(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Chris gets into the spirit of spooky season with the original "Halloween.")
It's almost Halloween, so of course we here at Scariest Scene Ever have to go back to the Og, the one that started it all, John Carpenter's immortal classic, "Halloween." This might sound like hyperbole, but I firmly believe "Halloween" is a perfect movie, from top to bottom. Carpenter and company were able to conjure up some sort of dark magic with that film, creating the ultimate experience in horror. While years of sequels and reboots have altered the shape of Michael Myers, the original incarnation of the character — a soulless, motiveless being who kills for seemingly no reason at all — remains terrifying. And even after all these years,...
It's almost Halloween, so of course we here at Scariest Scene Ever have to go back to the Og, the one that started it all, John Carpenter's immortal classic, "Halloween." This might sound like hyperbole, but I firmly believe "Halloween" is a perfect movie, from top to bottom. Carpenter and company were able to conjure up some sort of dark magic with that film, creating the ultimate experience in horror. While years of sequels and reboots have altered the shape of Michael Myers, the original incarnation of the character — a soulless, motiveless being who kills for seemingly no reason at all — remains terrifying. And even after all these years,...
- 10/27/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Welcome to the Ghostface Glossary, a guide to every horror reference and nod throughout all six films in the Scream franchise thus far. Click the link to see previous articles.
After a lot of pausing, rewinding, and zooming in, as well as researching, we’re catching all of the many horror-specific references Williamson, Craven, and Co. included in this beloved postmodern slasher franchise. If we’ve forgotten any glaring ones, kindly let us know.
“Who gives a fuck about movies?!”
“Forget about the movies— the movies don’t matter.” Jason Voorhees, Patrick Bateman, Frank Zito. Now Ghostface. New York City may be the most exciting city in the world, but it can also be one of the scariest, and it was only a matter of time before Scream migrated from sleepy Woodsboro to the East Coast, giving much-needed kinetic energy and gritty set pieces to the long-running, postmodern slasher franchise.
After a lot of pausing, rewinding, and zooming in, as well as researching, we’re catching all of the many horror-specific references Williamson, Craven, and Co. included in this beloved postmodern slasher franchise. If we’ve forgotten any glaring ones, kindly let us know.
“Who gives a fuck about movies?!”
“Forget about the movies— the movies don’t matter.” Jason Voorhees, Patrick Bateman, Frank Zito. Now Ghostface. New York City may be the most exciting city in the world, but it can also be one of the scariest, and it was only a matter of time before Scream migrated from sleepy Woodsboro to the East Coast, giving much-needed kinetic energy and gritty set pieces to the long-running, postmodern slasher franchise.
- 7/17/2023
- by Julieann Stipidis
- bloody-disgusting.com
William Lustig's 1980 film "Maniac" is one of the sweatiest, most brutal, most unpleasant grindhouse horror films of its decade on either side. Co-screenwriter Joe Spinell plays Frank Zito, a serial killer with a peculiar M.O. When he encounters his victims, mostly young women, he declares them to be too beautiful, with beauty being punishable by death. He then strangles his victims, strips them, scalps them (!), and carries his "souvenirs" back to his cramped New York apartment where he dresses mannequins in the clothes and "wigs." The film's gore effects were provided by horror movie maestro Tom Savini, who had previously worked on notable horror classics like "Friday the 13th," and with George Romero on "Dawn of the Dead" and "Martin." Savini would also go on to direct the 1990 remake of "Night of the Living Dead."
"Maniac" is bleak and unpleasant, but may also serve as the Platonic ideal of an exploitation movie.
"Maniac" is bleak and unpleasant, but may also serve as the Platonic ideal of an exploitation movie.
- 12/1/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When I got the opportunity to review Blue Underground’s Blu-ray release for William Lustig’s 1980 grindhouse slasher Maniac, I was intrigued, but also a bit nervous. I’d previously only ever seen the 2012 remake starring Elijah Wood, and it was a compelling, beautiful, but ultimately very bleak film. From what I’d heard about the original, it was just as bleak, but also purported to be significantly sleazier. The packaging for the Blu-ray certainly leans into the feel of exploitation cinema with loud artwork, splashy inserts, and a CD copy of the soundtrack that features a sweaty, wide-eyed Joe Spinell (our titular maniac) on the disc. With a total of three discs of content, I was bracing myself for a prolonged dive into some unpleasant material.
The film, after all, doesn’t market itself as the typical popcorn slasher one would see making a big surge in the early ’80s.
The film, after all, doesn’t market itself as the typical popcorn slasher one would see making a big surge in the early ’80s.
- 1/8/2019
- by Bryan Christopher
- DailyDead
Review by Roger Carpenter
Throughout the course of history an occasional film has been singled out as being particularly controversial. As far back as the silent era you had films like The Birth of a Nation, which drew widespread protests for its content. Frankenstein was another early film which had to be cut before being shown at theaters. There are plenty of others as well. Think about The Last Temptation of Christ, Last Tango in Paris, A Clockwork Orange. Then there’s Salo, or 120 Days of Sodom, Cannibal Holocaust, and The Passion of the Christ. The list is endless. In early 1981, when Maniac was released to theaters, it too, was met with huge controversy. News reports ran nightly upon the release of the film in various cities. It was picketed, protested, cut, censored, and outright banned in parts of the world. Most critics roasted the film for its depiction of...
Throughout the course of history an occasional film has been singled out as being particularly controversial. As far back as the silent era you had films like The Birth of a Nation, which drew widespread protests for its content. Frankenstein was another early film which had to be cut before being shown at theaters. There are plenty of others as well. Think about The Last Temptation of Christ, Last Tango in Paris, A Clockwork Orange. Then there’s Salo, or 120 Days of Sodom, Cannibal Holocaust, and The Passion of the Christ. The list is endless. In early 1981, when Maniac was released to theaters, it too, was met with huge controversy. News reports ran nightly upon the release of the film in various cities. It was picketed, protested, cut, censored, and outright banned in parts of the world. Most critics roasted the film for its depiction of...
- 12/24/2018
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Ooh, it’s a great week for horror fans, as this Tuesday’s Blu-ray and DVD releases are a stellar bunch of films that will make for great additions to your personal collection of movies to enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Because it is the holiday season, I’m stoked to see Scream Factory show a little love to Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 with their Collector’s Edition Blu that hits shelves tomorrow, and for those of you who enjoy your horror movies with a side of sleaze, William Lustig’s Maniac has been given the 4K treatment by Blue Underground (and the film has never looked better).
