This exploitation film belongs to the social guidance genre of quasi-documentary narratives, which exhort young adults to follow particular moral and social prescriptions related to sexualit... Read allThis exploitation film belongs to the social guidance genre of quasi-documentary narratives, which exhort young adults to follow particular moral and social prescriptions related to sexuality and drug use.This exploitation film belongs to the social guidance genre of quasi-documentary narratives, which exhort young adults to follow particular moral and social prescriptions related to sexuality and drug use.
- Wendel Hope
- (as Stanley Barton)
- Dr. Harris
- (as Allan Tower)
- Peggy
- (as Nathalie Donet)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWikipedia and IMDb notwithstanding, this film is not from 1938. The production values, music, hairstyles, clothing etc., are all from the early 1930s. "Sex Madness" started out as a stage show and began screenings as a film sometime in 1934; that is why the title card on vintage prints has a copyright date of MCMXXXIV, or 1934. A search of the Newspapers.com database returns numerous citations for the years 1934-37. For instance, Page 7 of the 3/6/34 edition of the Passaic (NJ) "Herald-News" refers to "advertising used outside the Playhouse Theatre in connection with the motion picture 'Sex Madness'." Page 12 of the Pittsburgh "Post-Gazette" of 4/3/36: "It is true that certain pictures have been banned from the screen in our state (that had been released by producers): 'Sex Madness,' 'No More Children,' 'Streets of Sorrow,' 'Potemkin' and others." Etc. etc.
- GoofsWhen Millicent is talking to her landlady, the window in the background falls shut. This distracts the actress, who nearly flubs her line.
- Quotes
Millicent Hamilton: I'm tired. Me for bed.
Sheila Wayne: Bed? Did you say bed?
[laughs]
Sheila Wayne: That's not for relaxin', that's for action!
- Crazy creditsIn versions titled "They Must Be Told" all the opening credits, even the title, are preceded by the following explanation: "FOREWORD: Down through the ages has rushed a menace more dangerous than the worst criminal. Syphilis. Let us seize this monster and stamp out forever its horrible influence. Syphilis must no longer play its deadly part in our lives preventing marriages ... breaking up families ... and resulting in innocent offspring born blind, diseased and maimed ... doomed to a life of misery. The subject of syphilis must no longer remain hushed, but must be fought in the open like any other dangerous contagious disease ... humanity must be enlightened! Ignorance must be abolished! Young and old ... rich and poor ... "
- ConnectionsEdited into Muchachada nui: Episode #2.5 (2008)
BOMB (out of 4)
A sweet, young woman decides she wants to be a star so she tells her fiancé that their love needs to be put on hold while she goes to New York City to make it big. She doesn't make it big but she does have sex with someone and sure enough she catches syphilis.
SEX MADNESS comes from director Dwain Esper, the man best remembered for MANIAC as well as other exploitation films. It's hard to believe but at one time films like this one, REEFER MADNESS and THE COCAINE FIENDS were controversial pieces of filmmaking that passed themselves off as education pictures while mainly just wanted to draw attention to a naughty subject and make money off of a public willing to pay it.
Most of these films are incredibly awful without a single thing to really recommend in them. THere are countless awful things about this picture including some really awful performances, a really stupid story and of course everything technical is bad. THe editing, the direction, the cinematography and even the bad stock footage that is used at times. Oh yeah, don't forget the horrid dialogue that happens. As with other VD films, this one here features "real footage" as shock value.
I'm not going to lie, as awful as this movie is, it's still fairly entertaining simply because of how awful it is. All the false information given, the way everything is hyped up for drama and the ridiculous message are all Bad Movie Cinema 101. On that level, SEX MADNESS is worth watching.
- Michael_Elliott
- Mar 8, 2008
Details
- Runtime57 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1