I've got fond memories of watching this film on the telly with friends when I was a teenager and we laughed so much it hurt. I've never been able to work out if it was an early attempt to manufacture a cult, so-bad-it's-good sort of film or if the filmmakers genuinely thought they were making a serious horror film. I tend toward the latter. What do you think?
shareit's obviously intended to be funny
shareI have always felt that good old traditional (extinct) British horror films were most closely related to old British comedy films. They both featured extremely outlandish/outrageous fantasy scenarios presented in a rather conservative, tasteful manner (despite what the censor and classification board thought). 'Psychomania' is one of the fruits of this approach. There's clearly some intentional humour in the film - as well as drama. The tradition in fantasy entertainment was to provide good entertainment, not gratuitous bad taste, or cynical spoofing.
shareIntentionally! There's always the wags who'll watch films such as this nowadays with a smug 'We're such sophisticated 21st century viewers and we know what's funny and what's not' attitude. I went to see it at London's NFT the other night and loved it - it *was* occasionally unintentionally funny, but the humour was largely intentional, surely (see him wrapping himself in chains and weighting a car engine to them to drown himself in the river?).
There was a couple in the cinema laughing so hard at every line it was as if they were scared anyone might think they *weren't* enjoying it in an 'ironic' way, the goons.
My dad told me he saw a lot of these low-budget Brit horros when they came out, and he said people would laugh, chuck popcorn at the screen and even walk out of them. Of course, they had no rarity and charm value at the time. Mind you, I can't imagine future generations hankering to watch today's equivalents - which are straight to DVD slashers, mainly.
I would have to say i agree with it being intentionaly funny. Most of the lines in there are comedic, but i would say that its a lot more funnier now because of the development in humour. I think that the old comedy is so much better because its not so try hard. The best comedians of all time, in my mind, include Tommy Cooper, Morecambe & Wise, Les Dawson etc. The comedy now is very funny but i think its the simplicity of the 70's humour that makes it so funny. Look ath the 'Carry On' films for example, i love the slapstick about it.
Plus what a great funk guitar and slap bass soundtrack most of the film has. I love it, just makes me smile!
I think it's supposed to be corny as well.
I mean that part in the jail after Tom and Jane burst in. Jane sarcastically says "Shall I close the door?" and the officer calmly says "Yes please, love!"
I just about died laughing.
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I agree with all of you, especially the OP. Well I think it's a combo of both, it was meant to be both serious and humorous at the same time. It was meant to be intentionally funny at some points while not in certain others, but the thing is those other parts wound up funny as well, whether intended or not.
Very fond memories of this film, and like the OP me and my friends all saw this growing up in the 70's and we all wound up discussing it, and having a good time laughing at certain things in the movie. Haven't seen this in God knows how long, can't believe that I read that it came on TCM and I wasn't aware of it. Real bummer, hope I catch it sometime, I'd love to see if it is as I remember it. Cheers everyone!
Last night I got to see a rare 35mm IB Technicolor print at L.A.'s famed New Beverly Cinema's Grindhouse Festival.
The film's humour (hey, it's British!), is very much INTENTIONAL. Sure, there were a couple of yahoos in the theater who were from the 'Boy They Were A Bunch Of Stupid Filmmakers Back Before MY TIME So I'm Going To Mock This Because I Am So Much Smarter' school of cinematic idiocy. But, there's no doubt that most of the comedy was intended. Black comedy, for the most part.
It was the rich Black Comedy that appealed to me most about PSYCHOMANIA (the print was titled DEATH WHEELERS). That, and its cool detached mood. As one previous poster noted, the film didn't try too hard to either amuse or frighten. It just let the story play out and the actors mainly kept their tongues in cheek.
Although unique in own right, PSYCHOMANIA is very much of the THEATER OF BLOOD / DR. PHIBES branch of British horror.
It felt like it had a tongue in cheek quality to me.
What do you think this is, a signature? It's a way of life!
Unintentional of course! That is what makes it so funny.
shareIf you think this was "unintentional", you obviously didn't get the film! Even back then, it was seen as tongue-in-cheek in many places, with a touch of the macabre thanks to their elders. You can't really believe they didn't know they were being funny! Another poster mentioned films such as the two Dr. Phibes movies and "Theater of Blood". There were a number of others, including some AIP films.
If they wanted to be serious, they could be. But, because of the "youth movement", dark comedy was very much in favor.
Check out "Rosemary's Baby". In the midst of dread and fear, we have Minnie and her jangly bracelets.
It's typical of the times.
*** The trouble with reality is there is no background music. ***
I thought they were parodying a clockwork orange a little bit. Orange came out shortly before this. The biker gang's antics certainly came off as comical not frightening.
-I was born in a crossfire hurricane.