Psychomania (1973)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Don Sharp

Writers:

Julian Zimet (writer)
Arnaud d'Usseau (writer)

Release Date:

January 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Ride with the Living Dead!

Plot:

A Gang of young people call themselves the Living Dead. They terrorise the population from their small town...

Plot Keywords:

One Word Title | Biker Gang | Back From The Dead | Mass Suicide | Biker

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Death Wheelers Are... Psycho Maniacs (Australia) (video box title)
The Death Wheelers (USA)
The Frog
The Living Dead

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:X | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Benmar Productions

Trivia:

Cliff Deakins, Nicky Henson's stunt double, was injured when a stunt went wrong.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: 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.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dellamorte Dellamore (1994)

Soundtrack:

Riding Free

Rubbish But Entertaining Rubbish

I remember seeing PSYCHOMANIA as a child when it was broadcast one Friday night many years ago and I also remember liking it very much . Having just seen it again minutes ago I`ve come to the conclusion that it`s a ridiculous movie but it still remains a very likable movie

Yes it`s total and absolute rubbish with a plot that doesn`t bare scrutiny , some totally unconvincing performances by actors who`d be at home on some provincial stage , lines that will have you laughing out loud complete with some cheesy folk and rock muzak but that`s the whole point of why I found this movie an entertaining experience . I could remember much of the dialouge and scenes from my childhood and after seeing them again they`re just as I remember them , scenes like the policeman asking the guitar playing tearaway to " Come down here " and the bit where the cops hide in the mortuary with the camera turning 360 degrees to show ... ah but that would be telling . If I have a problem with the movie it`s down to the fact that the script is a little thread bare and very uncomplicated which means it`s not a movie you can watch over and over again , and it should be pointed out the ending is a bit of a cop out but if I had the choice of watching this to a prize winning art house flick I`d watch PSYCHOMANIA everytime

Oh and in case anyone is wondering where they`ve seen the desk constable at the police station he`s the legendary John Levene who used to play Sgt Benton in DOCTOR WHO