Now here's one for the head-scratcher file: a remake of an infamous 80s slasher flick with sweet, innocent Elijah Wood in the role once played by the late, great, bloated and sweaty Joe Spinnell.
A perversely pleasurable mixture of pop psychology and slasher movie sleaze... Frodo has gone homicidal. And it feels so good.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2013
Maniac 2012
Now here's one for the head-scratcher file: a remake of an infamous 80s slasher flick with sweet, innocent Elijah Wood in the role once played by the late, great, bloated and sweaty Joe Spinnell. Not novel enough? How about the whole film being mesmerisingly shot via first-person POV? A voyeuristic script with a sense of humour from Alexandre Aja (Haute Tension)? A phenomenal performance from French actress-singer Nora Arnezeder? A mind-blowing 80s-style synth score from Rob that is reminiscent of prog rockers Goblin and John Carpenter? Did we mention that Elijah Wood is slicing people up and losing his effin’ mind because all he cares about are his damn mannequins? Yeah, you're curious, right? — Ant Timpson “Everything just falls into place… from the performances to the sleaze-filled streets at night and the phenomenal, pulsing electronic soundtrack. Maniac is a film that will challenge you, shock you, and disturb and repel you.” — Gareth Jones, Dread Central