Maniac (1980)
Release Year: 1980
Nation: United States
Alternative Title: O Maníaco, Maniac - kvindemorderen, Maniac - nukkemurhaaja, Nukkemurhaaja, Maniakos dolofonos
Director: William Lustig
Writer: C.A. Rosenberg, Joe Spinell
Production & Genre
Producer: Producer: Andrew W. Garroni, William Lustig
Co_Producer: John Packard
Executive_Producer: Joe Spinell, Judd Hamilton, Andrew Intrater, Jason Lustig
Companies: MPO Videotronics, Magnum Motion Pictures Inc.
Budget: 350.000
Awards & Similar
Awards:
Similar:
Keywords
Keywords: gore, grindhouse, killer, mannequin, model, murder, murder of prostitute, park, rage, sadism, scalping, shotgun
Story
Frank Zito, a disturbed man haunted by his abusive mother's death, seeks out young women and models to kill on the streets of New York City. He scalps his victims and displays their hair atop mannequins in his apartment as twisted tributes to his mother. Photographer Anna D'Antoni captures Frank's image in Central Park, inadvertently drawing him into her life. Believing Anna could be the 'mother' he's been searching for, Frank pursues a friendship with her while continuing his killing spree.
Summary
Maniac is a grimy, exploitation horror film directed by William Lustig and released in 1980. Starring Joe Spinell as the titular psychopath, Frank Zito, the movie delves into the brutal actions of a man scarred by childhood abuse. Set against the backdrop of late-70s New York City, Maniac explores themes of mental illness, violence, and the destructive power of obsession. The film is renowned for its graphic content, reflecting Lustig's desire to make a 'realistic' horror film despite its grindhouse origins.
