4 star restoration of a colourful seventies horror/whodunnit.
Once again Eureka Video have taken a classic of the horror genre and brought it up to date with a Limited Edition Blu-ray. This time is the turn of Madhouse, brought to life in 1974 by Jim Clark (Every Home Should Have One).
It is available to own for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK from 22nd JUne 2026, courtesy of Eureka Classics.
“Well, tonight I would like you to meet my next victim, Ellen Mason. Oh, I have a terrible fate in store for her, I’m going to marry her.”
Paul Toombes (Vincent Price – The Comedy of Terrors, The Song of Bernadette) is a successful horror actor who has just finished filming the fifth instalment in his popular Dr Death franchise. At the after party he announces his engagement to girlfriend Ellen Mason (Julie Crosthwaite – Get Charlie Tully), much to the annoyance of fellow actress Faye Carstairs (Adrienne Corri – A Clockwork Orange, Doctor Zhivago).
Producer Oliver Quayle (Robert Quarry – Count Yorga, Vampire) throws a spanner in the works when he tells Paul that she makes adult films. They fall out and shortly afterwards she is brutally murdered. This causes Paul to spiral, convinced that Dr Death has developed a life of his own. Eventually he is institutionalised for his own safety.
Many years later, following his release, his good friend Herbert Flay (Peter Cushing – The Mummy, The Hound of the Baskervilles) contacts him to take part in a tv show starring Dr Death. He is terrified that Dr Death might make a come back, but agrees to help out an old friend. He is annoyed that Oliver Quayle is the producer, but makes the best of it, until young women begin to die. Is he reliving his past crimes?
“After that, he turned into some kind of weirdo. Couldn’t tell where he stopped and Dr Death began.”
Madhouse is a very entertaining film and why wouldn’t it be with two horror greats at the helm. The acting is excellent, a little hammy in places but in a good way. I wasn’t sure about the new fangled camera angles looking into people’s gaping mouths, I’m glad that fad didn’t catch on.
It’s fun to see a film which doesn’t take itself too seriously and to see horror actors playing horror actors making a film. 
While it’s more whodunnit than horror, there is plenty of gore too, neatly bridging the gap between two distinct eras of horror, the gothic and the graphic.
This is an excellent transfer, with picture looking great but still retaining some graining for authentic feel. With lots of special features, a Limited Edition O case and booklet, this is a fantastic release and well worth adding to your collection.
“But you’re not bringing me back to life, you’re bringing Dr Death back to life and that terrifies me. I’m terrified of what he’s done. And I’m terrified of what he might still do.”
Madhouse is available to own now on Limited Edition Blu-ray.
LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES*:
- Limited Edition of 2,000 copies
- Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring original poster artwork
- Limited edition booklet featuring new writing on Madhouse by genre film expert Christopher Stewardson and an archival interview with director Jim Clark conducted by John Hamilton, originally published in The Dark Side
- 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray
- Original English mono audio
- Optional English subtitles (SDH)
- New introduction to Madhouse by horror novelist Stephen Laws
- Lights, Camera, Murder! – new video essay on Madhouse by horror and gothic scholar Mary Going
- Audio commentary by film historian David Del Valle
- Archival making-of featurette
- Stills Gallery
- Original theatrical trailer
- * All extras subject to change
| Genre | Horror |
| Starring | Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, Robert Quarry, Adrienne Corri |
Available to buy on :  | |