The world wasn't exactly crying out for a remake of 1980's "Maniac". Starring Joe Spinnel and directed by William Lustig, it was one of the most intense, jarring, violent and in your face horror films of the entire decade. Surprisingly, someone got the idea to remake it. The results are surprisingly close to the original in its refusal to compromise and the highly disturbing and troubling psychological terrain it traverses.
Not so much powered by anything resembling a conventional story, the film is very much in the tradition of character based cinema very much in the vein of 1970's New Hollywood cinema-films such as "Midnight Cowboy" and, of course, "Taxi Driver", which it wears its influence loudly and proudly.
Elijah Wood absolutely stuns in this remake-he truly is the glue that holds it all together. Frank (Wood) is very much torn between something resembling a normal life and his more psychotic tendencies. The film really gets you in this character's highly disturbed and disturbing frame of mind and psychology.
Apart from a truly astounding and fearless performance from Wood, where this remake really excels is in its visual and sound design and look and sound. When Frank is plagued by constant migraine headaches, the frame starts to blur around the edges, accompanied by a high pitched sound. Also, with a few exceptions, the film is very much told visually in a first perspective, point of view manner. We only see Frank via reflection in something like a mirror or a window, illustrating beautifully the man's fractured and shattered mind.
Be warned, though. Although not constantly violent, when it is, this film, like the original, takes absolutely no prisoners whatsoever! This, coupled with the unnerving, dark terrain it covers, will, like the original, make it something of an acquired taste. If you've got the nerves and stomach for it, prepare to be shocked and stunned. A true exception to the rule about all remakes being watered down, compromised and awful.
Not so much powered by anything resembling a conventional story, the film is very much in the tradition of character based cinema very much in the vein of 1970's New Hollywood cinema-films such as "Midnight Cowboy" and, of course, "Taxi Driver", which it wears its influence loudly and proudly.
Elijah Wood absolutely stuns in this remake-he truly is the glue that holds it all together. Frank (Wood) is very much torn between something resembling a normal life and his more psychotic tendencies. The film really gets you in this character's highly disturbed and disturbing frame of mind and psychology.
Apart from a truly astounding and fearless performance from Wood, where this remake really excels is in its visual and sound design and look and sound. When Frank is plagued by constant migraine headaches, the frame starts to blur around the edges, accompanied by a high pitched sound. Also, with a few exceptions, the film is very much told visually in a first perspective, point of view manner. We only see Frank via reflection in something like a mirror or a window, illustrating beautifully the man's fractured and shattered mind.
Be warned, though. Although not constantly violent, when it is, this film, like the original, takes absolutely no prisoners whatsoever! This, coupled with the unnerving, dark terrain it covers, will, like the original, make it something of an acquired taste. If you've got the nerves and stomach for it, prepare to be shocked and stunned. A true exception to the rule about all remakes being watered down, compromised and awful.