The Mangler is also getting a brand new Blu-ray this week, and Scorpion Releasing is resurrecting Death Ship with their new Special Edition release as well. Vinegar Syndrome is keeping busy with both Ice Cream Man and Beware My Brethren,...
The Mangler is also getting a brand new Blu-ray this week, and Scorpion Releasing is resurrecting Death Ship with their new Special Edition release as well. Vinegar Syndrome is keeping busy with both Ice Cream Man and Beware My Brethren,...
- 12/11/2018
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Frank Zito (a career performance by writer/executive producer Joe Spinell of Rocky and The Godfather fame) is a deeply disturbed man, haunted by the traumas of unspeakable childhood abuse. And when these horrific memories begin to scream inside his mind, Frank prowls the seedy streets of N ew York City to stalk and slaughter innocent young women. Now Frank has begun a relationship with a beautiful photographer (Caroline Munro of The Spy Who Loved Me), yet his vile compulsions remain. These are the atrocities of a human monster. This is the story of a Maniac. Directed by William Lustig (Maniac Cop 2, Vigilante) and featuring landmark gore effects by Tom Savini (Dawn Of The Dead, Friday The 13th), this relentlessly shocking and disturbing film was originally banned or censored all over the world due to its graphic violence. Now Blue Underground is thrilled to present Maniac in a brand-new 4K...
- 12/2/2018
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Maniac The Notorious Horror Classic… New 3 Disc Limited Edition 4k Restoration From Original Camera Negative With 3D Lenticular Slipcover – Only 10,000 Available! Coming December 11th Exclusive Limited Collector’s Edition includes 2 Blu-rays, Soundtrack CD, collectible booklet, and a ton of extras Frank Zito (a career performance by writer/executive producer Joe Spinell of Rocky …
The post Maniac 3 Disc Limited Edition – New 4K Restoration appeared first on Hnn | Horrornews.net. Copyrights 2008-2018 - Horrornews.net...
The post Maniac 3 Disc Limited Edition – New 4K Restoration appeared first on Hnn | Horrornews.net. Copyrights 2008-2018 - Horrornews.net...
- 11/16/2018
- by Horrornews.net
- Horror News
William Lustig’s Maniac is just one of those films that will always court controversy. Whether it’s under attack for its graphic, realistic murder scenes, the misogyny in the film, or even its controversial poster (original prints have the killer’s bulge in his pants given full prominence), the film has had a bullseye on its back going on nearly forty years now, which admittedly is no small feat in a genre filled to the brim with controversial titles. The main problem that some folks have with the movie is the blunt, brutal way Lustig approaches the subject matter. They see it as morally reprehensible, they see it as a film with little to no redeeming quality in it, and frankly, they’re right.
Our lead is a killer who travels through a crapsack world that’s seemingly devoid of law enforcement, at least until the film’s final moments,...
Our lead is a killer who travels through a crapsack world that’s seemingly devoid of law enforcement, at least until the film’s final moments,...
- 9/26/2018
- by Nathan Smith
- DailyDead
Blue Underground let us know about a release date move for their upcoming Blu-ray release of Maniac, but it's for good reason. Previously scheduled for release in November, the new date is December 11th, which is giving Blue Underground extra time to upgrade the bonus features disc from the originally planned DVD format to a Blu-ray.
"The Notorious Horror Classic! New 4K Restoration! Frank Zito (a career performance by writer/executive producer Joe Spinell of Rocky and The Godfather fame) is a deeply disturbed man, haunted by the traumas of unspeakable childhood abuse. And when these horrific memories begin to scream inside his mind, Frank prowls the seedy streets of New York City to stalk and slaughter innocent young women. Now Frank has begun a relationship with a beautiful photographer (Caroline Munro of The Spy Who Loved Me), yet his vile compulsions remain. These are the atrocities of a human monster.
"The Notorious Horror Classic! New 4K Restoration! Frank Zito (a career performance by writer/executive producer Joe Spinell of Rocky and The Godfather fame) is a deeply disturbed man, haunted by the traumas of unspeakable childhood abuse. And when these horrific memories begin to scream inside his mind, Frank prowls the seedy streets of New York City to stalk and slaughter innocent young women. Now Frank has begun a relationship with a beautiful photographer (Caroline Munro of The Spy Who Loved Me), yet his vile compulsions remain. These are the atrocities of a human monster.
- 9/16/2018
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Stars: Ferdy Mayne, Leon Askin, Jeffrey Combs, Luca Bercovici, Nita Talbot, Leon Askin, Jennifer Starrett, Barbara Pilavin, Alan Stock | Written and Directed by Norman Thaddeus Vane
Fandom takes on a whole new meaning when a group of film loving college students decide to pay the ultimate respects to their favourite horror icon, the recently deceased Conrad Radzoff (Ferdy Mayne). How do they do this? Hold a memorial? Have a Radzoff horror marathon? Nope, they decide to steal his freshly buried body and give hime the ultimate farewell house party back in their mansion! Like most cases however, this is one of those instances were one of your heroes is actually an arsehole (Cough-Tom Savini-Cough!). You see, Radzoff had an often fatal temper. Not even a cameo from Leon Askin (The Robe) is safe! To make matters infinitely worse for our group of corpse stealing cinephiles, Mayne decides to...
Fandom takes on a whole new meaning when a group of film loving college students decide to pay the ultimate respects to their favourite horror icon, the recently deceased Conrad Radzoff (Ferdy Mayne). How do they do this? Hold a memorial? Have a Radzoff horror marathon? Nope, they decide to steal his freshly buried body and give hime the ultimate farewell house party back in their mansion! Like most cases however, this is one of those instances were one of your heroes is actually an arsehole (Cough-Tom Savini-Cough!). You see, Radzoff had an often fatal temper. Not even a cameo from Leon Askin (The Robe) is safe! To make matters infinitely worse for our group of corpse stealing cinephiles, Mayne decides to...
- 9/11/2018
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
"I warned you not to go out tonight." Following its world premiere screening this September, the new 4K restoration of William Lustig's Maniac Cop will be released on Blu-ray this November from the folks at Blue Underground, who have revealed the full list of special features, including outtakes and a new featurette with Lustig:
"The Notorious Horror Classic Returns In A New 4K Restored Limited Edition!
Frank Zito (a career performance by co-writer/co-executive producer Joe Spinell of Rocky and The Godfather fame) is a deeply disturbed man, haunted by the traumas of unspeakable childhood abuse. And when these horrific memories begin to scream inside his mind, Frank prowls the seedy streets of New York City to stalk and slaughter innocent young women. Now Frank has begun a relationship with a beautiful photographer (Caroline Munro of The Spy Who Loved Me), yet his vile compulsions remain. These are the atrocities of a human monster.
