Deranged: Confessions of a Necrophile (1974)

A deranged rural farmer becomes a grave robber and murderer after the death of his possessive mother, whose corpse he keeps, among others, as his companion in a decaying farmhouse.

Directors:

Jeff Gillen, Alan Ormsby

Writer:

Alan Ormsby (original screenplay)

Stars:

Roberts Blossom, Cosette Lee, Leslie Carlson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Roberts Blossom	...	Ezra Cobb
Cosette Lee	...	Ma Cobb
Leslie Carlson	...	Tom Sims
Robert Warner	...	Harlon Kootz
Marcia Diamond	...	Jenny Kootz
Brian Smeagle	...	Brad Kootz
Arlene Gillen	...	Miss Johnson
Robert McHeady	...	Sheriff
Marian Waldman	...	Maureen Selby (as Marion Waldman)
Jack Mather	...	Drunk
Micki Moore	...	Mary
Pat Orr	...	Sally

Storyline

A man living in rural Wisconsin takes care of his bed-ridden mother, who is very domineering and teaches him that all women are evil. After she dies he misses her, so a year later he digs her up and takes her home. He learns about taxidermy and begins robbing graves to get materials to patch her up, and inevitably begins looking for fresher sources of materials. Based closely on the true story of Ed Gein.

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Plot Keywords:

wisconsin | seance | necrophilia | psychotronic | cult film | 

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Taglines:

Pretty Sally Mae died a very unnatural death! ... But the worst hasn't happened to her yet! DERANGED ... confessions of a necrophile

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

February 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

Deranged: Confessions of a Necrophile

Filming Locations:

Enniskillen, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Karr International Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min (uncut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Micki Moore signed a contract to do a nude scene. When it came time to do the gruesome scenes with Ezra she flat out refused to do full nudity and stayed in her bra and panties instead.

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Goofs

When Ezra is clubbing Mary Ransom, the blood is clearly coming from the club, not her head.

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Quotes

[explaining his deer-hunting philosophy]
Harlon Kootz: If we didn't shoot em, they'd just starve to death.

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Alternate Versions

The German DVD contains the complete unrated Version of the Movie.

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Connections

Featured in Cinemacabre TV Trailers (1993)

User Reviews

When the movie ends, the terror just begins!

Based on the diabolical doings of psycho-mama's boy Ed Gein, this film is guaranteed to leave you feeling uneasy for days after viewing. Some images are so horrific that they are fairly certain to haunt your dreams. Character actor Roberts Blossom in his best role ever is chillingly good as the overly devoted son who, not quite all there to begin with, goes completely round the bend when his beloved mother dies. He digs the old lady up, brings her back to the family farm, restores her corpse, and kills an occasional female passerby to keep her company. It's every bit as strange as it sounds. But when it's over, you can't simply shrug it off and say to yourself, "Oh well, it's only a movie", because it's based on the truth. Viewers familiar with the Ed Gein case will note that the filmmakers have, for the most part, stuck close to the facts. It leaves a strong impression, and, to put it mildly, a rather disturbing one. What's truly amazing is that the filmmakers have brought a sense of humor to these gruesome events and it ISN'T offensive. DERANGED is one of the best scary/funny movies I have ever seen. It is most definitely not for children. As for the adults, you"ll just have to take your chances.