TITLE: Maniac

RELEASE DATE: 1980

RATED:
Unrated In The States

REVIEWED BY: The DarkSider
THE PLOT: Yes indeed...as the new decade of excess started, people just couldn't get enough of killing on the big screen.  The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween in the 70s laid a foundation that would travel through all points until getting re-godamn-diculous in the late 80s with slasher films getting 150 sequels a piece.  However, Maniac took up the violence another notch in 1980...one major f*cking notch at that.

Our tale begins with a couple on the beach camping out.  How romantic...well all up until an unknown assailant kills them both off out of nowhere.  Jump cut to our friendly neighborhood schizo Frank Zito waking up screaming.  He wanders around his charming apartment, checks on his self induced scars and heads out in to the big city. 

He picks up a hooker at a discount price and as well as a room from Al.  Al happens to be none other than the film's director William Lustig.  Once the two get into the room, some odd foreplay goes on at Frank's request.  This quickly turns violent when Frank gets the hooker in a strangle hold and kills her.  He cuts off her scalp with a blade.

Frank heads home with a mannequin and puts the scalp on it all the while having conversations with himself.  Not having nearly enough of a body count yet, Frank heads out with a double barrel shotgun.  He spots special effects god Tom Savini in a cameo messing around with some chick in the back seat of his car.  Frank takes care of the two in one of the most awesome slow motion kills in movie history. 

Well the media picks up on the murders and old Frank finds himself with a new celebrity status.  The next day in the park he runs into a photographer named Anna.  He doesn't do anything with her for now but proceeds to kill a nurse that night in the subway.  Back home, Frank bashes himself about getting blood on the scalp.  Tisk Tisk...

Frank pays a visit to Anna and it turns out schizo boy is quite the wooer of ladies.  He lands a date with her after introducing himself as an abstract artist...hehe.  At dinner, we find out Frank's mommy was killed by a car when he was young. 

The next day Frank attends one of Anna's photo shoots and is introduced to one of her models named Rita.  Frank picks up a piece of Rita's jewelry and later delivers it to her at night.  He works his way into her apartment later to kidnap her.  He ties her up and after speaking in gibberish about keeping her around forever, he kills her off. 

Finally after a little bit more madness, Frank goes out on a date with Anna.  He takes her off to the cemetery to pay respect to his mother.  He snaps while praying and tries to kill Anna.  Anna slices his shoulder with a shovel and runs off.  He starts having flash backs to his mother punishing him when he was younger.  Frank heads home and has his schizophrenia come full circle as the mannequins of his victims mutilate him.  The cops discover him dead the next day with a sword run through him.  Apparently the mannequins killing Frank were all in his mind. 

Sadly the man who played Frank Zito in this film, Joe Spinell, died of a heart attack in 1989.  Spinell's performance is creepy as f*ck in this film and its too bad he was unable to continue on to a bigger legacy in horror movies.  Savini's gore effects, as usual, are top notch and stomach turning.  This film may not be the best out of the psycho on the loose genre but it is definitely a keeper in the realm of horror.
ITS THE INNARDS THAT COUNT (most gruesome/odd moments)
1.)
Hooker, Line, and Sinker - Frank kills off a hooker by choking her to death and scalps her.  I'm not sure how she was able to scream and tell him to stop without oxygen but I'm assuming its due to a lot of throat training that hookers go through...um...if you know what I mean.

2.)
Nice Place You Got There - Frank decorates his apartment with mannequins who wear the scalps of his victims.  The mannequins later come alive and rip Frank's head off.  Oddly these room decorations are still a lot better than 98% of the rooms done on Trading Spaces. 

3.)
Goodbyeeeee Nurse - Want to become fodder the easy way, sure we all do! This nurse will show you in eight easy steps and you too can become bigger movie killing fodder than Linnea Quiqley herself!
1.) Leave a well lit, well populated area for a dark alley while a killer is on the loose.
2.) Immediately assume a killer is after you and panic.
3.) Don't have a coin ready for the subway  and waste five minutes finding one in your purse.
4.) Don't alert the people across from you at the subway (they are there if you look) a killer is after you.
5.) Run in to the most obvious hiding spot in the subway and hide in a bathroom stall.
6.) Don't keep quiet and let your whimpers echo so the killer can hear you.
7.) Assume the killer overlooked your cheesy hiding spot and that he left without confrontation.
8.) Take your time leaving an area where the killer just was. 

4.)
Hey Man, Nice Shot - Tom Savini's cameo role comes to an end when his head is blown off by Frank in slow motion.  Being killing fodder is one thing...being killing fodder as the lead special effects person deserves a shrine built in your honor.  Its not every day you can plan your own on-screen death.

5.)
Whos Your Mommy - Frank's mind makes him see his dead mother rise from the grave.  You should always wear clean underwear in case this should happen by the way. 
YOU'RE A GRAND OLD A-HOLE (the A-Holes of the film get their moment)
1.)
Frank Zito - He is a heavy-set, mustache wearing guy who grunts a lot.  I imagine if Ron Jeremy had a disgruntled brother, this guy would be a dead ringer. 
OVERALL GRADE
Click here to go back to the review page
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1