Maniac

Rating:
Summary: No doubt. Five stars.
Review: Hello. I just watched this movie and must say i was blown away.
I didn`t know this movie existed until a couple of weeks ago, and
i think this movie has some of the best gore scenes ever produced
by mr.Tom Savini, and the main character who is played by Joe Spinell. This is a movie about a pretty sick man who lives in New
York. When he was young he was abused by his mother and it has destroyed him. Now he stalkes the streets for victims to satisfy his urge to kill. If your a horror/gorefan, Don`t miss this one.

Rating:
Summary: Sleaze masterpiece becomes loving tribute to its late star.
Review: The disturbing and unnecessarily maligned slasher film Maniac was the labor of love of the late character actor Joe Spinell. Despite being a nearly plotless mix of slaughter scenes, Spinell crafted a stunningly detailed portrait of the serial predator in his carefully nuanced performance. That he was also well respected and loved by friends and co-workers is also showcased in the beautiful docu-bio The Joe Spinell Story, which is required viewing for any and all fans of the character actor, regardless of what you think about Maniac.

Director and Anchor Bay film restorer William Lustig presents the movie well, with a remastered print that is nearly flawless, and Tom Savini's special effects make-up work will still make you cringe. There are also plenty of trailers, a gallery of quotes from the film numerous bad reviews, and a radio interview with Lustig, Munro, and Spinell. An 'easter egg' featuring director Willian Friedkin can also be found. The limited edition tin also has the film's excellent soundtrack on a bonus disc. This is a must have for fans of Spinell, Savini, and no holds barred horror.

Rating:
Summary: Scary
Review: This movie has a few scenes that are scary as hell. One scene features the maniac stalking a girl in a lonely, ugly, dirty New York Subway station. She runs from the killer and hides in a bathroom stall. Then the killer is walking in the bathroom and she is hiding in one of the stalls. What happens? See the movie! This scene has been done in dozens of movies before but they actually manage to make the scene scary and intense. Almost Hitchcockian. This killer is a real sicko. This movie had me checking my door to make sure it was locked before going to bed! I also went for a jog at night after seeing part of this and I was actually scared when running into strangers on the street! Thats my definition of a good horror film. It has you thinking about it after it is over. Not for the faint of heart or sensitive types. Not exactly a travel ad for NYC. The star of the flick is one ugly, psycho looking guy which makes the movie work so well.

Rating:
Summary: These splatter movies made me what I am today!!!!!!
Review: To a life long horror/splatter fan like myself,this dvd is a god send!I remeber seeing this at midnight movies along w/DAWN OF THE DEAD,MARTIN,Etc. & was delighted to see this released on dvd!Features some pretty realistic gore scenes throughout(compare to DOD) & the shot of Savini getting his head blown off is without equal.This movie will definately make your skin crawl!!!!2 versions of this disc exist so look for the one on ELITE ENTERTAINMENT!!!Features radio spots,trailers in several languages,but most of all a clip from MAINIAC 2 which was never released.(Scene features eye violence that would do fulci proud!!!!)Now when is someone gonna release EQUINOX(aka THE BEAST) on dvd?)

Rating:
Summary: A Top Notch Drama Covered Entirely in Blood and a PerfectDVD
Review: Maniac is a beautiful film that depicts the lows and highs of a serial killer. The film is dramatic by means of the relation of killer and his mother. On the other hand, the movie is full of gore and blood.

This limited edition DVD set is beautiful! It contains the standard DVD and as a bonus the set includes the original Score CD and the CD is shaped like the killer's head.

The animated menus, extras are perfect. As a plus, AnchorBay's edition contains an all-new Joe Spinell featurette. It is worth watching.

Rating:
Summary: How the film was meant to be seen
Review: After the so so DVD release by Elite Entertainment Anchor Bay have issued this orsome edition as part of their limited tin collection, I would recomend that you get this version of the film. You will also notice that the date scene between Spinell and Munro that was cut from the Elite edition has been restored to the film. A megga release of a megga film

Rating:
Summary: THIS MANIAC IS THE ONE TO WATCH IF YOU DARE !!!!!!!!!!
Review: I saw this film back in 1983 (when I was 13 years old) on VHS video and it was one of the scariest films I have seen in that time. I do remember when this film was theatrically released on November 25, 1981; which only stayed out for 6 days as the film received outcry by Women's and Parents' Groups who claimed the film degrades women. The films' distributor (Analysis Pictures) nicely pulled the film from theatres and has became way popular on video.

MANIAC is a great film, but shown in a very cardboard way. It's about a serial killer Frank Zito (Joe Spinelli) who preys on victims (mostly women) in NYC. He kills, scalps his victims, takes their clothes and displays them in his small studio apartment. That is what MANIAC basically entails. However, MANIAC does have a backstory to it in which Frank Zito was savagely abused by his mommy who was a prostitute who was later killed in a car accident. This backstory was not told too well, but if this was the case in a visual manner, MANIAC would have been an fully effective film.

