Like many of you guys out there, I'm a massive fan of 80's slasher films. It's kind of a prerequisite for working here at AITH. And one of the hidden(ish) gems of the subgenre is writer-director Joe Giannone's 1983 flick MADMAN starring Gaylen Ross, Paul Ehlers, Tony Fish, Harriet Bass, Seth Jones, Jan Claire, Alexander Murphy, Jr., Jimmy Steele, and Carl Fredericks.
Well, evidently the successful reboot/sequel of John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN was enough to get the original film's producer Gary Sales looking to reboot the semi-classic 80's slasher. The man took to Facebook last week to let us all know that he's currently in LA doing his best to pitch the remake – currently going by the rather odd title MADMAN: THE UPDATED REMAKE – into existence.
Our buddies over at B-D even caught up with Sales recently and asked him to spill some further beans on the upcoming remake, and Sales told them:
"The Madman remake script is written. I’m in the process, through my agent and my industry contacts, of getting it into the hands of studios, production companies and financiers who see the incredible value and potential of Madman as an Icon of Fright and a horror brand that could last another 38 years."
He continued:
"It has a very loyal audience over these many years and we’ve picked up a lot of new audience since the advent of Blu-ray, streaming and the net, so I’m casting a net to bring Madman to everyone around the world that loves horror today. Our fans run from Peoria to Perth and New York to Germany, Sweden, and Pakistan. And that includes Quentin Tarantino, who’s always been a champion and great fan of the picture. It was his proramming it at the Alamo Draft House Midnite shows that kept us alive coming into the 21st century.”
Sales on the approach of the script:
"It still opens with its iconic campfire. But there’ll be a new Max telling the tale. And it’s going to be a more interactive tale. Meaning, some of the victims have a chance. There’ll be something to root for. And lastly, without giving away too much… Even before it’s become so popular, I’d been re-writing with a female lead who has to find courage in the midst of the murder and mayhem of that terrible night."
The original film followed this synopsis:
At a summer camp in the woods, Max (Carl Fredericks), one of the counselors, decides to regale the campers and other counselors with a frightening tale of a local serial killer, Madman Marz (Paul Ehlers). As the story goes, if his name is uttered above a whisper, he will return to the area to kill. Unimpressed and unafraid, an impudent teen, Richie (Jimmy Steele), feels compelled to test the legend — despite the deadly consequences. Within moments, Madman Marz is back again for blood.
You can go ahead and follow the updated remake as it progresses over on Facebook. And until we know more about this planned remake, make sure to check out the fun poster announcement below. After that, then make sure to hit us up and let us know what you think of this remake and what you think of the original film to boot. And remember that you can always head over to Amazon and snag a copy of the original on Blu-ray/DVD HERE.