L'étrange histoire du juge Cordier

Badly titled but very entertaining Price horror film.

For a while I had seen this movie floating around but since the title reveals zero about what the movie is about - I never bothered with it! Just had my first viewing. Better late than never!

Despite being too studiobound and needing about 20 minutes of dull footage cut out, Diary of a Madman is a knockout movie. And frankly, a very odd one, but odd in a good way.

We are missing the wonderfully campy Price dialogue we got in House of Wax and House on Haunted Hill, but instead we get a deadly serious Price who is very pleasing.

Having no location filming gives it a television movie look but the rich Richard LaSalle score makes the whole thing seem rather grand.

If you think you have heard some of the LaSalle cues before, you have, in TV's Lost In Space (1965) and Land of the Giants (1968).

Despite some mild flaws, an outstanding and wonderfully oddball flick.

I'm a big fan of Vincent Price and all of his films are a must see for me. Normally, this endeavour leads me to see some of the finest horror films of the fifties, sixties and seventies; but every now and again, it will turn up a lesser entry in the great man's filmography, and unfortunately - this is the case here. Based on stories by Guy de Maupassant, Diary of a Madman is a film without much to differentiate it from a number of similar films, and so to someone like me who has seen a great many horror movies; this one does fall a bit flat. Other bad elements include a rather long running time, which ensures that the flimsy plot always feel far too drawn out. The plot follows judge/sculptor Simon Cordier, a man who goes to visit a man put to death in his cell. He was put to death for various murders that he committed, and which he claims were under the influence of evil spirit Horla. However, after the death of the murderer; the evil spirit has nowhere to go, and so decides to take up residence inside the judge...

It's a seriously good job that this film stars Vincent Price, as with almost anyone else in the lead role it would have been a complete dead loss. Price doesn't excel himself here; but even an average Price performance is great to watch, and the great thespian continually saves the film from tedium. Price is the only real star of the film, and that's not a problem in a way as he has more than enough to carry a film on his own; a film like this could really do with a few more distractions. The locations look nice, however, and the Technicolor cinematography excellently captures them. There's not a great deal of actual horror in the film; sequences that see Vincent Price's mirror reflection disappear, and a few where he has green eyes are about as horrific as it gets. The idea of an evil demon possessing someone isn't exactly original, but the basics of the story get good handling here; so it's a shame that the rest of the film wasn't better. Overall, this has it's moments I suppose; but aside from Price's performance, there isn't much to recommend it for. Interesting fact, though; a quote towards the start of the film was used by Rob Zombie in his song "The Return of the Phantom Stranger"!

During the 1960s, Vincent Price became super famous as a horror actor--starring in countless low budget horror flicks. Many of them were very cheap and rather forgettable but he also did a few dandies that were quite watchable. In that latter category I would place this film. It's very enjoyable and despite the plot being awfully far-fetched, it is carried off well. Price plays a nice judge who visits a madman about to be executed. At this meeting, the evil spirit controlling the maniac jumps into Price's body and as a result, he goes from a saintly life of a life of evil and depravity. The acting and writing are good, but I must admit this sort of fare isn't going to be for everyone--deep intellectual stuff this isn't! But, if you like a good scare, give the film a viewing.

Vincent Price, as Simon Cordier, is possessed by an evil spirit and is forced to kill. Can he overcome the beast that haunts him inside?

Dug this out of my collection and gave it another view. I really like this one and feel it has been underrated by many. The only major problem I have with it is the story would have been better served had the existence of the Horla been left more to question. Still I really enjoyed this, especially Vincent Price in the lead. It's got that old-time 1960s AIP Horror feel to it even though it wasn't made there.

DIARY OF A MADMAN opens with the burial of Magistrate Simon Cordier (Vincent Price), who has left behind a diary. The reading of the diary tells the story. Cordier, a respected man of the law, is called upon to visit an infamous, doomed prisoner, and discovers the truth behind the man's murderous rampage. He's told of something called "The Horla", a demon of sorts. Cordier soon finds himself possessed by the same dark force that drove this man to commit his crimes.

Price is terrific in this movie, going from affable man, to homicidal madman with ease. For its time, it's fairly gory, including a stabbing and -implied- decapitation. Nancy Novack co-stars as the conniving Odette. The voice of the Horla is provided with wicked glee by Joseph Ruskin. This movie belongs on every Vincent Price fan's watchlist...