History Film / Madhouse1974

* HateSink: Elizabeth Peters' foster parents literally only talk about how they lined Elizabeth to be a famous actress and make them rich. When she's murdered decide to blackmail Paul Toombs, who they think killed her, showing they never cared abut her at all.

''Madhouse'' is a 1974 British horror film directed by Jim Clark for Creator/AmicusProductions in association with Creator/AmericanInternationalPictures. It stars Creator/VincentPrice, Natasha Pyne, Creator/PeterCushing, Robert Quarry, Adrienne Corri and Linda Hayden.

* DeadPersonImpersonation: At the end of the film, [[spoiler:Paul is shown using makeup to make himself look like Herbert[[note]][[FridgeLogic No idea how he's going to make himself 4 inches shorter![[/note]], with the implication that he is going to take over Herbert's life]].

* DeadPersonImpersonation: At the end of the film, [[spoiler:Paul is shown using makeup to make himself look like Herbert, with the implication that he is going to take over Herbert's life]].

* FakingTheDead: [[spoiler: Paul Toombes looks himself on the ''Dr. Death'' set, and sets both the set and and himself on fire to convince authorities that he is dead, while he escapes to extract vengeance on the real killer.]]

* ItsAllAboutMe: [[spoiler: This is Herbert Flays motive. He wrote the part of Dr. Death for himself, but got passed up in favor of Toombes. His murders are in attempt to get the part for himself.]]

* SwordCane: When Toombes confronts the real murderer, [[spoiler:Herbert Flay]], he reveals he is carrying a sword cane and draws the balde and attacks Toombes.

This semi-serious horror film represented the first on-screen pairing of icons Vincent Price and Peter Cushing, who play, respectively, aging former horror star Paul Toombes and actor-turned-writer Herbert Flay, who unite in an effort to revive the popularity of Toombes' screen character "Dr. Death" for a TV series. Having recently recovered from a nervous breakdown caused by the murder of her fiancee, Toombes comes under suspicion when several members of the show's cast and crew are murdered in grisly reenactments of Dr. Death's greatest movie moments (as depicted in numerous colorful clips from some of Price's AIP films for Roger Corman).

* StockFootage: The ''Dr. Death'' films the ThemeSerialKiller is emulating are represented by clips fromearlier films Creator/VincentPrice had made Creator/AmericanInternationalPictures.

* {{Blackmail}}: Elizabeth Peters' foster parents attempt to blackmail Toombes for 10,000 pound, claiming to have proof that he seduced and murdered her.

* It’sAllAboutMe: [[spoiler: This is Herbert Flays motive. He wrote the part of Dr. Death for himself, but got passed up in favor of Toombes. His murders are in attempt to get the part for himself.]]

* {{Blackmail}}: Elizabeth Peters' foster parents attempt to blackmail Toombes for 10,000 pound, claiming to have proff that he seduced and murdered her.

* ShackleChairTrap: Features a shackle ''bed'' trap. When the victim lies upon it, shackles lock around his wrists and hold him in place as he is crushed to death by the descending canopy.

* CoatHatMask: the murderer dresses as Dr. Death in a black cloak, hat and white skull mask.

* CoatHatMask: the murderer dresses as Dr. Death in a black cloak, hat and white full face mask.

''Madhouse'' is a 1974 British horror film directed by Jim Clark for Creator/AmicusProductions in association with AmericanInternationalPictures. It stars Creator/VincentPrice, Natasha Pyne, Creator/PeterCushing, Robert Quarry, Adrienne Corri and Linda Hayden.