Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness (1986)

Mike Strauber catches his wife Sharon in bed with his best friend Jerry. He gets mad and takes off to embark on an adventure of murder and self-mutilation in demented games of truth or dare.

Director:

Tim Ritter

Writer:

Tim Ritter

Stars:

John Brace, Mary Fanaro, Bruce Gold

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Brace	...	Mike Strauber
Mary Fanaro	...	Sharon Strauber
Bruce Gold	...	Jerry Powers
A.J. McLean	...	Little Mike (as Alexander J. McLean)
Christopher Bontempo	...	Playmate
Jon Creamer	...	Playmate
Christine Duff	...	Playmate
Jennifer Duff	...	Playmate
Priscilla Duff	...	Mike's Mother
Kerry Ellen Walker	...	Hitch-Hiker
D.C. 'Dash' Goff	...	Park Ranger (as Dash Goff)
Rick Paige	...	Dr. Thorne
Mona Jones	...	Dr. Evans
Bruce Paquette	...	Garage Attendent
Edward L. Elliott II	...	Man-Next-Door

Storyline

Mike Strauber catches his wife Sharon in bed with his best friend Jerry. He gets mad and takes off to embark on an adventure of murder and self-mutilation in demented games of truth or dare.

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Plot Keywords:

truth or dare | murder | self mutilation | social commentary | pencil | 

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Also Known As:

Psyhosi

Filming Locations:

Palm Beach, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Peerless Films, Twisted Illusions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 87 min (DVD release)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

During the drive to the camp site, while Mike Strauber is disturbed by his memories, there is a frame of a later scene in which he is getting supplies for the camp site from the location.

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Connections

Followed by Wicked Games (1994)

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Soundtracks

"Go With The Flow"
Music by Peter Pernice and Charlie Sateriale
Lyrics by Kathy Engleman
Performed by Raj'

User Reviews

"His energy's gone in the wrong direction..."

Truth or Dare is a campy, sadistic, truly warped horror movie. Shot on videotape and transferred to film, it actually benefits from its amateurishness, resulting in a genuinely disturbing experience that really packs a punch. This is one of the very few movies where video photography actually contributes the atmosphere instead of destroying it. It's incredibly gory and shows things that mainstream films wouldn't even imply. Where else are you going to see a baby run over by a car and a little boy chainsawed? And what's really interesting is that you never know where it'll go next. You think it's going to be a standard get-out-of-the-asylum-and-terrorize-the-ex-wife stalker plot, but things take a series of unexpected twists, with the bloodbath getting more and more demented. There are many moments where you don't know whether to laugh, scream, or get sick.

There are the usual bad-movie routines. The acting is variable--Kerry Ellen Walker, as the frizzy-haired hitchhiker chick, seems to have been plucked directly from a high-school production of Bye Bye Birdie. At the climax, the copper mask pulsates when the killer breathes. Still, it's all so numbingly brutal and unsettling that you can suspend disbelief ("hmm...very thin copper, apparently") and get dragged along on the bloody joyride. Kay Reed sings the hyper-dramatic theme song, "A Critical Madness," which is the source of my summary quote. Truly unforgettable, and not for the faint of heart or those concerned with "taste." As if children are immune to death!