Psychotic Saturdays! Six Flicks Of Classic Insanity

Today since it is Psychotic Saturdays! and it has been a few weeks since I created such a post to celebrate this day of personal madness away from the 9 to 5 time of social insanity I make this post in celebration of classic psychotica. These six films are true cult crazies of truly demented derelicts of humanity. The most sinister of sinful madmen to ever be created in cinematic glory. From the mad scientist to the simple maniac the cult of personalities in these films are true examples of the psychotic. These fabulous flicks are true classics from the start of b-movie madness and should be great to entertainment for the old soul fighting for his (or her) sanity as well as great for introducing the beginnings of genre dementia to those young impressionable minds just tasting their first bitter sweet flavor of insanity.

1 Maniac (1934)


“Maniac” tells the story of ex Vaudeville star Don Maxwell who seeks refuge from the law in the laboratory of Dr. Meirschultz where he becomes the mad scientist’s assistant. The film is one of the earliest ventures into exploitation horror blends and dares to play upon subject matter deemed socially unacceptable for the time. A true and wondrous start to b-movie madness indeed. How else are we to learn the errors of our ways if not through the well portrayed melodrama’s where insanity and slaughter go hand in hand. The film stars Phyllis Diller, Horace B. Carpenter, Harry Cording, William Woods and was directed by Dwain Esper.
Dr. Meirschultz, a mad scientist attempting to bring the dead back to life. When Don kills Meirschultz, he attempts to hide his crime by "becoming" the doctor, taking over his work and copying his appearance and manner. In the process, he slowly goes insane.The "doctor" treats a mental patient, Buckley, but accidentally injects him with adrenaline, which causes him to go into violent fits. Buckley's wife discovers the body of the real doctor, and blackmails Don into turning her husband into a zombie. The ersatz doctor turns the tables on her by manipulating her into fighting with his estranged wife, a former showgirl. When the cat-breeding neighbor Goof sees what's going on, he calls the police, who stop the fight and, following the sound of Satan the cat, find the body of the real doctor hidden behind a brick wall.
 
2. Monstrosity (1964)


Monstrosity is another of those b-movies that deal with scientific genius which results in pure madness and insanity all for the benefit of mankind’s leap forward through discovery. It also deals with the social conflict that pits the young and beautiful against the old and wealthy. The film is total cult mania as an extremely rich woman seeks to find a new younger body to call her own in order to maintain her wealth and not see it squandered by a younger more flightier generation. Directed by Alfred Taylor and starring Frank Gerstle, Marjorie Eaton, Judy Bamber this story is about Mrs. March and her attempt to live forever by funding the scientific and insane research of Dr. Frank who believes with obvious results that he can transfer the human brain to a new body of choosing. This film is also known as The Atomic Brain.


3. Bowery At Midnight (1942)


Bowery At Midnight isn’t a film about a mad scientist at all instead it is a film about a plain madman who happens to be a devious criminal master mind. Bela Lugosi stars in this cult classic as a sinister criminal who by day is a professor at the local university and by night manipulates his fellow criminal elite to steal wealth before offing them to protect his twisted plan. This be movie gem was directed by Wallace the movie also stars John Archer, Wanda McKay, Dave O'Brien and Tom Neal.
Kindly soup kitchen operator and professor of criminology Bela Lugosi uses his soup kitchen as a front for a criminal gang who commit a series of daring robberies and murders. When things get out of hand, Lugosi kills his henchmen, who wind up as zombies in the cellar of the soup kitchen.

4. Tormented (1960)


Tormented is a 60’s flick that deals neither with the madman nor mad scientist, instead it is a film about a man driven to madness by his wicked deeds. The film directed by Bert I. Gordon has a swinging jazz pianist trying to enjoy some time before his wedding nuptials to his new young bride on a nice quite island community. Unfortunately for him his little piece on the side comes over to coerce him into not marrying the woman and threatens him. It doesn’t end well for her and as revenge her spirit comes back and torments the jazz pianist. The movie uses classic ghost effect tricks of the time to play up a supernatural element but the majority of the film relies simply on the jazz pianist’s self guilt and descent into madness for his wicked actions. This gem stars Richard Carlson, Susan Gordon, Lugene Sanders, Joe Turkel and Juli Reding.


5. One Body Too Many (1944)


Long before there was Clue there was One Body Too Many. The film deals the madness that comes from greed. A desire to obtain all that an insane and selfish mind tells one that belongs to them. In this classic noir horror comedy a young potential heir plots to take out all of the competition at the reading of old man Rutherford’s will upon his death. The film was directed by Frank McDonald and stars Jack Haley, Jean Parker, Bela Lugosi, Lyle Talbot and Douglas Fowley. The film is one of the early successes that blended elements of horror, noir and comedy although some of the humor is very much dated and irrelevant today. Still this is a timeless cult classic with a set up and story theme that has been re-imagined time and time again.
Insurance salesman Albert Tuttle arrives at the Cyrus J. Rutherford estate to sell the millionaire some life insurance. Rutherford is already dead and his heirs have gathered at the mansion to hear the reading of the will. Rutherford's will won't be read until he is properly entombed and the heirs are forced to stay on the premises or be denied their inheritance. Tuttle soon finds himself mixed up in shenanigans involving Rutherford's niece, secret passages, a missing body and murder.

6. The Sadist (1963)


The Sadist is pretty much a very early version of Kalifornia in that the set up within the plot are similar. A psychotic killer and his crazy girlfriend leave a body count on the rush to stay ahead of the law that are quick on their trail. Unfortunately for some friends who are on their way to a Dodger’s game in L.A. their paths cross and the psycho sets out to terrorize the men. The film plays on that fear of urban legends where road trips go wrong and open highways where psychopaths roam free. Directed by James Landis and starring  Arch Hall, Jr. ,Richard Alden, Marilyn Manning, Don Russell and Helen Hovey.
Three high school teachers, Ed, Doris, and Carl, are driving through rural Southern California on their way to a Dodgers game in Los Angeles. The group’s Chevrolet Belair has some trouble and they are forced to pull off to a gas station/junkyard on the side of the road. Charlie Tibbs, a rather large man wielding a Colt .45, and his girlfriend Judy show up in the station owner’s home absent the owners themselves. Cultures and lives clash as Charlie and Judy have spent the past several days heading west from Arizona, leaving a trail of corpses behind them. Law enforcement is on the hunt for them now intending on stealing the men’s car.