"The Notorious Horror Classic Returns In A New 4K Restored Limited Edition!
Frank Zito (a career performance by co-writer/co-executive producer Joe Spinell of Rocky and The Godfather fame) is a deeply disturbed man, haunted by the traumas of unspeakable childhood abuse. And when these horrific memories begin to scream inside his mind, Frank prowls the seedy streets of New York City to stalk and slaughter innocent young women. Now Frank has begun a relationship with a beautiful photographer (Caroline Munro of The Spy Who Loved Me), yet his vile compulsions remain. These are the atrocities of a human monster.
- 8/14/2018
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Stars: Ferdy Mayne, Leon Askin, Jeffrey Combs, Luca Bercovici, Nita Talbot, Leon Askin, Jennifer Starrett, Barbara Pilavin, Alan Stock | Written and Directed by Norman Thaddeus Vane
“There was Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, and Conrad Ragzoff! They were all stars who lived and died. But only one returned…”
Fandom takes on a whole new meaning when a group of film loving college students decide to pay the ultimate respects to their favourite horror icon, the recently deceased Conrad Radzoff (Ferdy Mayne). How do they do this? Hold a memorial? Have a Radzoff horror marathon? Nope, they decide to steal his freshly buried body and give hime the ultimate farewell house party back in their mansion! Like most cases however, this is one of those instances were one of your heroes is actually an arsehole (Cough-Tom Savini-Cough!). You see, Radzoff had an often fatal temper. Not even a...
“There was Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, and Conrad Ragzoff! They were all stars who lived and died. But only one returned…”
Fandom takes on a whole new meaning when a group of film loving college students decide to pay the ultimate respects to their favourite horror icon, the recently deceased Conrad Radzoff (Ferdy Mayne). How do they do this? Hold a memorial? Have a Radzoff horror marathon? Nope, they decide to steal his freshly buried body and give hime the ultimate farewell house party back in their mansion! Like most cases however, this is one of those instances were one of your heroes is actually an arsehole (Cough-Tom Savini-Cough!). You see, Radzoff had an often fatal temper. Not even a...
- 12/1/2015
- by Mondo Squallido
- Nerdly
As a composer, I'm quick to acknowledge the role of music in setting the tone for a horror film, and while theme songs with lyrics and vocals can be just as effective as an instrumental score, there are definitely risks involved: along with clothing and hairstyles, songs tend to anchor a film to the year it was made, and as tastes change, a pop tune can be exposed as a quaint and silly relic of its decade. Then again, some of those tracks were pretty goofy to begin with, and nothing could have saved them. With that said, I love every one of these oddball themes to death (even the truly painful ones), so I'd like to share with you the best of the weirdest, straight from one of my more... uh, let's say “eccentric” party playlists. Let's rock! Fat Boys: “Are You Ready for Freddy?” (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master,...
- 3/28/2014
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
Are you ready for another unlikely pairing for the latest feature on our Fearnet web series here known as 'The Vault?' Of course you are! This week, we've got actors Samm Levine ('Inglourious Basterds') and Amber Benson ('Buffy The Vampire Slayer') providing commentary for William Lustig's "slasher" cult classic 'Maniac,' starring the late, great Joe Spinell.
You may be familiar with the recent remake starring Elijah Wood (currently streaming over on Netflix Instant), but check out the film that not only inspired that film, but that kicked off a slew of "slasher"imitators in the early 80's! This is the first official directing credit for Bill Lustig who would go on to give us the 'Maniac Cop' and 'Relentless' franchises and it stars character actor Joe Spinell ('The Godfather,' 'Rocky') in a genre defining role as the sympatheitc and troubled Frank Zito,...
You may be familiar with the recent remake starring Elijah Wood (currently streaming over on Netflix Instant), but check out the film that not only inspired that film, but that kicked off a slew of "slasher"imitators in the early 80's! This is the first official directing credit for Bill Lustig who would go on to give us the 'Maniac Cop' and 'Relentless' franchises and it stars character actor Joe Spinell ('The Godfather,' 'Rocky') in a genre defining role as the sympatheitc and troubled Frank Zito,...
- 3/20/2014
- by Rob Galluzzo
- FEARnet
If you thought Maniac's Frank Zito was the only one who spends the majority of his time with mannequins, think again...
As we spotted on Oddity Central, artist Suzanne Heintz has spent the last 14 years of her life coming home to a mannequin husband and daughter, and the explanation for the incredibly strange lifestyle is not the chemical imbalance you might be expecting. No, Suzanne isn't crazy, she's just an artist who's expressing herself in a most unique fashion, out to confront societal pressures on women and prove that personal happiness comes from the inside, not from others.
Okay, so the whole thing is totally creepy, but hear her out, before jumping to conclusions.
Heintz says that the inspiration for the strange 'project' came from repeated questions about when she was going to get married and have kids, nagging inquiries that I'm sure every female reading this right now has been asked,...
As we spotted on Oddity Central, artist Suzanne Heintz has spent the last 14 years of her life coming home to a mannequin husband and daughter, and the explanation for the incredibly strange lifestyle is not the chemical imbalance you might be expecting. No, Suzanne isn't crazy, she's just an artist who's expressing herself in a most unique fashion, out to confront societal pressures on women and prove that personal happiness comes from the inside, not from others.
Okay, so the whole thing is totally creepy, but hear her out, before jumping to conclusions.
Heintz says that the inspiration for the strange 'project' came from repeated questions about when she was going to get married and have kids, nagging inquiries that I'm sure every female reading this right now has been asked,...
- 3/13/2014
- by John Squires
- FEARnet
Another year has come to an end, which means it's time for the Dread Central staff to weigh in with their picks of the best and worst of 2013's horror offerings. We're giving you a full dozen lists this time, and per usual they come in a variety of formats, each reflecting the unique styles of our writers.
We've also compiled them to come up with the year's overall winners and losers. We averaged out the top and bottom five vote getters on everyone's lists, and here are the results:
Best: Maniac
Runners-up: The Conjuring, Evil Dead
Worst: Texas Chainsaw 3D
Runners-up: The Purge, The Last Exorcism Part II
Check out the Dread Central staff's Best of and Worst of lists for 2013 by following the links below!
[Andrew Kasch]
[Anthony Arrigo]
[Brad McHargue]
[Buz "Danger" Wallick]
[Debi "The Woman in Black" Moore]
[The Foywonder]
[Gareth "Pestilence" Jones]
[Jinx]
[MattFini]
[Scott "Doctor Gash" Hallam]
[Staci Layne Wilson]
[Uncle Creepy]
Andrew Kasch's Picks
Stoker: Chan-wook Park delivered some next-level filmmaking and his best film since Oldboy with his U.
