A Bookstore, a Body Count, and a Killer With Style

Read Time:5 Minute, 43 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
I, Madman
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Genre: Horror, Fantasy
Year Released: 1989, Kino Cult Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 1h 29m
Director(s): Tibor Takács
Writer(s): David Chaskin
Cast: Jenny Wright, Clayton Rohner, Randall William Cook, Stephanie Hodge, Michelle Fozounmayeh, Vance Valencia, Mary Baldwin, Raf Nazario, Bob Frank, Bruce Wagner
Where to Watch: available June 17, 2025, pre-order your copy here: www.kinolorber.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Something undeniably hypnotic about the alchemy of horror and pulp fiction—especially when it's given life by a filmmaker who knows how to stir the pot. I, MADMAN is a darkly imaginative, genre-melding gem that slipped through the cracks of late '80s horror. Still, thanks to Kino Cult—the refreshingly bold sublabel of Kino Lorber—it’s finally getting the spotlight it deserves. This reissue further strengthens their track record of resurrecting offbeat, fascinating titles. It’s not just a re-release—it’s a revival of a title that deserved to be part of the horror conversation long before.

Directed by Tibor Takács, who previously helmed the cult-favorite THE GATE, I, MADMAN walks a thrilling tightrope between psychological horror and pulp fantasy. The plot centers around Virginia (Jenny Wright), a used bookstore clerk who gets far more than escapism from the pulp horror novels she devours. After she opens a copy of ‘I, Madman,’ the line between page and reality blurs when the book’s antagonist—a grotesque killer named Malcolm Brand (played with chilling presence by Randall William Cook)—starts stalking her in the real world.

This is a film built around atmosphere, surrealism, and a love for genre storytelling. Takács embraces the theatricality of the premise, using visual tricks that feel lifted from a Brian De Palma playbook—heightened lighting, and carefully orchestrated scenes that keep suspense high without overindulging in gore for shock’s sake. The horror unfolds like a stylized fever dream, often leaning more into psychological terror than body count. However, there’s still enough practical effects carnage to keep fans of vintage horror satisfied.

One of the film’s major strengths is its embrace of pulp horror sensibilities. The story-within-a-story device isn’t just a gimmick—it’s a launching pad for thematic exploration. Virginia’s descent into the book’s world is more than a supernatural freakout; it’s a look at obsession, loneliness, and the psychological fallout of immersing yourself in fiction to escape reality. Wright plays Virginia with a grounded vulnerability that keeps the film from tipping too far into camp. She makes you care about her even when the story leans into its more ludicrous moments.

Cook, better known for his behind-the-scenes wizardry in creature effects, delivers a surprisingly effective villain. His performance is physically menacing and oddly tragic—a sort of slasher-by-way-of-Frankenstein’s monster. His presence is enhanced by inventive stop-motion sequences and practical effects that still hold up remarkably well. While some of the visual effects show their age, the creativity behind them is clear, which earns its place among the weirder entries in late '80s creature features.

However, there are a few bumps in the narrative. The film starts with a grip on its horror-fantasy tone but loses some steam in the final act. The momentum built in the first two-thirds shifts awkwardly into a somewhat clunky finale, with Virginia making choices that strain credibility, even for a movie this stylized. It’s a minor stumble, but enough to slightly dampen the payoff.

It’s not interested in fitting into a single subgenre. It has shades of slasher horror, elements of gothic fiction, and the structure of a paranoid thriller—all mashed together in a way that feels organic rather than chaotic. It’s also surprisingly stylish for its modest budget. The lighting and set design feel noisier than typical horror, and the bookstore setting is the kind of place horror fans dream of stumbling into: dusty, cluttered, and filled with ominous potential.

The Blu-ray edition includes a director commentary with Tibor Takács and Randall William Cook, behind-the-scenes features, a visual essay, and interviews that help put the film’s creative ambition into perspective. This isn’t just a bare-bones reissue; it’s a collector-minded celebration of a movie that might not be a household name, but has built a loyal following.

I, MADMAN was made for late-night horror marathons, for viewers who like their scares with a side of surrealism and storybook absurdity. There’s a charm in how unashamedly it commits to its idea—what if the horror you read came alive, and worse, what if it targeted you? That idea has been done before, but rarely with this much personality.

Kino Cult deserves credit not just for resurrecting I, MADMAN but also for continuing to carve out space for unconventional genre films that might otherwise be forgotten. With every strange and ambitious release they champion, they prove there's still an audience for movies that dare not play it safe.

I, MADMAN has pulp horror energy, visual imagination, and commitment to atmosphere, placing it firmly in the conversation of genre icons. The oddball horror reminds you why boutique labels like Kino Cult matter—not because they cater to the mainstream but because they dare preserve and promote the strange, the stylish, and the stories that don’t fit the mold.

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[photo courtesy of KINO CULT, KINO LORBER]

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