The Mansion of Madness Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Mansion of Madness Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 13, 2025

1973’s “The Mansion of Madness” is an adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe short story, “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether.” Director Juan Lopez Moctezuma is tasked with taking a small amount of pages and turning it into a feature film, and the stretchmarks of this labor are visible throughout the viewing experience. Taking a surreal route to cinematic puzzling, Moctezuma goes the Jodorowsky way with the endeavor, which isn’t interested in the storytelling strengths of Poe’s work. The picture is more attracted to the theatricality of insanity, supplying an episodic journey into a special kind of Hell that’s not always interesting to watch, while some parts need to be endured.

Gaston (Arthur Hansel) is a journalist headed to France to explore a sanatorium run by Dr. Maillard (Claudio Brook), interested in his working ways while located in the middle of nowhere. Gaston is joined by Julien (Martin LaSalle) and his wife, Blanche (Monica Serna), and the trio, joined by carriage driver Henri (Jorge Bekris), endure a troubled journey to their destination. Arriving at the castle, Gaston elects to continue his mission, welcomed by Dr. Maillard, who offers a tour of the facility, and his “system of soothing” practice. Home to hundreds of patients, the sanatorium is a place of controlled chaos, but, soon enough, Gaston discovers real insanity as he reaches the depths of the castle, beginning to expose Dr. Maillard’s true intent with his medical approach.

“The Mansion of Madness” spends some time on the road before it reaches Dr. Maillard. It’s a carriage ride that offers challenges in blocked paths, but there are bandits seemingly everywhere, adding a layer of pressure on the characters as they try to reach their final destination – a place Julien seems surprised to discover, despite him agreeing to join Gaston on the trip. Julien, Blanche, and Henri experience a special level of torment later in the movie, but Moctezuma is more interested in the pairing of Gaston and Dr. Maillard, who welcomes the journalist into the sanatorium, prepared to offer a personal tour of his private kingdom and all the surprises it contains.

Moctezuma doesn’t pursue pace in “The Mansion of Madness,” going the leisurely route as Dr. Maillard strolls around his castle, which is filled with mentally unstable types and a team of armed guards who may also be patients. He’s celebrating his “system of soothing,” which is basically freedom for the unwell, and there’s a special temptation in Eugenie (Ellen Sherman), Dr. Maillard’s niece, and Gaston doesn’t wait a moment before he begins lusting after her. The tour includes a visit to Mr. Chicken, who lives with other chickens as he blends in. There’s time in the dungeon, home to tortured souls. And Eugenie returns for an extended dance performance, which becomes an assassination attempt. Mystery should build in “The Mansion of Madness,” but it really doesn’t, as Moctezuma is primarily focused on getting creative with the picture, not dramatic. There are highlights in art and character design, but suspense doesn’t develop, and a few creative decisions, including the use of cartoon-style scoring, raise questions of intent the feature isn’t going to answer.

The Mansion of Madness Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as "newly scanned and restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative." The feature carries an inherent softness to help with the mysterious mood of the material and the production's low-budget presence. Detail survives, delivering a textured look at skin particulars on cast, along with their coarse hair. Costuming is decently fibrous, ranging from military uniforms to formal wear. Castle tours are dimensional, offering a look at the stone prison and its cavernous rooms. Exteriors are deep as the action visits forest conflicts. Color is secure, presenting defined greenery and natural skin tones. Castle activity retains a mix of cool hues and brighter costuming with sharp primaries. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is nicely resolved. Source is in good shape, with a few brief points of damage.

The Mansion of Madness Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is presented in both English and Spanish, with the latter a louder, slightly sharper listening experience. Dialogue exchanges are understood in full, and surges in intensity and suffering are decently handled, with some degree of shrillness. Musical offering are basic, presented with simple instrumentation and support. Sound effects are blunt. The English track does switch over to Spanish for a moment near the end of the feature.

The Mansion of Madness Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Francisco Peredo.

• "Surreal Experiment" (16:06, HD) is an interview with actress Ellen Sherman, who claims to have been the only American in the production of "The Mansion of Madness." Attracted to the project as a young woman in New York City, Sherman connected to a producer, which allowed her to acquire a role. The interviewee marvels over the art direction on the picture, and she recalls time at locations, including a dance scene inside a freezing monastery while only wearing jewels. Additional technical achievements are celebrated, and Sherman recalls her experience with director Juan Lopez Moctezuma and his crew, which was made up of newcomers to filmmaking. Co-stars are fondly recalled, and Sherman shares her thoughts on "The Mansion of Madness," admitting the visuals were prioritized, not the story.

• "Painting at Twenty Four Frames Per Second" (14:28, HD) is an interview with director Juan Lopez Moctezuma's daughter, Alessandra Moctezuma, who identifies Juan as a man of arts and culture, playing a major role in Mexican media. This included time as a news anchor, impressing his daughter with tours of the set and exposure to equipment, giving her a technical education on the creation of visual storytelling. Juan's life with his spouse is detailed, examining a collaborative relationship, celebrating his wife. Later in life, Juan struggled with depression, still maintaining connection to the arts through various endeavors. His medical issues worsened over time, eventually battling Alzheimer's disease near the end of his life.

• "Room for Play" (5:42, HD) is an interview with production and art designer Gabriel Weisz, who shares his initial introduction to director Juan Lopez Moctezuma and his interest in the world of Edgar Allan Poe, accepting work on "The Mansion of Madness." Production stories are shared, through the interviewee wasn't heavily involved in the shoot, offering his perspective on crew personalities and employment demands.

• "Alucardos: Portrait of a Vampire" (88:36, SD) is a 2011 feature-length documentary examining the life and times of director Juan Lopez Moctezuma. Friends and family share professional and personal tales about the man, who passed away in 1995.

• Alternate Spanish Language Titles (3:58, HD) are offered.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (4:35, HD) is included.

The Mansion of Madness Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Mansion of Madness" follows a thin plot of discovery as Gaston figures out what's happening at the sanatorium, but instead of tracking this "emperor of the insane" idea, Moctezuma remains easily distracted, heading into scenes featuring modern dance and improvisation that make the viewer feel as trapped as Gaston. "The Mansion of Madness" has a few visual highlights to experience, but it grows quite tedious as it unfolds, unable to summon a level of threat that befits Dr. Maillard's vision (and love) for anarchy.