We've also compiled them to come up with the year's overall winners and losers. We averaged out the top and bottom five vote getters on everyone's lists, and here are the results:
Best: Maniac
Runners-up: The Conjuring, Evil Dead
Worst: Texas Chainsaw 3D
Runners-up: The Purge, The Last Exorcism Part II
Check out the Dread Central staff's Best of and Worst of lists for 2013 by following the links below!
[Andrew Kasch]
[Anthony Arrigo]
[Brad McHargue]
[Buz "Danger" Wallick]
[Debi "The Woman in Black" Moore]
[The Foywonder]
[Gareth "Pestilence" Jones]
[Jinx]
[MattFini]
[Scott "Doctor Gash" Hallam]
[Staci Layne Wilson]
[Uncle Creepy]
Andrew Kasch's Picks
Stoker: Chan-wook Park delivered some next-level filmmaking and his best film since Oldboy with his U.
- 1/3/2014
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Though it's been available On Demand for several months now, Frank Khalfoun's fan-favorite remake of William Lustig's Maniac finally hit home video here in the states this past Tuesday, landing on both DVD and Blu-ray. Hot on the heels of the release, Texas-based art gallery Mondo has just made the surprising and exciting announcement that they will soon be giving the film a very special release of their own - and I hope you've still got a Vcr lying around your house somewhere!
Taking advantage of the current resurgence of interest in the format, Mondo will be releasing the Maniac remake onto VHS - a limited edition offering of a mere 500 tapes. Housed inside of a clamshell case, the tapes will be selling for $25 each, with a randomly insert purple cassette going to one of the lucky 500 who are able to get their hands on one.
As is typically the case with Mondo,...
Taking advantage of the current resurgence of interest in the format, Mondo will be releasing the Maniac remake onto VHS - a limited edition offering of a mere 500 tapes. Housed inside of a clamshell case, the tapes will be selling for $25 each, with a randomly insert purple cassette going to one of the lucky 500 who are able to get their hands on one.
As is typically the case with Mondo,...
- 10/17/2013
- by John Squires
- FEARnet
The movie-making business is a fickle one, with projects oftentimes appearing one day, then completely disappearing the next. There are so many factors that go into making a movie that it's quite frankly a miracle so many movies actually do end up getting made. But what about the ones that are planned and announced, but never actually materialize? There are a whole lot of them, and today we take a look at a handful of horror movie sequels that found themselves stuck in the dreaded Development Hell. Before the Mask: The Return of Leslie Vernon One of the most frustrating stories in recent years within the horror genre is the story of the sequel to 2006's utterly brilliant cult classic Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon... a follow-up that, for whatever reason, just can't seem to get off the ground. Described as a "spreemake," meaning a sequel, prequel...
- 8/12/2013
- by John Squires
- FEARnet
Bad news for Elijah Wood: his New Zealand fans won't be able to see his latest project.
Due to its violent nature, the country's Office of Film and Literature Classification has restricted the viewing of "Maniac" to film festivals and film-studies courses only. It will not be released theatrically or on DVD, THR reports.
Ant Timpson, a programmer for the New Zealand International Film Festival (where "Maniac" is due to screen at the end of the month), commented on the ruling in a statement. "It's saying the Pov (point of view) nature of the film mixed with the psychopathic behavior of actor Elijah Wood is more than disturbing; it's potentially dangerous in the hands of the wrong person -- that is, a non-festival-goer," Timpson said.
In the slasher film, Wood plays Frank Zito, a psychopathic killer shaped by his traumatic experiences as a child being raised by a prostitute.
Due to its violent nature, the country's Office of Film and Literature Classification has restricted the viewing of "Maniac" to film festivals and film-studies courses only. It will not be released theatrically or on DVD, THR reports.
Ant Timpson, a programmer for the New Zealand International Film Festival (where "Maniac" is due to screen at the end of the month), commented on the ruling in a statement. "It's saying the Pov (point of view) nature of the film mixed with the psychopathic behavior of actor Elijah Wood is more than disturbing; it's potentially dangerous in the hands of the wrong person -- that is, a non-festival-goer," Timpson said.
In the slasher film, Wood plays Frank Zito, a psychopathic killer shaped by his traumatic experiences as a child being raised by a prostitute.
- 7/25/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Elijah Wood's most recent turn as a serial killer, this time in the 2012 French-American horror remake "Maniac" (he previously played a psychopath who hungered after prostitutes in "Sin City"), won't make it into New Zealand theaters.
The New Zealand government has banned the movie from both theatrical and DVD release in the country, reports Deadline, meaning it can only be viewed in a film studies course or as part of a film festival -- and in both cases the audience must be over 18.
In the movie, Wood stalks, murders, and scalps women as Frank Zito, a man grappling with some serious mommy issues. The entire film, which is a remake of the 1980 grindhouse flick of the same name, is shot from Frank's point of view.
"It's the most intriguing element of the film," Wood told The Scotsman earlier this year. "It meant I could create this character in a completely different way.
The New Zealand government has banned the movie from both theatrical and DVD release in the country, reports Deadline, meaning it can only be viewed in a film studies course or as part of a film festival -- and in both cases the audience must be over 18.
In the movie, Wood stalks, murders, and scalps women as Frank Zito, a man grappling with some serious mommy issues. The entire film, which is a remake of the 1980 grindhouse flick of the same name, is shot from Frank's point of view.
"It's the most intriguing element of the film," Wood told The Scotsman earlier this year. "It meant I could create this character in a completely different way.
- 7/24/2013
- by Laura Larson
- Moviefone
Of course Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur, the dirtbag auteurs that turned Joe Dante's gleeful "Jaws" send up "Piranha" into "Piranha 3D," a hilarious, excessively violent screed about American over-indulgence, would spearhead a remake of 1980's "Maniac," a notoriously misogynistic Bill Lustig horror movie whose poster, featuring a man holding the bloody scalp of a young woman, still elicits cries of outrage. Most filmmakers would be too scared to approach the material; it practically glows it's so toxic. But when thinking about these two, who also turned Wes Craven's backwoods horror romp "The Hills Have Eyes" into an angry, gore-soaked metaphor for Bush-era American intervention and culpability, well, why the fuck wouldn't they, really? The original "Maniac," released during a fertile period for American serial killers and set in New York City (this was three years after the Son of Sam murders), concerned Frank Zito (played by the film's co-screenwriter,...
