Madness Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Madness Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 15, 2026

1994’s “Madness” (a.k.a. “Eyes Without a Face”) has a premise of some potential, tracking the growing horror around a comic strip writer and the copycat killer using inspiration from the creator to torment the woman as lives are taken around town. Screenwriter Lorenzo De Luca is challenged to create a viable mystery out of a horrific situation, generating a traditional thriller structure with a defined giallo approach. Director Bruno Mattei is tasked with creating an exciting chiller filled with red herrings and surges of brutality involving victim suffering, including the killer’s love of eye removal. Both men fail “Massacre,” which isn’t too energized to do much of anything with its idea, remaining a mostly snoozy viewing experience that struggles to build suspense, and a lack of style doesn’t help the cause.

Giovanna (Monica Carpanese) is the creator of the comic strip “Doctor Dark,” exploring the dual reality of a killer targeting young victims. She’s supported by her publisher, Marzio (Achille Brugnini), and Nico (Gabriele Gori), a writer who’s in love with her, and she’s got a major publicity problem on her hands after a masked killer murders a babysitter at a go kart track, mirroring horror found in the latest “Doctor Dark” release. Inspector Amedeo (Antonio Zequila) is on the case, determined to figure out a connection between the page and the killer, who stalks the area dressed up as “Doctor Dark.” As more death enters her life, Giovanna starts to lose her grip on sanity, turning to Nico for help as she seeks an escape from danger. However, the murderer is determined to destroy her life, getting closer with kills that carry a unique barbarity, keeping Amedeo on the move as he follows a trail of clues.

“Madness” does detail an afternoon at the go kart track, where a little kid with a toy gun wanders away from his babysitter. The young woman chases after him, only to end up in a secluded area where the killer is waiting, dressed up as “Doctor Dark” and carrying a two-pronged weapon designed to help pluck out the victim’s eyeballs. This would be a gruesome development in any other movie, but Mattei struggles with his makeup effects department, who provide underfunded physical horrors for the picture, including oddly colored blood. The helmer doesn’t help the cause with his stiff, unexciting staging, missing a great opportunity to keep “Massacre” horrifying as viciousness arrives in Giovanna’s town.

Controversy visits the author, who’s targeted by the press, and she’s soon out on her own, attempting to process what’s happening, while additional murders only worsen the situation. The killer has a calling card, leaving eyes at Giovanna’s locations, helping to drive the writer insane. It would help the picture immensely if acting were prioritized, but Mattei doesn’t have that kind of time, sticking with somewhat amateur performances from most of the cast, including Carpanese. Zequila is also making odd choices, portraying Amedeo as an arrogant master detective who’s not particularly good when it comes to understanding clues. Additional kill sequences also lack cinematic sharpness, including a strange encounter with a character who’s incapacitated by a needle, set up for a suicide scene she tries to fight through, writing a name down on a Post-It note.

The screenplay attempts to get twisty, potentially revealing the identity of the killer at the 30-minute mark, working to trick viewers with additional complications in the case. However, there’s a lot of movie left, which weakens the idea. And Mattei isn’t strong with screen tension, failing to rile up the endeavor with stalking scenes, finding most of the major slasher moments dull in design, leaving “Madness” without a major source of horror, and the detective elements of the script aren’t compelling enough to carry the film.

Madness Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation (1.67:1 aspect ratio) for "Madness" is listed as "newly scanned and restored in 2K from its 35mm original negative." Detail is capable throughout the viewing experience, examining costuming, and skin particulars are decently textured, joined by chunky makeup effects. Interiors around living spaces and office are dimensional, and exteriors maintain depth as the story visits the land and sea. Color is strong, handling the production's iffy cherry juice-like redness for blood, and personal style is secure, with vivid primaries. Blue skies and water is intact. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Source is in good condition, with some debris and very mild displays of damage. End credits are taken from a video source.

Madness Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix isn't taken from the most confident source. Sibilance issues are periodic, and the overall track deals with age-related limitations. Intelligibility isn't an issue, but small volume fluctuations are encountered, especially with screaming characters. Scoring is on the shrill side at times, but dramatic surges are understood. Sound effects are blunt.

Madness Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features The Hysteria Continues.

• "Seeing Madness" (19:48, HD) is an interview with producer Giovanni Paolucci, who enjoyed a longtime friendship with writer/director Bruno Mattei, formed while making 1987's "Strike Commando," lasting right up to the moviemaker's death in 2007. Paolucci celebrates Mattei's life and determination, keeping busy until physical pain ended his career. Talk turns to "Madness," which was shot right after "Dangerous Attraction" to save money, and the interviewee recalls the mid-1990s in Italian filmmaking, still working with film while the digital revolution was just beginning to take over. Cast and crew are assessed, and Paolucci offers some excitement when considering "Madness" as a cult picture.

• "Through the Eyes of Madness" (12:38, HD) is an interview with actress Monica Carpanese, who recalls her first audition experience for director Bruno Mattei, responding positively to his warm spirit, commencing a "platonic love" that carried all the way to his 2007 passing. The interviewee recalls her hiring for "Madness," handed a script and an immediate offer from Mattei after he had a falling out with the woman originally cast in the lead role. Co-stars are analyzed, with Capanese celebrating total professionalism from others, and she shares some honesty about Mattei, who showed kindness to her, but not always to others. The actress also provides a few thoughts about working with nudity and eroticism, and she exits with happiness that Mattei's work is being reassessed.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included on this release.

Madness Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Madness" transfers to a boat for it's final act, hoping to bring some "Dead Calm" energy to the feature as three characters face a violent presence on the open water. Unfortunately, Mattei doesn't have anywhere to go with this location, electing to pad the experience with a few freak-outs and a sex scene to make sure all his exploitation bases are covered. There's not a satisfying ending waiting for viewers at the climax of the film, which looks to conclude on a note of, well, madness, and that isn't very satisfying. "Madness" has a few directions to take in its first act, with "Doctor Death" controversy holding the greatest potential, but the production doesn't have the coin to realize a literary nightmare. Instead, there's close-quarters insanity and messy writing, allowing a thriller to conclude with almost no thrills at all.