| Dementia | |
|---|---|
DVD cover |
|
| Directed by | Bruno VeSota |
| Produced by | John Parker |
| Written by | Bruno VeSota |
| Starring | Adrienne Barrett |
| Music by | George Antheil |
| Release date(s) | December 22, 1955 (U.S. release) |
| Running time | 56 min 61 min (original version) |
| Language | English |
Dementia (1955) is an American film directed by John Parker, filmed in a film noir style in 1953 (copyright date on film itself), but not released until 1955.
Contents |
As the narrator invites us to explore the horrors of an insane mind, a young woman wakes from a nightmare in a cheap hotel room. We follow her through the skid-row night and encounters with an abusive husband; a wino; a pimp and the rich man for whom he panders; a flashback to her traumatic childhood (she killed her father after witnessing him murder her mother); violence; pursuit through dark streets... Again the young woman wakes up. Was it only another nightmare?
The original film was 61 minutes long, with no dialogue, just music and some unsynchronized sound, such as laughing, crying, etc. The cut version of the film, known as Daughter of Horror is 56 minutes long, also with music but no dialogue, but with an added narration read by actor Ed McMahon.
The film is perhaps most famous for its appearance in The Blob (1958), where it is the movie playing in the movie theater when the Blob strikes.
Dementia has been compared to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) as being a portrait of an insane mind from the "inside out".
Though this film was credited to John Parker as being the screenwriter, director, and producer, he was only the producer of the film. Bruno VeSota was, in fact, both screenwriter and director of this film.
The film has an eerie musical score by avant-garde composer George Antheil, vocalized by Marni Nixon - there are no lyrics as such.