- 6/19/2013
- by Drew Taylor
- The Playlist
At the time you read this, you probably would have or are about to see Elijah Wood as deranged serial killer Frank Zito in the remake of William Lustig's 1980 cult slasher Maniac, Alexandre Aja's latest service to horror and his third outing as producer. Why didn't he direct, you ask? It seems that Aja has been expanding his horizons to pastures anew with dark supernatural love fable Horns, an adaptation of Joe Hill's acclaimed novel. With surprising casting in Daniel Radcliffe as Ignatius “Ig” Perrish - the vengeful, horn-headed lead and accompanied by fresh up and coming BAFTA winning British talent Juno Temple as his ill fated love interest, this is looking to be Alexandre Aja's most intriguing work yet. We managed to sit down with Alexandre amidst a very hectic schedule for a brief chat to get the skinny on his strange new project. FEARnet: For...
- 6/4/2013
- by Aaron Williams
- FEARnet
When I saw Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead “remake” earlier this year, I couldn’t believe I was actually watching a horror remake. It was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stale movement of churning out newer versions of old classics, with little success in the quality department of course. But I thought “surely this instance is a fluke, we couldn’t possibly have more than one good horror remake in the same year, right?” Then Franck Khalfoun came along, sternly pimp-slapped me across the face, and said “Matt, 2013 is the year of the horror remake,” and after watching his revamped version of Maniac (originally by William Lustig) – I absolutely, wholeheartedly f#cking agree.
Lustig’s original film was grimy, revolting, shock-and-awe horror with a slight voyeuristic twist – and Khalfoun keeps every essence of that description intact. Additionally though, Khalfoun’s film departs from Lustig’s straight-forward B-Movie,...
Lustig’s original film was grimy, revolting, shock-and-awe horror with a slight voyeuristic twist – and Khalfoun keeps every essence of that description intact. Additionally though, Khalfoun’s film departs from Lustig’s straight-forward B-Movie,...
- 5/3/2013
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
Tom Savini is a make up effects legend and an original badass. He is responsible for making the demise of hundreds of fornicating teenagers look realistic as well as bringing all sorts of disfigured monsters to life. Tom Savini was in love with horror before it was en vogue to work in genre film. He has pulled off some of the most realistic looking and insanely difficult practical effects ever. In addition to being responsible for some of the most epic impalements, exploding heads, decapitations, and stab wounds, Savini also acts and runs a make up effects school for aspiring FX artists. As a “thank you” to one of the most respected men working in fright films today, we are paying tribute by highlighting ten of our favorite special effects created by the renowned make up artist himself.
Friday the 13th: Decapitation of Mrs. Voorhees
This scene stands out in my mind,...
Friday the 13th: Decapitation of Mrs. Voorhees
This scene stands out in my mind,...
- 4/16/2013
- by Tyler Doupe
- FEARnet
Elijah Wood stars in Franck Khalfoun's 80s slasher remake, which uses first-person perspective throughout
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Halloween, Friday The 13th, A Nightmare On Elm Street, Piranha, The Hills Have Eyes, I Spit On Your Grave: that's a list of some of the classic horror movies of the 1970s and 1980s. But it's also a list of some of the worst horror movies of the noughties and 2010s, when you consider their remakes.
They say that no one sets out to produce a bad movie, but watch any low-energy, scare-free, missed-opportunity of a horror remake and you'll doubt the wisdom in that notion. Time and time again fans have been burned by remakes that fail to live up to even the most modest of expectations. The question this begs is: why? Franck Khalfoun, a director who has beaten the odds with his surprisingly excellent remake of sleazy 1980 slasher movie Maniac,...
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Halloween, Friday The 13th, A Nightmare On Elm Street, Piranha, The Hills Have Eyes, I Spit On Your Grave: that's a list of some of the classic horror movies of the 1970s and 1980s. But it's also a list of some of the worst horror movies of the noughties and 2010s, when you consider their remakes.
They say that no one sets out to produce a bad movie, but watch any low-energy, scare-free, missed-opportunity of a horror remake and you'll doubt the wisdom in that notion. Time and time again fans have been burned by remakes that fail to live up to even the most modest of expectations. The question this begs is: why? Franck Khalfoun, a director who has beaten the odds with his surprisingly excellent remake of sleazy 1980 slasher movie Maniac,...
- 3/16/2013
- by Phelim O'Neill
- The Guardian - Film News
The original Maniac caused some controversy when it came out in 1980. Featuring Frank Zito, a serial killer who specializes in scalping his female victims, Maniac raised the ire of many a feminist group.
Watch the news story below, covering the opening night of Maniac in L.A. I especially like that the dude they interviewed who said it wasn’t as scary as Texas Chainsaw Massacre. What’s even more terrifying than Zito’s handiwork on the lovely ladies in the film? The hairstyles in this news report. Many of these talking heads could use a Zito-style trim job.
While times have changed and there are plenty of female horror fans who would be glad to argue the virtues of this film, there’s no doubt the remake will horrify as many women today as it did over thirty years ago. Read all of our Maniac remake coverage here.
Eyewitness...
Watch the news story below, covering the opening night of Maniac in L.A. I especially like that the dude they interviewed who said it wasn’t as scary as Texas Chainsaw Massacre. What’s even more terrifying than Zito’s handiwork on the lovely ladies in the film? The hairstyles in this news report. Many of these talking heads could use a Zito-style trim job.
While times have changed and there are plenty of female horror fans who would be glad to argue the virtues of this film, there’s no doubt the remake will horrify as many women today as it did over thirty years ago. Read all of our Maniac remake coverage here.
Eyewitness...
- 3/5/2013
- by Sara Castillo
- FEARnet
Admittedly when I think horror, Elijah Wood’s name doesn’t exactly come to mind. Sure, he played a super-creepy guy-next-door murderer in Sin City, but aside from that he’s nothing but a wimpy hobbit – until being cast in Maniac.
Originally made in 1980 by William Lustig, director Franck Khalfoun has teamed up with writers Alexandre Aja and his frequent collaborator Gregory Levasseur to revamp this psychotic serial killer flick with none other than Elijah Wood as the crazed Frank Zito. But I mean, could we really buy Wood running around a city atmosphere stalking women and then hacking them up to bloody bits?
Creating quite the commotion over such strange casting, Maniac has been silencing doubters at festivals across the world while making numerous “Top Ten Horror Film” lists for 2012, far surpassing expectations for a remake attempting to out-horror an undeniable cult classic. Critics have been raving about how...
