Psychomania
Encyclopedia
Psychomania is a British horror film
and cult film
starring Nicky Henson
as a devil worshipping gang leader and Robert Hardy
as the detective in charge of bringing them in.
It is also known as Death Wheelers Are... Psycho Maniacs (Australia) and The Death Wheelers (USA).
of A Clockwork Orange
fame. Like Alex, he has an unusual pet (a frog) and a distinctive catch phrase, "hello, little green friend."
Tom is the leader of a violent teen gang, which ride motorcycles and dabble in Black Magic, and call themselves "The Living Dead". In a similar vein, his mother and her sinister butler get their kicks out of holding séances in their home. With her help and following in his father's footsteps, Tom makes a pact with the devil to return from the dead. One by one, he and his fellow bikers commit suicide with the goal of returning as one of the "undead". Not all succeed but the ones who do, gather together at a secret place called "The Seven Witches" (a circle of standing stones), after which they continue to terrorize the locals.
This was one of the last films of George Sanders
, who committed suicide soon after its completion.
Despite having a following amongst fans of cult British cinema, Nicky Henson is publicly very critical of Psychomania.
In August 2011, UK based label Spoke Records reissued John Cameron's Frog "Witch Hunt/Living Dead" Psychomania theme music on a limited edition vinyl 7".
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
and cult film
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
starring Nicky Henson
Nicky Henson
Nicholas Victor Leslie "Nicky" Henson is an English actor who has portrayed many roles since 1963. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1977. He was born in London.-Early life:...
as a devil worshipping gang leader and Robert Hardy
Robert Hardy
Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy, CBE, FSA is an English actor with a long career in the theatre, film and television. He is also an acknowledged expert on the longbow.-Early life:...
as the detective in charge of bringing them in.
It is also known as Death Wheelers Are... Psycho Maniacs (Australia) and The Death Wheelers (USA).
Plot
Tom Latham enjoys riding his motorcycle with his girlfriend and loves his mother, but he is no ordinary fellow. He is an amiable teen psychopath, clearly modeled on AlexAlex (A Clockwork Orange)
Alex is a fictional character in Anthony Burgess' novel A Clockwork Orange and the film adaptation, in which he is played by Malcolm McDowell. In this film adaption, Alex's surname is DeLarge, in relation to Alex's reference to himself as "Alexander the Large" in the novel. This, in itself, is an...
of A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange is a 1962 dystopian novella by Anthony Burgess. The novel contains an experiment in language: the characters often use an argot called "Nadsat", derived from Russian....
fame. Like Alex, he has an unusual pet (a frog) and a distinctive catch phrase, "hello, little green friend."
Tom is the leader of a violent teen gang, which ride motorcycles and dabble in Black Magic, and call themselves "The Living Dead". In a similar vein, his mother and her sinister butler get their kicks out of holding séances in their home. With her help and following in his father's footsteps, Tom makes a pact with the devil to return from the dead. One by one, he and his fellow bikers commit suicide with the goal of returning as one of the "undead". Not all succeed but the ones who do, gather together at a secret place called "The Seven Witches" (a circle of standing stones), after which they continue to terrorize the locals.
This was one of the last films of George Sanders
George Sanders
George Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
, who committed suicide soon after its completion.
Despite having a following amongst fans of cult British cinema, Nicky Henson is publicly very critical of Psychomania.
In August 2011, UK based label Spoke Records reissued John Cameron's Frog "Witch Hunt/Living Dead" Psychomania theme music on a limited edition vinyl 7".
Cast
- George SandersGeorge SandersGeorge Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
... Shadwell - Nicky HensonNicky HensonNicholas Victor Leslie "Nicky" Henson is an English actor who has portrayed many roles since 1963. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1977. He was born in London.-Early life:...
... Tom Latham - Mary Larkin ... Abby Holman
- Ann MichelleAnn MichelleAnn Michelle born Chigwell, Essex is a British actress and writer.Her most notable acting role was as Jane Pettibone in the cult, British horror film Psychomania. She is the sister of Allo 'Allo! actress Vicki Michelle....