MANIAC, directed by William Lustig was his first and best film. The effects by Tom Savini (who just came from the Friday the 13th set) were top notch. The music by Jay Chattaway added to the creepiness of MANIAC, also top notch. Also, watch for the Nurse in the Subway scene - the most scariest sequence in the film.

MANIAC is the film to have on DVD. The video and transfer were totally great. It was like watching a brand new print of a film. The Widescreen transfer (1.85:1), was also a nice added touch. The numerous theatre trailers, the 9 TV spots and the audio commentary (by William Lustig, Tom Savini & Co.) are those little extras that make MANIAC worth having on DVD !!!!!! This is the DVD I bought back in 1999 from Elite Entertainment.

I am excited about MANIAC being re-released through Anchor Bay Entertainment who will also be releasing this title in a LIMITED EDITION TIN, (5,000 copies only) which will contain a BONUS of the CD soundtrack of the music score by Jay Chattaway. on August 21, 2001.

I bought MANIAC (1980) on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment and the results are better then the DVD from Elite Entertainment that I have.

This NEW DVD (from Anchor Bay) is pretty much the same of the DVD from Elite Entertainment but there are a few differences :

- this DVD is in its full uncut format (88 minutes) as the DVD from Elite Entertainment (Letterboxed Directors Cut) is 85 minutes.

- this DVD is in THX sound, the Elite DVD is in Digital Dolby 5.1 Sound.

- the "date scene" is restored in this DVD, it was taken out from the Elite DVD.

In this DVD, the special feautures are pretty much the same as the DVD from Elite Entertainment but there are a few differences :

- A documentury (the Joe Spinell Story) with the likes of William Lustig, Caroline Munro, Jason Miller and others is included in this DVD, not on the Elite DVD.

- Radio interviews with William Lustig, Joe Spinell & Caroline Munro is included in this DVD, not on the Elite DVD.

- Radio Spot advertising of the film is included in this DVD, not the Elite DVD.

- Talent Bios of William Lustig, Tom Savini, Joe Spinell & Caroline Munro are included in this DVD, not on the Elite DVD.

- A Gallery of Outrage (outraged reviews of the film by critics) : 17 in total are included in this DVD, not on the Elite DVD.

- A poster/still Gallery of the film are all included in this DVD, not on the Elite DVD.

- All the theatre trailers, TV spot trailers, commentary, optional languages and subtitles that are on the Elite DVD are also on this DVD, too.

Along with those little differences, the front cover is still the same. However, the back cover, disc design and menu board design are all different than the Elite DVD.

...

Rating:
Summary: This is not a horror movie...
Review: This is what your neighbour will be doing to your wife and your kids while you are out doing business with your secretary. I don't understand people complaining about the dirty and depressing look, isn't a serial killer dirty and depressing? You like the glamorous Hannibal Lecter-Character better, but it is Schlock from Hollywood. I don't "like" this movie but I have seen it as a teenager and found it was an eye-opener. Watch Maniac or Henry and you will see how ridiculous Seven and Silence of the lambs really are. But looking at the rest of the work of William Lustig Maniac was blind luck...

Rating:
Summary: Great low budget film
Review: This movie is not as bad as the cover seems, although it's quite prevailing in it's attempt to be mean, sick film about a schizophrenic serial killer obsessed with the death of his abusive mother. He kills women and scalps them, and the places their scalps on his collection of mannequins so he can please his taste for beauty. Kind of depressing, not as harsh as the cover promotes, one of my favorites. Give it a rent before you buy it. The tin will be great for collectors, get the tin. I've awaited this for some time.

Rating:
Summary: Horror of this calibur can only be imagined!
Review: Every time I go to rent a video I will almost instinctively head to the "horror" section, and each time I would see the "Maniac" box with the picture of the cowboy looking man holding a hunting knife in the right hand and a woman's head clutched in his other. At first I saw it as just another foolish attempt by a mediocre director and writter to create a slapstick film with the independent crowd. Finally, after realizing that I had seen almost every horror film there, I decided to go ahead and let my mind be filled with the undulating persequity of this film. It started out as I had expected with non too wild picture quality and the basic "I'm going to get a towel, be right back Sherry!" And of course he's killed, but as I watched the film a little more I realized that this really didn't seem anything like a horror film, but more along the lines of a documentary of a real maniac. This film has captured everything that I would want in a horror film and some new parameters as well. Much like the final scene in Carrie, this film helps you to see and feel the "Maniac's" mind wandering into an unrelentless and unstoppable urge to kill. I swear, from now on if I ever go to New York, you can count on me carrying a gun! Unlike most films which dive into the horror genre with a young girl or guy as the man character and the killer as the sort of off-the-camera-star, "Maniac" actually switches these roles and does it with little story trouble at all. Any horror fan should submit to the undomitable urge of the "Maniac." Just bring a strong stomache, and a strong mind!