Maniac (1980)

[baumer]

Discuss one of the coolest posters in horror history:

 

Edited April 10, 2014 by baumer

[ddddeeee]

Unbelievably disturbing.

 

Joe Spinell is outrageously good in this movie, too good. I don't know how it's possible to sympathize with someone who kills and scalps women but I did. It's one of the best performances I have seen in a very long time.

 

There's actually a lot going on in this movie, especially considering it's a gorefest of a slasher flick. You have to stick around though, it's a slow burner. The cinematography and soundtrack are eerily effective and it epitomizes that late 70s/early 80s cheap horror vibe that is just effortlessly creepy.

 

Most disturbed I've been since I first saw Alice, Sweet Alice a few years back.

[baumer]

Agree with ddddeeee.  This is a very disturbing film.  The poster pretty much tells you all you need to know.  Joe Spinell, as ddddeeee says, is terrific.  A great horror film from the very early 80's.

 

8/10

[Jake Gittes]

Yeah this is a good one. The incredibly grimy, sweaty, filthy atmosphere created here is something else; I liked that last year's remake had the ambition to go in the opposite direction, but the execution of the original impressed me more. Excellent soundtrack, a richer-than-could-be-expected central performance by Spinell, and a hugely memorable ending. The scene in the subway has some world-class tension.