Maniac (1980)

Director:

William Lustig

Writers:

C.A. Rosenberg (writer)
Joe Spinell (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

14 November 1980 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Run from this man!

Plot:

A schizoid serial killer randomly stalks and kills various young women in New York, which he sees as revenge for the mistreatment he got while being raised by his own abusive mother.

Plot Keywords:

Mannequin | Serial Killer | Photographer | Park | Cemetery

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Joe Spinell	...	Frank Zito
Caroline Munro	...	Anna D'Antoni
Abigail Clayton	...	Rita (as Gail Lawrence)
Kelly Piper	...	Nurse
Rita Montone	...	Hooker
Tom Savini	...	Disco boy
Hyla Marrow	...	Disco girl
James Brewster	...	Beach boy
Linda Lee Walter	...	Beach girl
Tracie Evans	...	Street hooker
Sharon Mitchell	...	Nurse #2
Carol Henry	...	Deadbeat
Nelia Bacmeister	...	Carmen Zito
Louis Jawitz	...	Art director
Denise Spagnuolo	...	Denise
Billy Spagnuolo	...	Billy
Frank Pesce	...	TV reporter (voice)
Candace Clements	...	Mother #1 in park
Diane Spagnuolo	...	Mother #2 in park
Kim Hudson	...	Lobby hooker
Terry Gagnon	...	Woman in alley
Joan Baldwin	...	Model #1
Jeni Paz	...	Model #2
Janelle Winston	...	Waitress
Randy Jurgensen	...	Cop #1
Jimmy Aurichio	...	Cop #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrew W. Garroni	...	Nurse #2's boyfriend in car (uncredited)
William Lustig	...	Al (hotel manager) (uncredited)

Directed by
William Lustig

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
C.A. Rosenberg		writer
Joe Spinell		screenplay
Joe Spinell		story

Produced by
Andrew W. Garroni	....	producer
Judd Hamilton	....	executive producer
William Lustig	....	producer
John Packard	....	associate producer
Joe Spinell	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jay Chattaway

Cinematography by
Robert Lindsay

Film Editing by
Lorenzo Marinelli

Makeup Department
Rob Bottin	....	makeup effects
Tom Savini	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Andrew W. Garroni	....	production manager (as Andrew Garroni)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Adams III	....	second assistant director
Steven Andrew	....	first assistant director
Nelia Bacmeister	....	second assistant director

Sound Department
Rick Dior	....	sound re-recording mixer
Erno Sephy	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Canatta	....	assistant camera
Robert K. Feldmann	....	key grip (as Robert Feldman)
Bob Halloran	....	best boy
Steven Hirsch	....	still photographer
Kevin Jones	....	gaffer
Robert Lindsay	....	camera operator
Luke Walter	....	assistant camera
Bobbi Leigh Zito	....	still photographer

Music Department
Pete Levin	....	electronic music realization

Other crew
Arthur Blum	....	production assistant
Jim Harte	....	production assistant
Janie Heath	....	production assistant
Deborah Ledendecker	....	script supervisor
Janine Stover	....	script supervisor
Luke Walter	....	assistant: Joe Spinell
Debi Zimmerman	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Magnum Motion Pictures Inc.

Distributors

• Analysis Film Releasing Corporation (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Citadel Films (1981) (Canada) (theatrical) (cut version)
• Hollywood Boulevard Diffusion (1982) (France) (theatrical)
• René Chateau Productions (1980) (France) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Astro Distribution (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Blue Underground (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Blue Underground (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• CMV Laservision (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Elite Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Elite Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Media Home Entertainment (1981) (USA) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:(Banned) (original rating) | Australia:R (uncut) (2004) | Australia:R (cut) (1982-2004) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | West Germany:18 (cut) | Sweden:15 | Italy:VM14 (video rating) | France:-18 | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Italy:VM18 | New Zealand:R18 | Italy:VM14 (DVD rating) | Finland:(Banned) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (Original rating) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (1989) | France:-16 | Norway:18 | UK:(Banned) (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (cut) | USA:R | West Germany:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Magnum Motion Pictures Inc.

Trivia:

Daria Nicolodi was originally cast to play Anna D'Antoni, but she was unable to go to New York for filming because she was still filming her scenes for the movie Inferno (1980) in Italy.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Frank slits the woman's throat on the beach, the knife makes no contact with the throat, even though blood spurts forth from the wound.

Quotes:

Frank Zito: This has got to stop. It's silly, and it's not getting us anywhere. You think they don't know. They do. I heard it and I know. They all know, and I don't like it anymore. But you don't listen do you. It's got to stop. Oh, you're right about them, all of them...

Movie Connections:

References Carrie (1976)

Soundtrack:

Winter Love

One of the greatest Horror Films of All TIME!

From the amazing performance of Joe Spinell to the Brutal Make-up FX of Tom Savini, this is perhaps the mother of all Horror Slasher Flicks...Written to be "Jaws on Land"...this film captures to wonderful vibe on New York City in the late 70's