Deranged

FINALLY got to see 'Deranged' recently after wanting to for years, and what a surprise it is. Low budget yes, but takes its subject matter much more seriously than you would expect. There are some touches of black comedy in places, but overall this is no "funny" gorefest ala the 'Evil Dead' flicks. Roberts Blossom puts in an excellent performance as Ezra Cobb, the Ed Gein inspired protagonist. You may not totally understand why he ends up doing what he does, but Blossom successfully conveys Cobb's loneliness and isolation, which explodes into full blown delusional behaviour.

The only negative comment I have about 'Deranged' is the clumsy and unnecessary intrusions of the narrator into the plot. Without that we'd be looking at a complete classic. Even so, 'Deranged' is much more than a "video nasty" and deserves a much larger audience.

Ok, we've seen "Texas Chainsaw Massacure", "Motel Hell" and that other newer film I forgot the name but all are not as good as this one. This movie tells the true story of cannible Ed Gein known in this movie as Ezra Cobb. Ez is a sympathetic character in this movie and I really do feel sorry for him as he takes care of his ailing mother and then she passes away. Ez kidnaps her corpse and sends her home and treats her as if she were alive again. During his state of dementia he finds himself being facinated with embolming bodies, cannibalism and things that are down right gross. This one is one that must be seen for those into real life crimes of the deranged.

Based on the diabolical doings of psycho-mama's boy Ed Gein, this film is guaranteed to leave you feeling uneasy for days after viewing. Some images are so horrific that they are fairly certain to haunt your dreams. Character actor Roberts Blossom in his best role ever is chillingly good as the overly devoted son who, not quite all there to begin with, goes completely round the bend when his beloved mother dies. He digs the old lady up, brings her back to the family farm, restores her corpse, and kills an occasional female passerby to keep her company. It's every bit as strange as it sounds. But when it's over, you can't simply shrug it off and say to yourself, "Oh well, it's only a movie", because it's based on the truth. Viewers familiar with the Ed Gein case will note that the filmmakers have, for the most part, stuck close to the facts. It leaves a strong impression, and, to put it mildly, a rather disturbing one. What's truly amazing is that the filmmakers have brought a sense of humor to these gruesome events and it ISN'T offensive. DERANGED is one of the best scary/funny movies I have ever seen. It is most definitely not for children. As for the adults, you"ll just have to take your chances.

Over the years there have been a number of films, both horror and thriller, that have been inspired by the real-life crimes of the infamous Ed Gein. Yet, this was the first film to be closely based on the real Ed Gein.

Reclusive old man loses his mind after the death of his mother and starts to rob graves. But that's just the beginning of terrors to come.

While In the Light of the Moon (2000) may be the more accurate film for the true story of Gein, Deranged is the most effectively frightening. Deranged is an example of low-budget film making at it's best. It sports a believably dark atmosphere and the feeling of chilling realism. In fact some sequences from this film (especially the midnight 'dinner' scene) are simply unforgettable.

The cast of the film is good, but the real highlight of it all is in it's star Robert Blossoms. Blossoms brings such a genuine believability to his crazed character and at times makes him quite sympathetic! That achievement alone is impressive.

Also of note, this was one of the early films for makeup FX artist Tom Savini and his creations for the film are well-done. Adding even more to the sheer spookiness of this film is it's musical score, which is comprised of religious songs.

While Deranged may not have the fame of other low-budgeters of it's day, it is none the less a masterful horror picture that deserves a place in the history of low-budget horror.

*** 1/2 out of ****

If you can stomach the plot of this movie, then I think that it's fair to say that you will like it. The bloodshed is kept to a minimum (considering the subject matter), but the film should still probably be avoided if you are squeamish or easily offended. However, for people like me who can enjoy a warped sense of humour and don't mind a little gore, it's a pleasant way to spend some time.