2
(nothing direct)
4
(violence, extreme gore, minor sexuality, brief nudity)
3
(avoid it unless you are a big fan of some someone featured)
When telling people about the old black-and-white horror movie "Maniac," a movie so bad it’s worth seeing – kind of like a car wreck – yeah, you don’t fool me, I know you rubberneck with the rest of them – I found that people often thought I was talking about the movie of the same name made in the 80's. So when I had the chance to watch it I figured I might as well, that way I’ll have reviews for both.
This movie focuses on Frank, a lonely guy that likes killing girls because they remind him of his mother and his tormented childhood. Sounds like Ed Gein again (seems like he pops up a lot in the influence of movie killers). Anyway, Frank would be pitiable if he weren’t so brutal and lethal. Amidst the blood he develops a connection with a pretty photographer because of the way she preserves women in her images which is what he feels like he does with the trophies he takes from dead bodies. Will this photographer be his salvation or his undoing?
This is a pretty flat movie. It does develop Frank’s character some and gets inside his head which is kind of interesting, but there is not all that much story in the length of the film. It’s mostly just him chasing one woman after another with moments of his insane internal struggles in between. The movie does manage to create some good tension here and there mostly with the nurse victim who runs into the bathroom, but mostly it relies on shocking images like gore to keep the viewer interested. For that reason as much as anything it nearly lost me on multiple occasions. I stuck with it, though, and found the ending somewhat satisfying though not nearly good enough to redeem the rest.
In addition to all that the whole production feels low-budget but not in an endearing way. The score is less than engaging and feels like somebody plugged in a keyboard and hit a few keys rather than actually writing music for it. The violence is over the top which sometimes makes it feel hokey but is classic Tom Savini. I can't say I was particularly impressed by the acting but I didn't feel like I was watching high school play rejects, either. It's more the flow of the story that kills it. Just the same I don't think I ever fully bought into the possibility of these being real people.
Morality
Mostly this is about gore. There are copious amounts of blood and other violent elements like a guy’s head getting blown apart with a shotgun. The victims are mutilated although not much of this is shown on screen, mostly it’s just the aftermath.
There is some sexuality but no actual sex. The nudity amounts to a quick shot of a woman getting in a tub.
Strong language is virtually nil.
Spirituality
I can't say I picked up on anything spiritual in the story. It didn't feel like it had that kind of depth to me. The most I can say on the matter is that we're looking into the dark world of a man who likes to destroy lives. I found myself hoping, to some degree, that the nurse he falls for might be able to lead him out of his sadistic ways. Believe it or not, there are serial killers who have become very effective ministers having given up their evil ways in service to God. That sure would be a different kind of ending for a serial killer movie though I think audiences are generally too jaded to buy into that kind of redemption. Evil men can change, but perhaps the world has a hard time putting faith in that drastic a turn-around since only God knows the truth of the heart.
Final Thoughts
I wasn’t impressed with this movie. The characters for the most part are not engaging, and the story lacks. I’m not impressed by the buckets of blood which seems to be enough to earn the respect of some viewers. However, I did find the look into the psycho’s mind interesting. Beyond that I don't really recommend it.
Buying Guide
There are several buying options for the original 80's "Maniac."
There are 2 different Blus. One is a 30th Anniversary Edition with 2 discs while the other is a standard single disc version. There are DVD counterparts for both. A third Blue Underground DVD offering is digitally mastered in THX.
The Blus both offer 1.85 widescreen at 1080p with 7.1 DTS HD surround sound. There must be some people who like this movie a lot more than I do to give it this kind of treatment. It sounds like there are image issues for which even a good transfer can't compensate. Reviews say that the colors are flat, and there are lines and other blemishes. The audio sounds like it's actually very good, though. Extras include 2 commentaries, a few interviews with cast and crew, trailers, TV and radio spots, and a "Maniac 2" promo reel. Since both Blus are released by the same company I would guess that this describes both releases, however I can't find a list of any extras on the single disc version so I can't be sure. Disc 2 of the anniversary edition includes “The Joe Spinell Story,” a feature dealing with the publicity, and something looking at the controversy surrounding it.
The DVD version of the anniversary release doesn't specify what it offers but is also a 2 disc release and so probably includes the same stuff just withough the HD.
The other DVD offers 1.85 widescreen and 5.1 surround sound. Extras I've seen listed are a radio interview, “The Joe Spinell Story” (which confuses me since the Blu listings make it sound like this is exclusive to the anniversary edition) and some TV spots.
Final Recommendation:
If you're a true fan the anniversary Blu is easily superior to the other offerings both in quality of presentation and in extras offered. If you can't do Blu check out the anniversary DVD if possible. You'll get something for your money no matter which version you get including the older DVD which I'll detail below.
The Blue Underground DVD is a bigger package than I expected. It is a single disc.
Video
1.85 Widescreen:
It looks low budget with dull colors and some blemishes in the image.
Audio
6.1 surround:
The audio is strong.
Packaging
The case is standard plastic.
The interface features animation and audio.
Extras
I have to come clean. Yes, I saw this for myself, but I don't own it and therefore didn't spend a lot of time with the extras due to my relative disinterest in the film (this was from before I started writing guides like these where I list and describe the extras).
Here's what you get, but I don't have any comments to offer on the quality. The extras include a lengthy documentary on star Joe Spinell, an audio commentary, some regular trailers, some radio trailers, a radio interview, an art gallery, a collection of scathing reviews of the film, and a couple of cast bios.