Cheap Maniac (DVD) (Joe Spinell, Caroline Munro) (William Lustig) Price

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Customer Reviews of Maniac

CULT MOVIES 23
23. MANIAC (horror, 1980) A killer stalks the streets of New York City. He brutally kills women and takes their scalps (along with other articles) as souvenirs. The Maniac (Joe Spinell) uses the scalps to put on mannequins he has all over his dingy, claustrophobic apartment. His fixation with these lifeless puppets is the only real link between him and the outside world. He nonetheless meets, on a friendly basis, a beautiful photographer (Caroline Munro). Just when you think he has reformed, the maniac turns against her in a psychotic rage.

Critique: A truly gruesome, sick picture makes other of its kind pale in comparison. The film creates a terribly real, decadent look of what evil beings are really up to. The locales of rubbish infected alleyways, deserted parks, stations and so on is truly nerve-wracking. This study into the mind of a serial killer is given 'weight' by Joe Spinell's considerable performance. His sweaty, sex-obsessed pervert can't help himself from committing such horrid murders (after each kill he laments and moans for not being able to sedate his sick urges). Like others of his ilk, he suffers constant mental disillusions and schizophrenic flashbacks. Film is very disturbing even when it's trying to be natural, and definitely not for the faint minded.

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A Landmark Horror Movie
Manaic is a film for few people but its a landmark horror film for many reason's the first is Joe Spinell performance for a horror movie is brillent he really lets you inside the head of a mad man. The second reason is the violence is so graphic and strong(This film was banned in many countrys for its graphic violent content including West Germeny and Englind) That it makes all the other horror films look like nothing. The thrid reason is there is only one Manaic movie not like most of these slasher movies where the bad guy never seems to die and thats what makes the film even more disturbing. Those are the three reasons its landmark but you half to like horror to enjoy this film if you are not a horror movie fan I would not watch this movie. This film toke the slasher picture and serial killer picture to a new level. Rest In piece Joe Spinell.

Warning: This film is unrated But contains Extremely Graphic prolonged Violence Including Graphic gore,Extremely graphic violent abuse towards women,disturbing images,and strong language. This film has some of the most graphic violence ever filmed you have been warned.

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don't believe the hype
I'm sorry, but this IS just another 80's slasher flick. There is nothing outstanding about Maniac - nothing that elevates it or distinguishes it from all the other films of this type to come out during this decade. I simply do not understand the reverence felt by many horror fans for this silly, low-budget schlock. I know I will get slammed with non-helpful votes from people who have already seen it and like it, (in which case I don't see how my review could be helpful or otherwise...) but I hope to possibly dissuade others from making the same mistake I did by purchasing this movie.

Joe Spinell plays Frank Zito, our whining, groaning, grunting maniac. His Mommy locked him in a closet a lot when he was a child and turned him into a self-hating misogynist - well, that and a homicidal schizophrenic. Frank scalps his victims and uses these scalps as wigs for his beloved mannequins. That's the premise. There is also a lazy attempt at a story involving a beautiful photographer who I suppose represents redemption? Rehabilitation? A last chance for the violent schizo to rejoin civilized society?

The script is pretty awful and it's interpretation by the actors does not help matters. Spinell's performance is hokey and self-conscious. However, contrasted with his supporting cast (I think the mannequines gave better performances than Caroline Munroe) he is friggin Olivier.

The scene in which Zito stalks and kills the nurse is the most effective sequence in the film. However, it is nearly ruined by completely unnecessary and ridiculous over-dubbing. Whatever the problems with live sound might have been, silence would have worked better. This superfluous dubbing of grunts, gasps, whimpers and heavy breathing does not add to, but rather negates completely, the desired effect of suspense and dread. The same goes for the voiceover (in lieu of flashback) that explains the abuse Frank suffered from his mother:

Little Frank (played by worst child actor in the world): "No Mommy, please. Please don't lock me in the closet."

Mommy (played by worst actress in the history of theatre): "You must be punished. You have been bad again."

Little Frank: "No Mommy, please. Please, please don't lock me in the closet. Please.

Mommy: "You must be punished. You have been bad..." and on and on and on. There are other embarrassing moments in the film, but this one is special.

Tom Savini's effects are very good, although the movie is not nearly as gory as I expected it to be. Some of the shots of the mannequines at the end are nice. But overall, the gritty, nasty feel that was so obviously desired was sabotaged by a bad script and bad acting. Great acting is not essential for a good low-budget movie. But if the acting is bad, then your script must be fantastic, or your premise, or your visuals, or something. There is some good gore here. That's about it.

If you want to see a dark, gritty, and excellent movie about a serial killer, rent or buy Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Abel Ferrara's Driller Killer is not bad either.