DERANGED

US, 1974, 82 minutes, Colour.
Roberts Blossom.
Directed by Jeff Gilling and Alan Ormsby.

Deranged is a brief shocker from American International Pictures, during the 60s and 70s the main studio for producing this kind of small budget horror/shocker drama. The film was written and co-directed by Allan Ormsby (writer of such horror thrillers as the remake of Cat People by Paul Schrader). The film is said to be based on a true story. A commentator appears throughout the film, earnestly giving the audience information about central character. his relationship with his mother, his behaviour and murders as well as his psychological state. In fact, the film is based on the Wisconsin murders of the 50s on which such films as Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho were based. The parallels with Psycho are very clear.

The film is also the basis for Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. (Subsequent sequels to Psycho also rely on the story, especially Psycho 4, The Beginning.) The film is direct in its presentation of shock, and is effective because of its seeming naturalism, along with the commentary. However, the success of the film depends on Robert Blossoms's interpretation of the deranged Ezra. He gives an excellent performance, fully persuading the audience that this character is real, that his relationship with his mother is profound, that her influence beyond death is effective, so that he becomes another personality, incorporating hers. It is a variation on paranoid schizophrenia with criminal behaviour.

The film also shows the isolated background of farming communities who would not think that such events could happen in their midst. The film also comments on the relationship between men and women, presenting quite a jaundiced view of women from Ezra's puritanical and demanding mother, to the fat widow who throws herself at Ezra, to the prostitute waitress at the diner. The film offers quite a deal of material for reflection, especially on the psychology of serial killers and the background of such cases. However, the average audience would probably find the plot quite distasteful and the naturalistic/violent sequences of death and Ezra bringing the corpses into his home, quite disturbing.

1. Impact of the film? As thriller, as shocker, as horror? The psychological case book in film?

2. The film based on a true story? How authentic did it seem? Plausible? The role of the commentator, his screen presence and appearance, manner of speaking? His explanations of Ezra's behaviour, psychology? Realistic, heightening the horror? His moving in and out of the sequences?

3. The locations, the isolated communities of the past? Farm and town Community? The houses? The bleak atmosphere? The hunting sequences, the town and the diner? The musical score?

4. Ezra's house, his mother's room? The way Ezra kept his house? After her death, his bringing her corpse to the house, his work in setting up the corpse at the table? The other murders? Bringing Mary to the house and the house of horror?

5. Ezra and his mother? Her dominance, illness, 12 years? His devotion to her? Her puritanical attitudes? Women as filthy, his not marrying? Her death and his grief?

6. The schizophrenia, taking on the personality of his mother? Talking as his mother? Bringing her back, setting her up? Talking to her as if alive? His going about his ordinary work normally, the support of the neighbours?

7. His quiet behaviour, yet his sexual drives - his magazines? His wanting company for his mother? Hearing of the death of the teacher - and his bringing her back?

8. Ezra as well behaved, polite? Yet absent? Not noticing what was going on?

9. The neighbour setting him up with the widow? His visit, politeness? Her behaviour, talking to her dead husband? The seance and his attending? Her own madness, her husband talking through her, urging her to have sexual relations with Ezra? Her coming on so strongly? Her death and his taking her to the house? The other killings and the growing number of women in the house?

10. The neighbours, their son, hunting? His going to the shop, the son's fiance, her being pleasant? His abduction? Her escape, running in the woods? The men and their traps, her being caught? Her death?

11. Mary, the diner, her attraction to the men? the old man and his lewd comments? Ezra and the attraction, his drinking, taking Mary home? to fix the tyre? Imprisoning her in the house? Her fear, her decision to play along with him? The horror of the violence?

12. The discovery of the truth? The neighbours going to Ezra's house? His being in a demented state? The neighbours burning down the house?

13. The background of rural communities, inbred families, madness and violence? The serial killers? The fascination of serial killers on film writers and film makers? This story, based on reality, has the basis for psycho and other stories?