Originally made in 1980 by William Lustig, director Franck Khalfoun has teamed up with writers Alexandre Aja and his frequent collaborator Gregory Levasseur to revamp this psychotic serial killer flick with none other than Elijah Wood as the crazed Frank Zito. But I mean, could we really buy Wood running around a city atmosphere stalking women and then hacking them up to bloody bits?
Creating quite the commotion over such strange casting, Maniac has been silencing doubters at festivals across the world while making numerous “Top Ten Horror Film” lists for 2012, far surpassing expectations for a remake attempting to out-horror an undeniable cult classic. Critics have been raving about how...
- 2/13/2013
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
There are many sides to Elijah Wood's acting career. One is the Frodo in Lord Of The Rings side, another the Kevin in Sin City side. As you can probably tell from this exclusive poster below, Maniac is definitely in the latter category.Directed by P2 and Wrong Turn At Tahoe's Franck Khalfoun, it's a remake of the 1980 film of the same name, with Wood playing Frank Zito, a disturbed young man who becomes a ruthless serial killer until, that is, he meets Anna (Nora Arnezeder), and falls in a very strange form of love.The annoying thing about Frank's love is that it reveals itself in a rather disturbing and rather bloody way. Think... scalping, basically, and you're 100% there.To get a better look at the film, check out the very gory red band trailer below. As for the poster, designed by Sam Ashby, that's a much less red affair,...
- 2/7/2013
- EmpireOnline
And Elijah Wood ('Sin City') used to be such a nice guy! Wood's bad guy turn is ever present in the latest new clip from Franck Khalfoun's ('P2') remake of classic 80's slasher feature 'Maniac'. Wood plays Frank Zito the twisted store owner who gets his kicks from preying on innocent sexy young women one of whom is Lucie, played by Megan Duffy (below), who unfortunately gets more than a good time when she tries for a night of passion with our unsettling little Frank. Nora Arnezeder ('Safe House'), America Olivo ('Bitch Slap', 'No One Lives'), Genevieve Alexandra and Liane Balaban all co-star in the movie hitting UK theatres this March. Check out the new Nsfw clip below....
- 1/18/2013
- Horror Asylum
IFC has yet to release an official date for the Maniac remake (review) but we do have a very Nswf clip for the film. Elijah Wood (Sin City) will tackle the role of Frank Zito originally made infamous in 1980 by Joe Spinell. America Olivo (Friday the 13th) Nora Arnezeder (Safe House) and Liane Balaban (Alphas) also star. Khalfoun will direct from a script penned by some serious heavy hitters Alexandre Aja Grgory Levasseur and C.A. Rosenberg. Just when the streets seemed safe a serial killer with a fetish for scalps is back and on the hunt. Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store but his life changes when young artist Anna appears asking for his help with her new exhibition. As their friendship develops and...
- 1/17/2013
- Best-Horror-Movies.com
With guys like Fred Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Leatherface dominating the cinematic slaughter scene (the new Texas Chainsaw killed the competition this weekend), it’s easy for horror fans to forget about the little people. But, we at FEARnet embrace the little people and think that they deserve their moment in the spotlight just as much as the big guns. So, we have put together a list of underrated psychopaths in horror cinema who we would like to thank for their thoughtful contributions to the horror genre.
The Dentist
Corbin Bernsen does crazy quite well. His performance as a psychotic dentist who wants to rid the world of filth is what makes The Dentist as enjoyable as it is. The film itself is just Ok, but Bernsen's performance is great. Watch out for Mark Ruffalo in one of his first feature film roles. The Dentist 2 goes a little off the rails.
The Dentist
Corbin Bernsen does crazy quite well. His performance as a psychotic dentist who wants to rid the world of filth is what makes The Dentist as enjoyable as it is. The film itself is just Ok, but Bernsen's performance is great. Watch out for Mark Ruffalo in one of his first feature film roles. The Dentist 2 goes a little off the rails.
- 1/9/2013
- by Tyler Doupe
- FEARnet
Time to see what’s new with our mentally disturbed friend Elijah Wood aka Frank Zito, guys! We have the first six minutes of Franck Khalfoun‘s upcoming horror movie Maniac and as usual – we recommend you to check it out! Why? Well, ’cause we’re talking about the film which is written and produced by Alexandre Aja, and second – ’cause some great cast is involved in the whole thing…
So, as we previously reported, Maniac is the remake of William Lustig‘s brutal 1980 film of the same name which centers on a disturbed individual named Frank Zito, who becomes a ruthless serial killer.
This time, Elijah Wood plays a professional serial killer serial killer, while Nora Arnezeder stars as Anna, young artist terrorized by Wood as the killer/maniac.
Just when the streets seemed safe, a serial killer with a fetish for scalps is back and on the hunt.
So, as we previously reported, Maniac is the remake of William Lustig‘s brutal 1980 film of the same name which centers on a disturbed individual named Frank Zito, who becomes a ruthless serial killer.
This time, Elijah Wood plays a professional serial killer serial killer, while Nora Arnezeder stars as Anna, young artist terrorized by Wood as the killer/maniac.
Just when the streets seemed safe, a serial killer with a fetish for scalps is back and on the hunt.
- 12/28/2012
- by Jeanne Standal
- Filmofilia
Franck Khalfouns highly anticipated reimagining of William Lustigs psychoslasher Maniac (review) will be stalking its way onto a limited number of theaters on December 26 2013. Below you can see a nice gallery of images and the Nsfw trailer. Elijah Wood (Sin City) will tackle the role of Frank Zito originally made infamous in 1980 by Joe Spinell. America Olivo (Friday the 13th) Nora Arnezeder (Safe House) and Liane Balaban (Alphas) also star. Khalfoun will direct from a script penned by some serious heavy hitters Alexandre Aja Grgory Levasseur and C.A. Rosenberg.
- 12/4/2012
- Best-Horror-Movies.com
They will never understand… as long as you keep the secret! Huh! We have a much better version of that red band trailer for the upcoming Maniac movie, as well as some new images from the whole thing, so I definitely recommend you to check it out! Elijah Wood and Nora Arnezeder together in a totally sick and creepy film which comes from director Franck Khalfoun and is, by the way, written by Alexandre Aja? Sign me in, please!
We previously shared an international red band trailer (not much of a quality, though) and some cool images from the movie, and as you’ll see, this new video looks pretty much the same. But what the hell – you can consider this report as a little reminder that Khalfoun’s movie opens soon, and that you should not miss it!
Maniac is actually the remake of of the 1980 film (directed by...
We previously shared an international red band trailer (not much of a quality, though) and some cool images from the movie, and as you’ll see, this new video looks pretty much the same. But what the hell – you can consider this report as a little reminder that Khalfoun’s movie opens soon, and that you should not miss it!
