Diary of a Madman

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Claudio C Diary of a Madman (1963) A Great Vincent Price’s Horror Film (11,921 - 17 Sep 2025 – by Claudio Carvalho) In 1886, in France, the widower Magistrate Simon Cordier (Vincent Price) dies and after his funeral, the art gallery owner Andre D'Arville (Edward Colmans) and his daughter Jeanne D'Arville (Elaine Devry) meet some residents to show a letter Simon left to be opened after his death. They find his diary in a small box and Andre and Father Raymonde (Lewis Martin) read the diary. Simon says that the murderer Louis Girot (Harvey Stephens), who was sentenced by him to guillotine, wanted to talk to him. Simon goes with Police Captain Robert Rennedon (Stephen Roberts) to Girot’s cell, and he repeats what he said in his trial, when he claimed that an evil entity forced him to kill four people without reason. Out of the blue, Girot attacks Simon that accidentally kills him in self-defense. When he returns home, Simon hears the voice of the Horla entity saying that now has possessed him. Simon goes to Dr. Borman (Nelson Olmsted), and he tells him that he should dedicate to his hobby of sculptor to heal. Simon meets the beautiful model Odette Mallotte (Nancy Kovack) in the art gallery and invites her to pose for him. Odette does not disclose that she is married to Paul Duclasse (Chris Warfield) and goes to Simon’s home, where the butler Pierre (Ian Wolfe) and the servant Louise (Mary Adams) welcome her. Simon is seduced by Odette, but the Horla does not want him to forget that he is possessed and forces Simon to murder. “Diary of a Madman” (1963) is a great Vincent Price’s horror film. Director Reginald Le Borg is responsible for an excellent work directing Vincent Price. This actor, sometimes with histrionic performances, is perfect in the role of a skeptical magistrate that is possessed by the evil entity “The Horla”, when its last vessel dies in prison. The beauty of Nancy Kovack is impressive, and Simon’s seduction is natural throughout the story. The screenplay is well written by Robert E. Kent, based on Guy de Maupassant’s story. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): “Diário de Um Louco” (“Diary of a Madman”) My Blog: https://maniacosporfilme.wordpress.com/ Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/18/25 Full Review Dave S In Diary of a Madman, Vincent Price plays a judge who manages to inherit a malevolent spirit from a man he has sentenced to die. Before you know it, things start to go from bad to worse as the demon begins to influence the judge's actions. Despite a score that sounds, at times, like it was borrowed from an episode of Leave it to Beaver and a predictable storyline, it might be worth watching for some decent production values and another solid performance from the always reliable Price. At the end of the day, however, the story starts to drag, making the material seemingly more appropriate for a Twilight Zone episode than a feature length film. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Based on "La Horla" by Guy de Maupassant, this Reginald Le Borg-directed film starts at the funeral of Simon Cordier (Vincent Price), who had been possessed by one of the horla, a race of evil monsters who exist only to make humans go nuts. Trying to find a hobby after thinking that a prisoner has infected him with a horla, Cordier got into sculpting and fell in love with the already married Odette Mallotte DuClasse (Nancy Kovack, The Silencers). The horla makes him believe that she's merely after him for his money, so he cuts her head off and tosses it in a river. When it's found, her husband is executed for the crime, but Simon knows he has to get rid of the creature. So he does what any of us would — he sets his whole house on fire and dies along with it. This was written by Robert E. Kent, who would make Twice-Told Tales with Price the same year. Obviously, Ozzy Osbourne has seen this movie. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review andy f An often overlooked Vincent Price movie that has plenty of menace and his usual dazzling performance. A great late night bit of fun as most Price horror films are. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member That was actually a lot better than I was expecting. Price is great as always and it had an interesting gothic tale. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member Another one that Vincent Price hits out of the proverbial ballpark. Great fun. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Diary of a Madman

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