... Jane - Roy HolderRoy HolderRoy Holder is an English television actor who has appeared in various programmes including Ace of Wands, Z-Cars, Spearhead, the Doctor Who serial The Caves of Androzani and Sorry! His first notable appearance on the screen was in the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind...
... Bertram - Denis Gilmore ... Hatchet
- Miles Greenwood ... Chopped Meat
- Peter Whitting ... Gash
- Rocky TaylorRocky TaylorRocky Taylor is a British stuntman and actor. Taylor was born in Weybridge Surrey in the south-east of England. His first appearance as a stuntman was an uncredited role in Dr. No...
... Hinky - Robert HardyRobert HardyTimothy Sydney Robert Hardy, CBE, FSA is an English actor with a long career in the theatre, film and television. He is also an acknowledged expert on the longbow.-Early life:...
... Chief Inspector Hesseltine - Patrick HoltPatrick HoltPatrick Holt was a British film and television actor.-Biography:Patrick Holt's real name was Patrick G. Parsons. Some of his childhood was spent in India with his Uncle. Patrick was sent to Christ's Hospital, a famous charity school in England, UK...
... Sergeant - Alan BennionAlan BennionAlan Bennion is a British actor. He is best known for his work on the science fiction television series Doctor Who and the police drama Z-Cars...
... Constable - John LeveneJohn LeveneJohn Levene is an English actor. His most famous role was that of Sergeant Benton of UNIT on the television series Doctor Who.He was born John Anthony Woods in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England....
... Constable - Beryl ReidBeryl ReidBeryl Elizabeth Reid, OBE was a British actress of stage and screen.-Early life:Born in Hereford, England in 1919, Reid was the daughter of Scottish parents and grew up in Manchester where she attended Withington and Levenshulme High Schools.-Career:Reid applied for and was accepted in a revue in...
... Mrs Latham - Jacki Webb ... Mother
- David Millett ... Father
- Linda GrayLinda GrayLinda Ann Gray is an American actress, best known for her role as Sue Ellen Ewing on the television prime-time soap opera Dallas.-Career:Prior to acting, Gray began working as a model in the 1960s...
... Grandmother - Andrew Laurence ... Grandfather
- Roy EvansRoy Evans (actor)Roy Evans is an actor who has appeared in British Television from 1960s onwards appearing in a wide range of productions including Doctor Who , Blake's 7 and Porterhouse Blue .-External links:...
... Motorist - Bill PertweeBill PertweeWilliam Desmond Anthony Pertwee MBE is a British comedy actor. He is best known for playing the part of antagonist ARP Warden Hodges in the popular sitcom Dad's Army.-Early and personal life:...
... Publican - Seretta WilsonSeretta WilsonSeretta Wilson is a British television and film actor. Born in the USAShe has played parts in The Borgias and london Bridge.She played Sergeant Wilson's daughter in Dad's Army.- External links :*...
... Stella - Denis Carey ... Coroner's Assistant
- Stanley Stewart ... Petrol Pump Attendant
- Lane Meddick ... Mr Pettibone
- June BrownJune BrownJune Muriel Brown, MBE is a British actress, best known for her role as the busy-body, chain-smoking gossip Dot Cotton in the long-running British soap opera EastEnders and for making other high profile television appearances on shows such as Doctor Who, Coronation Street, Minder, The Bill and...
... Mrs Pettibone - Ann Murray ... Motorist
- Fiona Kendall ... Monica
- Ernest C. Jennings ... Blind Man
- Martin BoddeyMartin BoddeyMartin Boddey was a British film and television actor.He was a founder member of the Lord's Taverners charity.-Selected filmography:* The Twenty Questions Murder Mystery * Cairo Road...
... Coroner - Heather WrightHeather WrightHeather Wright is an English actress, noted for her performances in film and television. Her film credits include: Psychomania, The Belstone Fox, Shout at the Devil and Inseminoid. On television, she has been seen in the following series: Arthur of the Britons, Survivors, Return of the Saint,...
... Girl with Parcels - Penny Leatherbarrow ... Woman in Police Station
- Larry Taylor ... Lorry driver (uncredited)
External links
- http://www.britishhorrorfilms.co.uk/psychomania.shtml
- http://www.spokerecords.co.uk/