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Diary of a Madman

Diary of a Madman

Horror · 1963

Simon Cordier, a French magistrate and amateur sculptor comes into contact with a malevolent entity. The invisible - yet corporeal - being, called a "horla" is capable of limited psychokinesis and complete mind control.

Movie details

Diary of a Madman

“The most terrifying motion picture ever!”

1963 Horror 1h 36m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.1 / 10

Community rating

Simon Cordier, a French magistrate and amateur sculptor comes into contact with a malevolent entity. The invisible - yet corporeal - being, called a "horla" is capable of limited psychokinesis and complete mind control.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Diary of a Madman?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Phase IV

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Reginald Le Borg

Written by

Robert E. Kent

Vincent Price

Vincent Price

Simon Cordier

Nancy Kovack

Nancy Kovack

Odette Mallotte

Chris Warfield

Chris Warfield

Paul Duclasse

Elaine Devry

Elaine Devry

Jeanne D'Arville

Ian Wolfe

Ian Wolfe

Pierre

S

Stephen Roberts

Captain Robert Rennedon

Lewis Martin

Lewis Martin

Father Raymonde

Court is in session

Put Diary of a Madman on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Arthouse Gremlin

“Its refusal to behave is the point.”

The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.

The prosecution The Prestige Tourist

“Oddness is not depth.”

A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.