Synopsis
A psychotic man, troubled by his childhood abuse, loose in NYC, kills young women and local girl American models and takes their scalps as trophies.
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Cast
- Joe SpinellFrank Zito
- Caroline MunroAnna D'Antoni
- Abigail ClaytonRita
- Nelia BacmeisterCarmen Zito
- Denise SpagnuoloDenise
- Billy SpagnuoloBilly
- Kelly PiperNurse
- Sharon MitchellSecond Nurse
- Rita MontoneHooker
- Hyla MarrowDisco Girl
Recommendations
- 60
L.A. Weekly
A Freudian nightmare with a lead who looks like the guy who runs your local pizzeria, Maniac also features one of the great head explosions in cinema history. - 50
Slant Magazine
Maniac simply exists as a wretched yet unforgettable succession of scenes meant to corrupt even the purest of minds, if you can help yourself from laughing uncontrollably at its overwhelming amount of inconsistencies. - 25
TV Guide Magazine
The film leaves the viewer feeling violated and ashamed. Avoid. - 10
The New York Times
William Lustig is the film's director, and Joe Spinell, who plays the maniac, also collaborated on the screenplay (with C.A. Rosenberg) and wrote the original story. He is terrible in all capacities, though his performance is more immediately objectionable. Watching him act like a psychopathic killer with a mommy-complex is like watching someone else throw up.
