Arrow 4K Ultra HD Film Review

Madman (1981) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] — derivative but entertaining ‘80s slasher

A legendary psychopathic murderer stalks a summer camp.

Horror has spawned a seemingly endless number of subgenres over the decades, but undoubtedly the most prevalent niche that continues to terrify audiences is the slasher format. While its origins can be traced back to Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal classic Psycho (1960), it wasn’t until the 1980s that it became one of the most popular and prolific cinematic movements.

The critical and financial success of Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) opened the door for countless imitators to deliver a somewhat fresh and exciting experience. Emboldened by affordable equipment and the ongoing expansion of home entertainment, a generation of young filmmakers relished the opportunity to create a smorgasbord of masked psychopaths, each defined by their idiosyncrasies and a shared penchant for gratuitous gore.