Maniac
Directed by William Lustig
A psychopathic man goes on a killing and mutilation spree in New York City.
Where to Watch Maniac
Maniac Ratings & Reviews
- KGM SOSA21 February 2026This is a cheesy low budget B-movie exploitation horror movie but I absolutely loved it! There were some weak moments but there were also some GREAT moments such as the shotgun massacre & the ending (which make up for them). I suspect the ending may confuse some people although it is quite simple if you sit with it a moment & think about it. This movie was made on a minuscule budget of $300k including salaries & marketing & production costs, it was also shot guerrilla style meaning scenes in the city streets of NY were shot without permits with non actors going about their day in the background rather than using extras, that raw, uncontrolled environment gives the movie a gritty authenticity that polished productions simply can’t replicate. The practical effects for the time were fantastic & highly realistic despite over the top, scenes such as the scalpings, stabbings & the shotgun massacre had very realistic bleeding practical effects. The story itself follows Frank Zito, a lonely, middle-aged man living in a cluttered NYC apartment. Frank is deeply traumatized by his deceased mother, who was a prostitute & severely abused him as a child. He remains obsessed with her, often holding internal monologues where he speaks to both himself & her. To "stop" women from ever leaving him or hurting him, Frank stalks, murders & scalps young women. He brings their scalps & clothes home to attach them to mannequins, creating a grotesque "family" in his apartment. His routine is disrupted when he meets a photographer named Anna. For a brief period, Frank tries to maintain a seemingly normal relationship with her, but his violent compulsions & deteriorating mental state eventually make it impossible to hide his true nature. This is just a fun 80s slasher flick that respects your time with a tight 85minute runtime, short + sweet & doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s worth a watch for all horror fans that have a deep affection for 80s slasher films especially of the exploitation variety. The film has a rich history too; firstly Joe Spinell not only starred in it but wrote the screenplay & executive produced this film, he was used to being typecast as an intimidating mobster due to his size, appearance & Italian heritage, he wanted to do something different & thus this movie was born. It also had a unique release Strategy to bypass potential censorship or a X-rating from the MPAA, it was released unrated with an "Adults Only" warning, typical of grindhouse cinema. It also faced backlash from major critics, it was savaged by critics like Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert, who walked out of the film due to its perceived “misogyny” & "vile" content. Most interestingly though is the heavy censorship it faced being banned in the UK for many years & was frequently seized by police during the "video nasty" panic of the 1980s. This is just a genuinely raw & gritty but fun 80s psychological slasher film with a nostalgic synth heavy score & grindhouse style cinematography. It respects your time & demands a watch from all 70s/80s horror fans. It’s Not perfect. Not polished. But undeniably memorable. Ps. Bonus points for the beautiful Caroline Munro (Anna) who was gorgeous in the 70s/80s as well as a great actress & stealing her scenes.
- cultfilmliker12 June 2025This guy takes the male gaze a little too far imo! It took 10 minutes before I realized I had in fact seen this before. Clearly meant to remember the events that follow! It’s wild how different Frank looks and acts from the Joe I remember from MASH or even Cruising!! Boy, the bar was low for men in the 80’s! lmao I remember thinking that the first time I saw this as well. Might be the grossest part of the film hahahaha Incredibly unique editing with regard to some of the kills. Every kill has something unique! The dread and tension of staring at a gun in your face will always be a personal fav lol such killer buildups! Love too see Tom Savini and his work!! I even logged this before, oof! Shoulda checked! Although I do think I was too harsh originally! I really hate Frank as a character. I find Spinell’z mannerisms and voice/cadence/overall swagger so off-putting. I’d be on to the guy as soon as he got a woman I know’s number. Do none of these women have friends?? Or standards??? TL;DR It’s essentially if Norman Bates had a bad trip. Watched at 3 AM with the windows and doors open, lights out, and candles on aka a more descriptive definition of my “au naturale” tag (Yes, this is essentially an open invitation for murder. Not allowed to touch my parents tho)
Maniac Trivia
Maniac was released on 14 November 1980.
Maniac was directed by William Lustig.
Maniac has a runtime of 88m.
Maniac was produced by Andrew W. Garroni, William Lustig.
A psychopathic man goes on a killing and mutilation spree in New York City.
The key characters in Maniac are Frank Zito (Joe Spinell), Anna D'Antoni (Caroline Munro), Rita (Abigail Clayton).
Maniac is rated 18.
Maniac is a Horror, Drama, Thriller film.
Maniac has an audience rating of 5.8 out of 10.
Maniac had a budget of US$350K.
Maniac has made US$10M at the box office.