Maniac (1980) 4K remaster coming from Blue Underground

[Bobbyjoe766]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The scene that really made me want to crawl under the sofa and hide was...

[Show spoiler]...when Frank Zito killed the model after returning her jewelry.

Gore, in and of itself, does not bother me, but depictions of sadism are difficult for me to watch. That scene was so drawn out and disturbing.

[Show spoiler]Notice how long he made the girl (in the car) wait before blowing her away?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Bobbyjoe766

[Show spoiler]Notice how long he made the girl (in the car) wait before blowing her away?

That was insane. I kept thinking, “I hope they don't show that. I hope they don't show that. I hope they don't show that.”

[Show spoiler]Thankfully, they didn't. It was tough getting to that point, though!

[The Great Owl]

Right now, I'm watching the Controversy section of the supplements disc and enjoying the televised news spots about Maniac.

It's interesting how the news reporters circa 1981 seemed to make much more of an effort to be knowledgeable and balanced about all sides of the topics that they covered than today's television reporters do.
Interesting...and depressing.

[Keyser Soze.]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Right now, I'm watching the Controversy section of the supplements disc and enjoying the televised news spots about Maniac.

It's interesting how the news reporters circa 1981 seemed to make much more of an effort to be knowledgeable and balanced about all sides of the topics that they covered than today's television reporters do.
Interesting...and depressing.

I just finally got through the movie, both commentaries, extras disc, and was coming here to post almost the exact same thing.

The returned correspondence from the Philippines is priceless! What a perfect way to finish off that stacked supplements disc.

[agenda]

Mondo Digital Review

[Armakuni]

Do you guys also have a few minimal jumps around 49:30-49:45, when Frank visits Anna for the first time? Like a couple of frames are missing.

[Keyser Soze.]

Originally Posted by Armakuni

Do you guys also have a few minimal jumps around 49:30-49:45, when Frank visits Anna for the first time? Like a couple of frames are missing.

Yes. The jumps are in the original print. It’s discussed on the discs commentary.

[Armakuni]

Originally Posted by Keyser Soze.

Yes. The jumps are in the original print. It’s discussed on the discs commentary.

Thanks a lot! Just finished watching it, so lovely - I wish all classics will get this treatment eventually.

[javy]

I watched Maniac today and thought it was excellent. One of my favorite scenes in the whole film was at the end when it showed the

[Show spoiler]women on the bed mutilating Frank.

What I really appreciated about this scene was the amount of time the camera spent on it. With the time spent and with what was occurring I was able to really reflect on the character and his psychological disturbances.

My only criticism with the film is that there wasn't any time spent developing Frank and Anna's relationship. One second they didn't know each other and the next they seemed to have known each other for awhile, and this all in the same scene. Oh well. Very good movie regardless.

Compared to the remake, at the present time I feel I like them both very much the same. I do think the remake is quite good.

[zombi3]

Originally Posted by javy

I watched Maniac today and thought it was excellent. One of my favorite scenes in the whole film was at the end when it showed the

[Show spoiler]women on the bed mutilating Frank.

What I really appreciated about this scene was the amount of time the camera spent on it. With the time spent and with what was occurring I was able to really reflect on the character and his psychological disturbances.

Mrs. Voorhees' sweater makes an appearance too.

[spatafore]

silly question maybe but: buy this or wait for a Arrow or Scream transfer/release?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by spatafore

silly question maybe but: buy this or wait for a Arrow or Scream transfer/release?

The chance that a better Blu-ray edition of Maniac will come down the pipes later is roughly zero percent. This Blue Underground remaster is superb.

[MTRodaba2468]

Originally Posted by spatafore

silly question maybe but: buy this or wait for a Arrow or Scream transfer/release?

The director of this film, Bill Lustig, is the owner of Blue Underground. It's not going to get rereleased by Arrow, Scream, or another label.

That said, this release is fantastic (as all the newer Blue Underground releases have been).

[LMFAObros]

Originally Posted by MTRodaba2468

The director of this film, Bill Lustig, is the owner of Blue Underground. It's not going to get rereleased by Arrow, Scream, or another label.

That said, this release is fantastic (as all the newer Blue Underground releases have been).

I mean, Shock released it in Australia in 2013 but that disc is now going oop as I ordered it. I assume it's the older Blue Underground master that has been ported.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Picked this up today. I hadn't seen it since 2002. Excellent film. Very well made, creepy and disturbing. One of the best horror films ever made IMHO. Joe Spinell was great. Amazing effects too. That shotgun scene is one for the books! The score really added to the creepy factor. Another fantastic blu ray release from Blue Underground!

[Darkstream]

Originally Posted by javy

My only criticism with the film is that there wasn't any time spent developing Frank and Anna's relationship. One second they didn't know each other and the next they seemed to have known each other for awhile, and this all in the same scene. Oh well. Very good movie regardless.

Saw this movie for the first time tonight and I had a BIG problem with that. I thought I missed something.

[Show spoiler] She sees him at the park, takes his picture, never speaks to him, he sneaks a peak at her address on her bag... then he just shows up at her door and she invites him in? No question of how did you know where I live?

That was bad even for b-movie level. Their whole relationship just felt rushed.

I know this movie has a cult following, but I personally think there are a lot of movies in a similar vein that are better --- to name a few, George Romero's Martin, Lucio Fulci's The New York Ripper, Abel Ferrara's Ms .45, Juan Piquer Simón's Pieces, and John McNaughton's Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.

Maniac has its moments, but I find it to be a bit overrated. Great special effects by Savini, though.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

I agree with the flaw of Frank and Anna's relationship. I was lost as well with the sudden shift like I had missed something. It's my only real criticism of the film though.

[Darkstream]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

I agree with the flaw of Frank and Anna's relationship. I was lost as well with the sudden shift like I had missed something. It's my only real criticism of the film though.

Yeah, I was actually questioning if those scenes were really happening as I watched it or if they were in Frank's head -- kind of like with Joker, or The Last Horror Film, which also happened to star Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by Darkstream

Yeah, I was actually questioning if those scenes were really happening as I watched it or if they were in Frank's head -- kind of like with Joker, or The Last Horror Film, which also happened to star Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro.

You know, it's interesting you bring that up. I can't recall if I had read that that was the intention or an analysis of that subplot but it does make sense. Everything that happens after he takes Anna to his mother's grave seemed very surreal and all in his head.

[Michael24]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

Everything that happens after he takes Anna to his mother's grave seemed very surreal and all in his head.

Especially the very ending.

[Show spoiler]The mannequins come to life, turning into all his previous victims, and kill him but then the police arrive and he's lying in bed with a knife in his stomach. I figure his mind was snapping and he attempted suicide to put himself out of his misery.