Diary of a Madman (1963)

Director:

Reginald Le Borg

Writers:

Guy de Maupassant (stories)
Robert E. Kent (written by)

Release Date:

6 March 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Simon Cordier is a well-respected magistrate who visits a condemned prisoner, Louis Girot, just before the man's execution...

Plot Keywords:

Evil Spirit | Murder | Model | Sculptor | Possession

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Magistrate Simon Cordier
Nancy Kovack	...	Odette Mallotte
Chris Warfield	...	Paul Duclasse
Elaine Devry	...	Jeanne D'Arville
Ian Wolfe	...	Pierre
Stephen Roberts	...	Police Captain Robert Rennedon
Lewis Martin	...	Father Raymonde
Mary Adams	...	Louise
Edward Colmans	...	Andre D'Arville
Nelson Olmsted	...	Dr. Borman
Harvey Stephens	...	Louis Girot
Dick Wilson	...	Martin
Wayne Collier	...	Arguing Cafe Couple
Gloria Clark	...	Arguing Cafe Couple
Don Brodie	...	Marcel the Postman
George Sawaya	...	Wagon Driver
Joseph Del Nostro Jr.	...	Coachman
Joseph Ruskin	...	The Horla (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sayre Dearing	...	Man at Art Gallery (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Magistrate (uncredited)

Directed by
Reginald Le Borg

Writing credits
Guy de Maupassant		(stories)
Robert E. Kent		(written by)

Produced by
Robert E. Kent	....	producer
Edward Small	....	producer

Original Music by
Richard LaSalle

Cinematography by
Ellis W. Carter

Film Editing by
Grant Whytock

Art Direction by
Daniel Haller

Set Decoration by
Victor A. Gangelin

Costume Design by
Marjorie Corso

Makeup Department
Ted Coodley	....	makeup artist
Carmen Dirigo	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Joseph Small	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Al Westen	....	assistant director

Art Department
Lowell Grant	....	sculptor
Irving W. Sindler	....	property master

Sound Department
Alfred R. Bird	....	sound effects editor
Ralph Butler	....	sound

Special Effects by
Norman Breedlove	....	special effects

Music Department
Edna Bullock	....	music editor

Other crew
Jane Ficker	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Robert E. Kent Productions (as Admiral Pictures)

Distributors

• United Artists (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (video)
• Wood Knapp Video (video)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Goldwyn Studios, Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Robert E. Kent Productions

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Simon throws the box of art supplies at the Horla to prove he is standing in front of the mirror, you can see Simons' reflection in the sheet of glass used to create the invisible Horla.

Quotes:

[first title card]
Title Card:"... the vulture has eaten the pigeon; the wolf has eaten the lamb; the lion has devoured the sharp-tongued buffalo; man has killed the lion with an arrow, with spear, with gun-powder; but the *"Horla"* will make of man what man has made of the horse and of the ox; His chattel, His slave, and His food, but the mere power of His will. Woe to us!"... Guy de Maupassant

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years of Horror: Demons (1996) (V)

Suprinsingly great.

Most horror movies made between the '50's and '70's weren't very much psychological once and featured for instance monsters, gore and tons of blood. In that regard "Diary of a Madman" is a quite refreshing movie. It lies its emphasis on the psychological aspects of the movie and uses it for its tension, mystery and just overall horror, even though the movie still features a 'supernatural' horror theme.

The movie has a well build up and constructed story, that only gets better and better as it heads toward the ending. The movie begins quite typical but soon becomes very intriguing when it becomes obvious that just is not just another average standard '60's horror flick, with Vincent Price in the lead role. The movie shows how the highly respected magistrate/sculptor slowly looses his mind when he is being possessed by a strange mysterious spirit called an Horla. Of course no one believes him at first when he starts to hear and see things. He starts to question his own sanity, until the Horla has him in his almost complete control. Good old Vincent Price however decides to fight back and we already at the start sort of know what has happened, since the movie is told in the past time, when people read his diary in which he described the strange events that had happened.

So you don't really have to expect an horror movie with monster, gore and scare effects. This movie is mostly about its build-up and overall atmosphere. It's a psychological movie, though visually the movie is also a good one.

The movie features quite some early and variating special effects and other cinematic tricks. It's quite clumsy looking all of course but at least you can say that they really tried and put some effort in it to making something new.

Vincent Price of course always had been at his best in roles such as these, so this movie forms no exception to that. He is highly convincing as the respected magistrate but also as the 'madman'. Two of course total opposite elements, which Price perfectly knows to handle, without ever making anything look ridicules or totally unbelievable.

It's a real surprisingly good and quite different '60's horror flick, that deserves to be seen and known better, starring genre-legend Vincent Price!

8/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/