The Death Wheelers (1973)
"Psychomania" (original title)

A gang of young people call themselves the Living Dead. They terrorize the population from their small town. After an agreement with the devil, if they kill themselves firmly believing in ... See full summary »

Director:

Don Sharp

Writers:

Julian Zimet, Arnaud d'Usseau

Stars:

Nicky Henson, Mary Larkin, Ann Michelle

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicky Henson	...	Tom Latham
Mary Larkin	...	Abby Holman
Ann Michelle	...	Jane Pettibone
Roy Holder	...	Bertram
Denis Gilmore	...	Hatchet
Miles Greenwood	...	Chopped Meat
Peter Whitting	...	Gash
Rocky Taylor	...	Hinky
Robert Hardy	...	Chief Inspector Hesseltine
Patrick Holt	...	Sergeant
Alan Bennion	...	Constable
John Levene	...	Constable
Beryl Reid	...	Mrs. Latham
George Sanders	...	Shadwell
Jacki Webb	...	Mother

Storyline

A gang of young people call themselves the Living Dead. They terrorize the population from their small town. After an agreement with the devil, if they kill themselves firmly believing in it, they will survive and gain eternal life. Following their leader, they commit suicide one after the other, but things don't necessarily turn out as expected...

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | stabbed in the back | faked suicide | mass suicide | shot in the chest | 

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Taglines:

Seven Suicides - and they roared back as The Living Dead.

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Genres:

Action | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

January 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Death Wheelers

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Benmar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Future long-serving EastEnders cast-member June Brown (Dot Cotton/Branning) can be seen in the non-speaking role of the grieving Mrs Pettibone at her daughter's funeral service.

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Goofs

One of the chase scenes where the bikes are followed around a road, pre 1959 road markings are seen. While it is possible older style UK road markings were still in existence in 1972, they would not have been on main roads. This probably confirms that the road used was a test track for motor vehicles rather than national highways.

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Quotes

Chief Inspector Hesseltine: From the look of those skidmarks, something must have forced him over. Did you get anything out of the witnesses?
Sergeant: Yes sir. Exactly the same story from all of them. Two motorcyclists jabbing at his tyre with a knife.
Chief Inspector Hesseltine: Any identification?
Sergeant: Yeah, The Living Dead again.

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Connections

Referenced in Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Riding Free"
Music by David Whitaker
Lyrics by Johnny Worth (as John Worth)
Performed by Harvey Andrews

User Reviews

weak Script, apathetic acting, but strangely entertaining

This film is hindered by a weak script and quite apathetic acting, but somehow it's ridiculousness makes the film work. Unintentionally Psychomania is an amusing farce, the story of a group of bikers who discover the secret of eternal life, and intend to use this gift for nefarious purposes. The gang themselves are meant to be hardened troublemakers, but the scene where they descend on a town to cause mayhem, is hilarious. I would have thought the Girl Guides could cause more trouble. Saying that, the film has some wonderful one liners, and there is fun to be had in watching this oddball of a movie. Best of all is the sequence where the bikers all commit suicide in order to return as invincible, not for them a simple death the varied ways are way overelaborate and funny. Biker Horror is an odd genre, but the film is great fun and worth a look. Finally, the film does has a cracking soundtrack, a strange blend of gothic high pitched keyboards and hip wah wah guitar, that is always lurking and ably partnering the high jinks on the screen.