Psychomania (1973)

Twisted and Fun, 7 May 2006

A group of young motorcycle thugs, getting their kicks by terrorizing their community (what else would they do), discover that if someone commits suicide with the unwavering belief that they will come back, they will arise from the dead. And the coolest part is that once you're dead, you can't be killed again. But will it work and will they really be invincible?

IMDb lists Psychomania as a horror movie. And if you go into it thinking you're going to see a lot of creepy images and a bucket of gore, you would be mistaken and most probably disappointed. While there are certainly elements of horror to be found in Psychomania, it's really underrated black comedy that's much better than its 4.8 IMDb rating would indicate. Some of the set-pieces and moments in the film are so twisted and outrageous in their presentation that I actually found myself laughing out loud a few times. The variety of ways the gang members select to kill themselves are a hoot. My favorite is the guy who throws himself in the river. The acting is at least adequate and most of it's played straight which helps punctuate the absurdity of the situations. The only real "name" in the cast is an aging George Sanders who gives an incredibly witty performance.

The biggest downside I see to Psychomania is the lack of direction the gang seems to have. You are immortal and no one can hurt you, but the best you can come up with is riding your motorcycles through a grocery store to terrorize old ladies. Surely there's something more sinister or, at least, profitable that you could be doing.

7/10