Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Candida It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

GL84 Gathered at a judge's funeral, his friends and family learn that he kept a diary which details how he gained the idea of becoming increasingly paranoid about a prisoner possessing him to commit murder and must deal with the issue before more around him are killed.This was a rather fun and engaging effort. The main positive found here is how much this one plays up how Vincent Price has always been a quality name when it comes to horror, and this film is no exception. The film plays to his strengths and gives him about ninety percent of the screen-time and he doesn't seem to be chewing the scenery as he delivers a stellar performance as the possessed judge who has no idea why he is being tormented by the spirit of a man he had no real connection with. Giving him the real-life hobbies and attributes allows this to be quite fun with the high-end community this one dwells in as that gives the film plenty of room to work through as this is a pretty creepy film. The real horror of this film rests on the fact that Price is under the influence of the madman for his killings, so his appearance at his victim's place is more unsettling than it should be from overturning chairs to the way the ghost makes his sudden appearances, usually by the sudden openings of the windows with high winds and a demonic voice. These appear at the oddest times, so they do make their appearance known if need be from the appearance in the jail-cell to the surprise ambush in the apartment and the various verbal battles with the figure taunting him to continue. That as well leads into the finale which includes the rather unique and enjoyable manner of how the threat is finally dealt with and leads this into a rather nice action-packed finale that includes the utterly Gothic burning-down- the-house conclusion which gives this a nice bit of life at the right time. As these here hold this one up, there were only two small gripes about this film. The biggest one of these is that the eyes of the possessed is established by them glowing green which is a particularly corny effect. They don't emote the horror they should've as this one turns into a comical effect where it continually seems to be obsessed with Price's eyes, which in the film is played off as silly more than anything. It is a creepy effect, but it simply doesn't work at all because of the goofiness of the effect. The only other gripe is that there never is any reason for the people to become possessed. Normally, a film is given a purpose for what happens in them, but in here there really is no reason why Price becomes possessed, or why it chose him. These two small, meaningless gripes are all that lower this one beyond his best efforts in the genre.Today's Rating/PG: Mild Violence.

tomgillespie2002 The greatest of actors will always find themselves taking an unworthy role simply to pay the bills, but it is in their ability to carry these films on their own that truly establishes their greatness. Vincent Price, who starred in an endless array of crap (as well as the odd horror classic), had this ability. He was by no means the finest of actors, but his undeniable screen presence and often tongue-in-cheek approach has made him a gift to horror fans, and here he helps raise Diary of a Madman, one of his more obscure efforts, into the realms of the passable. Based on Guy de Maupassant's short story The Horla, Diary of a Madman is a very silly film indeed, but manages to retain a sort of camp charm.Beginning with the funeral of magistrate Simon Cordier (Price), his pastor begins to read out his diary to various friends and old acquaintances. Flashing back, he visits the cell of a doomed inmate who has killed a number of people without a motive, and who informs Cordier that he has been possessed by an evil and invisible entity named the Horla. He attacks Cordier, but is killed in the struggle, and the spirit of the Horla moves into Cordier's body. From then on, Corider experiences strange murderous urges, and is tormented by frequent visits by the mysterious being. He rediscovers his love for sculpting, and meets vain and selfish model Odette (Nancy Kovack), who appears to fall in love with him.The Horla itself is a ridiculous creation, flying in through Cordier's windows and announcing his presence in a voice reminiscent of the one you would put on when you have a bed sheet draped over your head. Better yet, the Horla's causes it's subjects eyes to glow green whenever they feel evil inside of them, here represented with some shoddy effects that looks like the director is simply flashing a light in the actor's eyes. But as previously stated, this raises some unintentional laughs and, with Price's presence, is quite charming. The Horla is a metaphor for the evil in every man, and the film at least manages to interpret de Maupassant's themes on a most basic level. I doubt it will ever get any home media release that will cause a cult rediscovery, but Madman is an enjoyable little oddity, and certainly a must-see for Price fans.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

utgard14 This one had the makings of a great Vincent Price horror flick but somehow just manages to be 'ok.' I think part of the problem is that it just sort of hovers around the middle the entire time. It never rises above. No great scenes or moments. It's all competently produced and enjoyable but still there's something missing. Perhaps if director Reginald Le Borg's original vision of the Horla as being some distorted evil voice had been allowed it might have added an extra bit of creepiness to it that would have elevated the picture. But the studio didn't like that idea so we got the rather ordinary and underwhelming voice for the Horla instead.Basically it's a nice sort of Jekyll & Hyde movie with nothing exceptional about it except for the beauty of Nancy Kovack. Wow she was a stunner. I enjoyed it though and I would recommend it to all Price fans or classic horror fans, with the understanding that it's a movie with its limitations. Still entertaining though.

MarieGabrielle The dissociation of a madman, this film is great fun and terror from Vincent Price, mater of the horror genre of 1960-1970's.In this film as Judge Simon Corday, he is a judge who has recently witnessed the public hanging of a heinous murderer. Somehow the evil spirit enters his mind, and controls his evil side.He also has the vocation of painting portraits of beautiful women, (the lovely Debra Kovacs one of them). Of course after their interlude, the evil spirit of the "horla" takes over and causes much evil.The sets of 18th century Paris and costumes are lovely, and this is a small gem worth renting for Halloween. Price always delivers, never fails to disappoint. 8/10.