Psychomania

Psychomania

Year: 1973

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: Don Sharp

HorrorHorror

The Dead Still Ride… the Living Howl in Terror! A gang of youngsters calling themselves the Living Dead terrorize their small town. They strike a pact with the devil, convinced that suicide performed with absolute belief will grant them eternal life. One after another, urged by their leader, they so kill themselves, to find immortality never comes.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Psychomania (1973)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Psychomania (1973). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1970s

Set in early 1970s Britain, the film uses contemporary rural England and biker culture as its canvas. Occult rituals and a sudden supernatural revival intersect with everyday life in a quiet village, turning ordinary evenings into deadly confrontations. The atmosphere blends period style with horror, creating a sense of timeless menace.

Location

Surrey countryside, The Seven Witches, The Latham family home, The local pub

The story unfolds primarily in a bleak Surrey countryside and at the ancient stone circle known as The Seven Witches. The Latham family home doubles as the occult hub where séances are held and the Frog God is worshipped. The local pub becomes a crucible of violence, while the surrounding countryside provides a moody backdrop for the biker gang’s rampage.

🌲 Rural England 🗿 Stone circle 🕯️ Occult rituals 🏚️ Haunted house 🍺 Pub setting

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:15

Main Characters – Psychomania (1973)

Meet the key characters of Psychomania (1973), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Tom Latham

Leader of The Living Dead and a charming, outwardly affable teenager who hides a chilling propensity for violence. He dabbles in black magic and enters a mysterious room on his eighteenth birthday, where he confronts the Frog God and returns undead with superhuman strength. His charisma masks a growing homicidal resolve as he drives the gang’s terror at the pub and beyond.

🧟‍♂️ Antihero 🪄 Occult ⚡ Supernatural

Abby Holman

Tom’s girlfriend and fellow member of The Living Dead who initially appears loyal but refuses to participate in the undead reanimation. She becomes the moral counterpoint, resisting suicide and ultimately challenging Tom’s rule. Her defiance sets up the final confrontation and the fragile cost of conquering death.

💔 Loyal 🧭 Moral compass 🗡️ Survivor

Mrs. Pettibone

Tom's mother, a sinister figure who hosts séances and worships the Frog God, fueling her son’s dark obsessions. She ultimately chooses to break her pact, demonstrating a ruthless pragmatism and a willingness to pay the cost for relief from the murder spree. Her ritual decision catalyzes the transformation and collapse of the undead.

👩‍👦 Maternal 🐸 Occultist 🗝️ Power seeker

Shadwell

The family's sinister butler who revels in the occult performances and the rituals surrounding the Frog God. He acts as a facilitator of séances and a steady presence in the criminal household, helping to coordinate the supernatural elements of Tom’s rise and the broader criminal menace.

🕰️ Servant 🕯️ Occultist 🗡️ Antagonist

Chief Inspector Hesseltine

Police chief overwhelmed by the inexplicable murders and the dead bikers. He orchestrates a plan to trap the culprit and uses a false report to create a decoy, illustrating the tension between law and the supernatural threat that plagues the town.

👮 Authority 🧭 Investigator 🗡️ Tactical

Jane Pettibone

A member of the Pettibone family, presumably a sister or relative whose presence anchors the family’s occult drama. While not the primary driver of the plot, she participates in the tense domestic atmosphere surrounding the ritualistic events.

👯 Family 🔮 Participation 🧩 Supporting

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:15

Major Themes – Psychomania (1973)

Explore the central themes of Psychomania (1973), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕯️ Necromancy

A core thread is the attempt to cheat death through occult rites led by Tom and his mother. The Frog God pact grants undead power but comes with a brutal, inescapable cost. The ritual at The Seven Witches redefines life and death, driving the characters toward irreversible violence.

⚔️ Violence & Control

The Living Dead unleash a wave of carnage as they embrace immortality, turning the bikers into threats that can't be killed. Suicide and self-destruction are repurposed as a path to unchecked power. Law enforcement struggles to contain the chaos while the town spirals into fear.

👨‍👩‍👧 Family & Betrayal

Tom's bond with his mother and his manipulation of Abby reveal a distorted family dynamic built on fear and ambition. The mother’s bargain with dark powers and her eventual betrayal of her son highlight a perilous love that corrupts every member involved. The outcome leaves the remaining survivors scarred and isolated.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:15

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Movies with deals gone wrong like Psychomania

Stories where characters make a desperate deal with dark forces that backfires terribly.If you liked the satanic bargain and its bleak consequences in Psychomania, you'll find similar themes here. This list features movies about characters who strike deals with the devil or dark forces, only to find their desired immortality or power comes at a soul-crushing price. Explore more stories of supernatural horror and tragic pacts.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a protagonist or group who, facing a dead end or craving power, enters into a supernatural agreement. The story then explores the immediate, often violent, benefits of this pact before systematically revealing its true, damning cost. The emotional journey is one of escalating dread and inevitable tragic collapse, as characters realize they are trapped by their own ambition.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared focus on a specific supernatural plot device—the Faustian bargain—and its uniformly dark outcomes. They blend horror with tragedy, featuring a consistent tone of bleak inevitability and a thematic exploration of the price of power.

Movies about supernatural youth gangs like Psychomania

Films where outsider gangs or groups discover a dark power that consumes them.Fans of Psychomania's undead biker gang will enjoy these films featuring rebellious youth subcultures entangled with dark forces. Discover movies where outsider groups, from motorcycle clubs to cults, gain sinister powers that amplify their chaos but ultimately lead to their downfall. Find similar tales of eerie rebellion and supernatural horror.

rebelliousviolenteerieunsettlingbleakyouthfulsupernaturalgang

Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows a tight-knit group defined by their rejection of mainstream values. Their discovery of a supernatural element—be it magic, a curse, or undeath—initially empowers their rebellion but quickly escalates beyond their control. The story charts the group's transformation from rebels into monsters, exploring themes of loyalty, corruption, and the dark side of freedom.

Why These Movies?

These films share a specific vibe that combines the aesthetics and energy of a youth subculture with the tropes of supernatural horror. The connection lies in the fusion of rebellious mood, fast-paced action, and a dark exploration of power corrupting youthful idealism.

Unlock the Full Story of Psychomania

Don't stop at just watching — explore Psychomania in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Psychomania is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Psychomania Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Psychomania, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Psychomania Summary

Psychomania Timeline

Track the full timeline of Psychomania with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Psychomania Timeline

Psychomania Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Psychomania that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Psychomania Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Psychomania

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Psychomania: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Psychomania

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