Maniac is actually the remake of of the 1980 film (directed by...
- 11/24/2012
- by Jeanne Standal
- Filmofilia
If you're a horror fan, then you're either in one of two camps. You've either seen Bill Lustig's 1980 seminal "slasher" cult classic Maniac, or you haven't. And if you have, no doubt it's because of the legendary reputation the film has garnered over the years, whether it be from Joe Spinell's amazing performance as Frank Zito, the title character or perhaps you read or saw some of the incredibly gruesome & realistic work that FX guru Tom Savini has created specifically for the film.
If you haven't seen it yet, either it's just one of those many notorious films you've heard about that for whatever reason slipped through the cracks, or perhaps now you're curious about it after having heard about the new remake of Maniac produced by Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes), directed by Franck Khalfoun (P2) and starring the unlikely, but welcome Elijah Wood in the lead role.
- 10/25/2012
- by Rob Galluzzo
- FEARnet
There's been plenty of buzz around Franck Khafoun's remake of William Lustig's 1980 horror masterpiece Maniac. Now those of you in the New York area can get your first look at this nightmarish new film. We've got the details on the NY premiere. Read on!
The Film Society at Lincoln Center's Scary Movie Series will present Maniac (review) on October 27 at 8 p.m. with director Franck Khafoun in attendance. This remake of Maniac was produced by Alexandre Aja who also penned the new screenplay with frequent collaborator Grégory Levasseur and C.A. Rosenberg. Elijah Wood stars as the brutal Frank Zito. Also in the cast are Nora Arnezeder, Liane Balaban, America Olivio and Jan Broberg.
Check out the official website for the Film Society at Lincoln Center Scary Movie Series. If you haven't checked out the trailer for Maniac yet, do yourself a favor and scroll down. It's wicked!
From the...
The Film Society at Lincoln Center's Scary Movie Series will present Maniac (review) on October 27 at 8 p.m. with director Franck Khafoun in attendance. This remake of Maniac was produced by Alexandre Aja who also penned the new screenplay with frequent collaborator Grégory Levasseur and C.A. Rosenberg. Elijah Wood stars as the brutal Frank Zito. Also in the cast are Nora Arnezeder, Liane Balaban, America Olivio and Jan Broberg.
Check out the official website for the Film Society at Lincoln Center Scary Movie Series. If you haven't checked out the trailer for Maniac yet, do yourself a favor and scroll down. It's wicked!
From the...
- 10/23/2012
- by Doctor Gash
- DreadCentral.com
By Marcey Papandrea, MoreHorror.com
Remakes seem to be the norm these days, and when you think about it, the early days of cinema had many different versions of the same thing. Take Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde for example, there are so many different film versions from the early days, with different studio’s and countries giving that adaptation a try. So why is it that remakes seems to annoy so many of us now? Mostly I think in the Hollywood system they just seem to be cash grabs, so many are just generic films and it feels like the idea’s have run out.
There are remakes out there however that do it right, take 80’s classics like The Thing and The Fly, those are fantastic remakes. They pay homage to the original, give it a fresh twist and are overall just great films. Now in the 00’s...
Remakes seem to be the norm these days, and when you think about it, the early days of cinema had many different versions of the same thing. Take Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde for example, there are so many different film versions from the early days, with different studio’s and countries giving that adaptation a try. So why is it that remakes seems to annoy so many of us now? Mostly I think in the Hollywood system they just seem to be cash grabs, so many are just generic films and it feels like the idea’s have run out.
There are remakes out there however that do it right, take 80’s classics like The Thing and The Fly, those are fantastic remakes. They pay homage to the original, give it a fresh twist and are overall just great films. Now in the 00’s...
- 9/14/2012
- by admin
- MoreHorror
I would like to direct this "Tell it Like it is" to one movie in particular that I recently sat down to watch called Maniac. After hearing so much great reviews and praises for the film, I expected seeing a great horror film, however; what I saw was far from what I was expecting. The movie is about a man named, Frank Zito, who obviously has mental issues from the past which seems to come back to haunt him though out the film. Frank stalks women…...
- 6/24/2012
- Horrorbid
As the Cannes Film Festival draws closer, my curiosity grows greater for one film in particular, and that's Franck Khalfoun's Maniac remake. Elijah Wood stars as a deranged serial killer Frank Zito, a role that was originated by the late great Joe Spinell. An early teaser trailer for the film has now surfaced online, although it seems to be incomplete it does satisfy my curiosity a great deal, and I'll be the first to admit that it does look ve…...
- 5/17/2012
- Horrorbid
Today we get to see the a few more images images from the remake of the 1980's slasher Maniac. The film will be screening this year at the Cannes Film festival during a midnight showing. Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings) will play the lead role of "Frank Zito" a serial killer who works at a store that sells antique mannequins. He finds and stalks victims on the Internet, while suffering from hallucinations that take him back to the past, where he suffered abuse at the hands of his own mother. In his twisted mind, he gets some degree of revenge against his mother with each murder he commits.
- 5/11/2012
- Best-Horror-Movies.com
During this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Elijah Wood was in attendance and had some comments about his role in the upcoming remake of the cult classic Maniac. The original film directed by William Lusting stared Joe Spinell as Frank Zito, a madman stalking the streets of New York after horrifying visions of his childhood start to take shape in his life. The new Maniac will be directed by Franck Khalfoun (P2) and is produced by Alexandre Aja. The look of the film will be what sets it apart more than anything else from the original. Here is what Wood had to say about the updated version:
“[It's] entirely in Pov… You only ever see me in reflections and occasionally there are out-of-body experiences where you see more of me.” “I normally don’t love the notion of remakes… I’ve said that I’m averse to it, especially in horror films.
“[It's] entirely in Pov… You only ever see me in reflections and occasionally there are out-of-body experiences where you see more of me.” “I normally don’t love the notion of remakes… I’ve said that I’m averse to it, especially in horror films.
- 1/24/2012
- by nyquill
- Destroy the Brain
Early on it was speculated that Alexandre Aja's remake of the cult classic Maniac was going to be shot from the Point-of-View of Elijah Wood who is portraying the character Frank Zito which was previously played by the late, great Joe Spinell. Well its now been confirmed by Elijah Wood, who dropped the news this past weekend to MTV at the Sundance Film Festival which is currently being held in Park City, Utah., that the film will indeed be shot…...
- 1/23/2012
- Horrorbid
The Sundance Film Festival has been taking place and we’ve had a number of horror items coming out of the event. Elijah Wood was at the festival and talked a bit about his upcoming role as a serial killer in the remake of Maniac:
“[It's] entirely in Pov… You only ever see me in reflections and occasionally there are out-of-body experiences where you see more of me.”
