North Sea Cottages

About Madman (1981)

Joe Giannone’s Madman (1981) is a backwoods slasher centered on the legend of Madman Marz, a farmer who murdered his family and lurks in the woods near a summer camp, activated when someone says his name above a whisper. The film was originally based on the Cropsey legend—the same urban myth that inspired The Burning—but when the filmmakers learned that movie was already in production, they changed the killer’s name and backstory. Shot at a Boy Scout camp in New York on a minuscule budget, the film compensates for its limitations with atmospheric cinematography, creative lighting using colored gels, and a surprisingly moody synth score. Madman has endured as a beloved deep cut among slasher fans for its campfire-tale atmosphere and one of the genre’s most oddly romantic hot tub scenes.