The Nightmares Film Festival in Columbus, Ohio, kicked off its third year of #BetterHorror with a showing of the classic slasher film Maniac with its new 4K restoration. Originally released in 1980 by director William Lustig, the movie adds a psychological element to the slasher formula, providing an extra layer of creepiness to the freaky film. At the time, it was considered highly unsettling to watch, and now with it’s even more so with its new visual update.
In Maniac, co-writer Joe Spinell stars as Frank Zito, a mentally disturbed serial killer living in New York City. Likely because he was abused as a child by his prostitute mother, Frank has turned to murdering women and couples in the city completely at random. He develops a fascination for preserving the beauty of his female victims by affixing their scalps and clothing to mannequin bodies, telling himself he now gets to “keep” these women forever. As his bloody mannequin collection builds, however, Frank only grows more psychotic, leading things to eventually come to a bloody head (literally).
What sets Maniac apart from other slasher films is how Frank is not your run-of-the-mill movie monster. The role is expertly played by Spinell, who looks and sounds the part just as well as he performs it. Often speaking to himself and his mannequins to show just how unhinged Frank is, the character is at his creepiest when he is by himself. While the murders in the film are gritty and certainly very brutal (I’ll never forget Tom Savini’s head exploding), the film’s most unsettling moments seem to come after the killings. When you see a man brushing the bloody hair of a scalp that’s been nailed to a mannequin head, it’s something that’s going to stick with you.
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Now in 4K, Maniac looks better than it ever has before, giving us an even better look at the film’s most horrifying scenes. Although the 2012 remake with Elijah Wood is enjoyable in its own right, nobody can come close to matching that creepy vibe Joe Spinell brings in the original. There are some aspects of the plot that seem a little too convenient, but thanks to Spinell’s portrayal, the film is still completely believable, which only makes it even more horrifying.
If you’re a fan of slasher films, Maniac is essential viewing. It’s one of those classic slashers that somehow only seems to get better with age, as I’d seen the film many times in the past, but found this to be my best experience with it yet. Whether you’ve seen it before or if it’s new to you, you’ll definitely enjoy it if you’re a fan of the genre.
The film’s new 4K restoration Blu-ray will be going on sale for a limited time beginning on Dec. 11, 2018.
