Maniac

MANIAC (1980)
Directed by: William Lustig
Starring: Joe Spinell (R.I.P.)

special effects by: Tom Savini (The Man)



Maniac could be considered A Movie based on a true story just as much as the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

As TCM is to Ed Gein, As Maniac is to "Son Of Sam" David Burkowitz

The movie follows a heavyset (built much like me) average guy who is lonely and ugly who just wants to be loved ahhhhh how sweet, not really.

the guy collects manequins and replaces there wigs for human scalps to make them more "real".throughout the film you see how and why.which is awesome in it's self.This guy is truly twisted in this movie and the film focuses on that, Because most of the film is just him in a room talking to the voices in his head and explaining why he cant keep doing what he is doing yet at the same time giving reasons why. he does it .?
I thought this movie was more like a early Psychological thriler (se7en, Saw) style movie with the focus mostly being on the mind of the killer himself and not simply just gore.
although the special affects are by Tom Savini so you know the gore is gonna be awesome.here is a sample,
A scene where the "maniac" picks up a hooker and demands that she keep her clothes on while he dry humps her and then scalps her (can't have no new bald manequins in the house now can ya.)
A woman gets followed for many blocks and then finaly caught in a subway bathroom stall being stabbed completely through the chest from the back with what seems to be a switchblade. Then The Best Of All Time......
My Personal Favorite scene of all time when Tom Savini himself is about to "get him some" at a lookout point in a car when the girl see's the maniac staring through the window watching, so the chick freaks, tom savini gets pissed calls her a cocktease and jumps in the driver's seat.when he turns on the lights he see's the maniac standing right in front of the car holding a shotgun, then the maniac springs into action jumping on the hood and shooting savini point blank right in the face with a double barell shotgun . creating one of the best exploding head scenes in history if not the best.

later you see the maniac himself torn limb from limb by the manequins in his house in a scene that is very reminiscent of dawn of the dead (the original of course).



I give this movie a 5 out of 5

because it is my favorite of all time