The Mad Climax

“The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same as the man who went out.”

-Aldous Huxley

First up, let me state that the following piece is a supplemental article for the latest episode of the INSANE SIGNALS podcast devoted to psychedelic horror.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s begin!

Without a doubt my favorite psychedelic horror film of all time (and a favorite in general) is the cult classic Altered States from 1980. Some might argue that it’s not really a horror movie, yet if that’s the case, neither is The Wolf Man.

Altered States can be classified in several categories, including psychological thriller and sci-fi, but at heart, there’s the transformation into a sympathetic monster of many classic horror movies.

However, I’m here today to talk about two recent experimental psychedelic horror experiences that have become new favorites of mine, and that’s with the French films Climax from 2017, and MadS from 2024.

Both were filmed in a single shot style, with long continuing scenes that take viewers on a stylish ride that isn’t for the faint of heart. For MadS in particular, it actually WAS shot in a single take, which is an astounding feat for its 89 minute run time.

Director David Moreau shot the entire film five consecutive times, over five consecutive days, and decided to go with the final take. Filming at several locations, with several means of transportation, and multiple characters, it’s a shame that MadS, perhaps because it is a horror film, didn’t get the recognition it deserves for its ingenuity.

Likewise, on the theme of psychedelic horror, both films involve the ingestion of a substance which alters the state of mind of the characters, creating a dark trip that continuously amps up the heightened level of frenetic anxiety and loss of control.

And we, as viewers, also embark on these wild rides, never knowing where the trip is going to take us; somewhat mesmerized by the skillfulness of the direction, cinematography, and top notch performances by all the actors involved.

While MadS takes us an an expansive journey of multiple locations and scenes, the exceptional film Climax does the exact opposite, keeping us locked in on one locale, and a large cast of characters that are slowly, shall we say, losing their shit.

Here, the “single shot” take isn’t merely a gimmick, but transcends to an actual art-form, showing a certain level of mastery and craftsmanship, in a pair of truly strange and memorable pieces of horror cinema.

When one considers all the various sub-genres of horror, from found footage, to folk horror, body horror, slashers, supernatural, psychological, good ol’ splatter/gore and more, the themes of “psychedelic” horror are rarely mentioned in the conversation, despite the fact that it can be found in almost all of the styles listed above.

Perhaps Cosmic Horror is the most closely associated, with the ingestion of words, spells, and incantations taking the place of mind altering drugs. The outcome is very much the same, just different modes of transportation getting us to similar places.

Usually, a terrible descent into madness, unlocking doors that are better left closed.

But don’t close that door on Insane Signals just yet! Be sure check out the latest episode of the podcast which can be found – HERE - , and stay tuned for our next video variety show W/ The House of Scream, were we continue the discussion of psychedelic horror.

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Mad Mike Mandrake runs the Horror to Culture website, is the host of the Insane Signals podcast and video variety show, and Editorial Director at House of Scream online magazine.