the murder scenes were not that gory, (apart from the redhead)but still it was very atmospheric and sinister, and you won't be disappointed if you watch it.

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Scarecrow-88 from United States
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Librarian book-worm(Jenny Wright), who enjoys reading horror stories which she invests all of herself into, finds that a sadistic alchemist, from a "non-fiction" book titled "I Madman" has emerged from the literary page believing she is Anna, his muse for whom he wishes to please with the "perfect face." In the novel, Malcolm Brand(Randall William Cook, who looks like Noseferatu with a scarf around his face, hiding a missing nose)removes his facial features because the one he longs for found him repulsive. Virginia(Wright)finds that Brand has somehow manifested into modern Los Angeles and is murdering people she knows, grafting a part from each victim's face after slicing them away with a razor. Following "I, Madman" as a source for where Brand will strike next, the difficult part is getting her boyfriend/detective, Richard(Clayton Rohner, with a light beard and jacket, resembling a hard-boiled PI from a noir film)and the police to believe her cockamamie story. Virginia is often visited by the maniac before and after he kills his victims.

Tibor Takacs(The Gate)brings us quite a startlingly original slasher with imagination to spare, if the viewer can give over to the supernatural aspect of the story. In regards to the madman's ability to manifest from words to flesh, committing his grisly deeds on the streets of Los Angeles, I felt derived from the reader's complete belief in the printed material. He wasn't real until the fear of him become so vivid, Virginia, in essence, gave him life..his shape and form evolve from a written work into a true being. Perhaps it took both the reader and the writer himself to make this unbelievable situation come to fruition. When delving into the author's life of "I, Madman"(..and another novel, which featured a created monster by a Dr. Kessler, who actually leaps from the printed page to kill Malcolm Brand)Virginia finds that Brand himself believed wholeheartedly that what he wrote was real not fictitious...so perhaps the killer without a face, was given birth thanks to the writer and reader's complete faith in what was written.Besides all that Freudian jazz, the film has a wonderfully morbid atmosphere, and I thought Tibor Takacs' film was very much in the Argento vein...a grotesque killer wielding a blade, slicing and dicing, with a baffled police force working all hours to catch him and a female character everyone believes is nuts caught in the whirlwind of a surreal nightmare helplessly finding all those she knows being killed, skillfully photographed(..while his credits aren't eye-popping, Bryan England's sophisticated camera-work and vibrant color, I felt hearken back to Argento films like "Suspiria" and "Inferno", and there are several stunning shots of the killer from afar using shadow and light)with a visual flair and intoxicating energy. Not to mention, there's some dark humor to spare, including a hilarious interrogation scene where Virginia attempts to tell the police about the one responsible for the murders and their priceless reactions to what she's saying. I think the premise might have viewers scratching their heads, it is indeed quite an outrageous story, but I ate it up. I loved the use of Los Angeles and I found the way Tibor Takacs edits the novel sequences(..based in the 50s)into the modern story, strikingly integrated. It was great seeing the lovely Jenny Wright get a rare lead role, and she ably fills it nicely, projecting a frightened woman who knows that the truth about her killer is as far-fetched as they come, doggedly pursuing his capture, and often finding him one step ahead of both her and the police. The creature which makes a grand entrance at the end will remind fans of Tibor Takacs' kiddie horror outing, "The Gate", for it resembles the demon minions from the hole in the backyard of that film.

The library scene(..where the police stake out the WRONG library) is a doozy which only makes life harder for Virginia, who must somehow, someway, convince her boyfriend that the psychopath is indeed from some horror book she reads. Love the book store Virginia works in..books are stacked and scattered in clusters all throughout the building and the climax works wonders in this setting.

book|madman|police detective|librarian|bookstore|cult film|drugged|sedative|sedation|dream reality|apartment building|apartment|hypodermic needle|bathroom|fantasy becomes reality|beret|scarf|disfigured face|fire extinguisher|hit with a fire extinguisher|crashing through a window|cut in half|trenchcoat|boyfriend girlfriend relationship|female protagonist|claim in title|two word title|female stockinged legs|black pantyhose|pantyhose|shadow of a person|shadow|scare involving cat|cat|blood|falling glass|pistol|girlfriend|woman with glasses|blonde|reading a book|ear cut off|lips cut off|nose cut off|scalping|piano music|pianist|piano|actor|redheaded woman|gore|monster|estate sale|police officer|girl in panties|woman in danger|shot with a gun|punctuation in title|slasher flick|slasher|stop motion|straight razor|christmas tree|christmas|library|electronic music score in style of orchestral music score|electronic music score|supernatural power|part stop motion|obsession|mutilation|murder|independent film|

AKAs Titles:


Certifications:
Australia:M / France:12 / Iceland:16 / South Korea:12 (theatrical rating) (cut) (1990) / UK:18 / USA:R / West Germany:16