“I normally don’t love the notion of remakes… I’ve said that I’m averse to it, especially in horror films. But the approach was so different and so unique that I was really intrigued. It was fun.”
Maniac is being directed by Franck Khalfoun (P2) and is produced by Alexandre Aja. Elijah Wood is playing the role of a “a serial killer who works at a shop that sells antique mannequins. He finds victims on the Internet and stalks them like prey,...
“[It's] entirely in Pov… You only ever see me in reflections and occasionally there are out-of-body experiences where you see more of me.”
“I normally don’t love the notion of remakes… I’ve said that I’m averse to it, especially in horror films. But the approach was so different and so unique that I was really intrigued. It was fun.”
Maniac is being directed by Franck Khalfoun (P2) and is produced by Alexandre Aja. Elijah Wood is playing the role of a “a serial killer who works at a shop that sells antique mannequins. He finds victims on the Internet and stalks them like prey,...
- 1/23/2012
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Elijah Wood is well accustomed to getting his crazy on. Please see his disturbing turn as feel-no-pain and claw-all-limbs-off serial killer Kevin in "Sin City" for more, or check out his dog-talking ways on "Wilfred" for further reference.
But when it comes to his work in the upcoming remake of "Maniac," Wood's brand of insanity falls more in line with the murderous Kevin than the comparatively sane Ryan Newman. Wood stars in the updated version of the 1980 horror film as Frank Zito, a New York City loner who serves as landlord of a small apartment complex by day and stalks the streets to kill women by night.
Wood's turn as Zito is bound to be very different from the late Joe Spinell's cult classic version of the character, not just because of their physical differences, but also because director Alejandre Aja has apparently opted to shoot "Maniac" entirely from Wood's own perspective.
But when it comes to his work in the upcoming remake of "Maniac," Wood's brand of insanity falls more in line with the murderous Kevin than the comparatively sane Ryan Newman. Wood stars in the updated version of the 1980 horror film as Frank Zito, a New York City loner who serves as landlord of a small apartment complex by day and stalks the streets to kill women by night.
Wood's turn as Zito is bound to be very different from the late Joe Spinell's cult classic version of the character, not just because of their physical differences, but also because director Alejandre Aja has apparently opted to shoot "Maniac" entirely from Wood's own perspective.
- 1/21/2012
- by Josh Wigler
- MTV Movies Blog
With the remake of William Lustig's classic slasher film Maniac already creating a noteworthy buzz in the industry, we learned today from IMDb that several updates have been added to a cast which already features Elijah Woods as Frank Zito, along with Nora Arnezeder and Genevieve Alexandra. Now we know what your thinking, and we concur, IMDb isn't always the most reliable source for news, so please take these updates with a grain of salt until…...
- 12/9/2011
- Horrorbid
Elijah Wood ('Sin City', 'Happy Feet 2') has been snapped on the set of horror remake 'Maniac' being...well a maniac! Wood stars in the Franck Khalfoun ('P2') helmed redo of William Lustig's slasher flick from 1980 and plays antique mannequin salesman and deranged murderer Frank Zito. In the new on-set pics you can see Elijah giving some poor young lady (played by Genevieve Alexandra) a good old fashioned stabbing with his buck knife. Khalfoun has previously stated that the movie would be shot largely from Zito's point of view and of course a horror remake wouldn't be official if it didn't have Alexandre Aja attached. Aja, responsible for helming remakes 'The Hills Have Eyes', 'Mirrors' and 'Piranha 3D', will produce and also co-wrote the new script along with Gregory Levasseur. French actress Nora Arnezeder ('...
- 12/1/2011
- Horror Asylum
Today we get to see the first images from the remake of the 1980's slasher Maniac. Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings) will play the lead role of "Frank Zito" a serial killer who works at a store that sells antique mannequins. This will not be the first time that Elijah Wood has played a killer, he was also cast as an weird cannibal named Kevin in Sin City. Nora Arnezeder (Safe House) has been cast in the role of "Anna". Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D, Mirrors, High Tension) along with Grégory Levasseur (P2, Mirrors) are rumored to have written the script. It is also said the Frank Khalfoun (Piranha, P2) will be directing the Maniac remake.
- 11/30/2011
- Best-Horror-Movies.com
It was only earlier this month that we learned of Elijah Wood playing the lead role of a serial killer in a remake of Maniac. However, filming has already begun and we have behind-the-scenes set photos that give us our first look at Elijah Wood attacking one of his victims.
Maniac is being directed by Franck Khalfoun (P2) and is produced by Alexandre Aja. Elijah Wood is playing the role of a “a serial killer who works at a shop that sells antique mannequins. He finds victims on the Internet and stalks them like prey, all the while suffering from hallucinations that throw him back into the past, when he was abused by his own mother.”
The original film was directed by William Lustig in 1980: “Maniac stars Joe Spinell (Rocky, The Godfather, Taxi Driver) as Frank Zito, a deeply disturbed man haunted by the traumas of unspeakable childhood abuse.
Maniac is being directed by Franck Khalfoun (P2) and is produced by Alexandre Aja. Elijah Wood is playing the role of a “a serial killer who works at a shop that sells antique mannequins. He finds victims on the Internet and stalks them like prey, all the while suffering from hallucinations that throw him back into the past, when he was abused by his own mother.”
The original film was directed by William Lustig in 1980: “Maniac stars Joe Spinell (Rocky, The Godfather, Taxi Driver) as Frank Zito, a deeply disturbed man haunted by the traumas of unspeakable childhood abuse.
- 11/30/2011
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Coming courtesy of the Daily Mail, here are the very first images of actor Elijah Wood in the remake of te controversial slasher movie Maniac, which was originally directed by WIlliam Lustig and starred the late Joe Spinelli as Frank Zito, the serial killing maniac of the title. His victim in these photos? She’s played by actress Genevieve Alexandra.
For those unfamiliar with the original, the film follows:
…a serial killer who works at a shop that sells antique mannequins. He finds and stalks victims on the Internet, while suffering from hallucinations that take him back to the past, where he suffered abuse at the hands of his own mother. In his twisted mind, he gets some degree of revenge against his mother with each murder he commits.
For those unfamiliar with the original, the film follows:
…a serial killer who works at a shop that sells antique mannequins. He finds and stalks victims on the Internet, while suffering from hallucinations that take him back to the past, where he suffered abuse at the hands of his own mother. In his twisted mind, he gets some degree of revenge against his mother with each murder he commits.
- 11/30/2011
- by Phil
- Nerdly
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