| Maniac | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Maniac_(1980).jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | William Lustig |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by | Joe Spinell |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Robert Lindsay |
| Edited by | Lorenzo Marinelli |
| Music by | Jay Chattaway |
Production company | Magnum Motion Pictures Inc. |
| Distributed by | Analysis Film Releasing Corporation |
Release dates | |
Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $350,000[2] |
| Box office | $4.5 million[3] |
Maniac is a 1980 American psychological slasher film directed by William Lustig and written by C. A. Rosenberg and Joe Spinell. It stars Spinell as Frank Zito, an Italian-American serial killer residing in New York City who murders and scalps young women.
With a minuscule budget, many scenes in the film were shot guerrilla style. Originally considered an exploitation film, Maniac has since attained a cult following[4] despite receiving polarized reviews. The film was remade in 2012 by director Franck Khalfoun and produced by Alexandre Aja, starring Elijah Wood in the lead role.
While not prosecuted for obscenity nor officially listed as a video nasty, Maniac was seized by various police forces across Greater Manchester and Lancashire during the video nasty panic, presumably based on the film's notorious reputation overseas.[5]
- ^ a b "Maniac (1980)". American Film Institute Catalog. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "Maniac (1980)". The Numbers. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ Donahue, Suzanne Mary (1987). American film distribution : the changing marketplace. UMI Research Press. p. 302. ISBN 978-0-8357-1776-2. Please note figures are for rentals in US and Canada
- ^ "New Maniac Poster Released". Daily Dead. February 7, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ Christopher, Neil. "Maniac". Hysteria Lives. Retrieved 11 March 2019.