Just recently, I watched Madhouse, one of Vincent Price's last horror films. Here is my review of it.

With Hollywood shamelessly drowning us in its cookie cutter releases - "Clash of the Titans," "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Hot Tub Time Machine" - I felt inclined to search through my library of films and locate an obscure or old release to review. Finally, I located an entry that

met both of my criteria: "Madhouse."

This 1974 contribution from Vincent Price and Peter Cushing chronicles the rise and fall of a late night horror movie host, Paul Toombes. The film opens at a premiere of one of Toombes' films (which consists of footage excised from Price's cinematic collaborations with b-movie god, Roger Corman,) and his discovery of his murdered wife immediately after the reception.

Toombes has a nervous breakdown from the trauma and spends a few years in an asylum. Later, when he is released, he is approached by his friend Herbert Flay (Cushing) and a television executive to resurrect his infamous character for a new television series to capitalize on the cult following of the character, Doctor Death. Toombes is nervous about reprising the character: he blamed it for the murder of his wife and does not want to tread the patch of darkness within himself. However, after being assured of a limited appearance on the show, he accepts the offer.

All seems to be faring well until murder occurs again, suggesting that the "Doctor" is at his devilish work once more. This attracts the attention of a bumbling Scotland Yard detective who investigates the murder by watching Toombes' filmography.

Yes, this is indeed where the unintentional humor arrives. Instead of having the detective provide comic humor to balance the atmosphere, he ends up like the clown policemen in "Halloween 5" and only ends up making the situation even more awkward. However, this humor continues into Toombes' world as well: the victims are dispatched with an array of weapons including a pitchfork and a mattress.

The second and third act of the film tracks the murders and the subsequent investigation into them. At first glance, this seems to be typical slasher-faire; yet, it violates all of the rules of the genre and alienates the audience even more, instead of satisfying them with the novel approach. If, however, one is interested in seeing an intelligent slasher that breaks the rules, I heartily recommend "Midnight Movie," a 2008 direct-to-video release that puts the current studio releases to shame.

What the film really has is a plot that is lifted from a film made within a year of it, "Theatre of Blood." Both films chronicle the fall of a protagonist - in this case, a Shakespearean actor, played by Price, who was cheated of a trophy - and their campaign of terror upon a group of people. In this case, there is no particular justification for the murders.

We later learn, courtesy of a revelation in the final scene, that Flay conducted the murders because he wanted to helm the role of Doctor Death, since he created the character. Even though this particular scene was supposed to be shocking, it renders the thinking audience members frustrated, because it seems as Mr. Spock would say, illogical. Why not take out Toombes? Why drive him mad, bring him back to sanity and to his career and then try to drive him mad again?

Thus, this raises the question: why bother watching this film?

First and foremost, it is Price's performance. He captures the fractured nature of Toombes perfectly and works well with Cushing, who also reprises his Count Yorga character in one scene.

Secondly, the sets and costumes are remarkable, considering this was an independently funded and on-the-fly made film.

Finally, the film is surprisingly suspenseful: one actually becomes caught up in the chase sequences, pining for a look or clue to as to the identity of Doctor Death. Logically, a film with plot holes to fly a 737 through should not have suspense, but "Madhouse" paradoxically creates it, making up for what it lacks.

Now, compared to mainstream cinema, as well as its brethren in the slasher subgenre and horror genre, it is not the diamond among the coals. But this crudeness is what redeems it: it fulfills the goal of cinema - to create an escape from reality, in this case for eighty or ninety something minutes, and provides a fine mixture of suspense and comedy. And, this combination is what makes it great to watch on a Friday night, when you are burning off the frustration from work or school and need something to shut the brain down for a period of time.

That is why b-films exist; not to make an artistic, social or political statement, but simply to cause thinking to cease when watching a film, which by definition is what films are supposed to do.