Movie Review: Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence (1993, Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Bill Lustig had a tough task with Maniac Cop 3. MC2 was easily one of the best action/horror films of the 80's. It's essential viewing if you dig these kinds of movies. It featured a stand out performance from Robert Davi, amazing stunts and gunplay that still is impressive to this day.

Maniac Cop 3 was released three years after MC2 and many fans say this was film that was better left dead. A lot of the blame went to Lustig but many didn't know the rather torrid production history the film went through.

In the making of feature director Bill Lustig had this to say "I hate the movie, I can't stand to watch it. Everyone got to piss in the pot, so that's what they got. A pot full of piss." My personal opinion is the film is much better then it's given credit for. For a film made esseintally by a comitte it came out well. Nowhere near as solid as part II but still it's a fun watch and at the end of the day... that's what counts.

Movie Review: Maniac Cop 2 (1990, Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Review By: Rob Sibley

 Finally after years upon years of waiting and watching shoddy full screen DVD transfers of this action/horror classic (Yes I said class). Blue Underground releases the film onto Blu-ray for the first time and even better this is the first time this fine film has received a release in it's proper 1.85:1 Widescreen aspect ratio.

Not only that but Blue Underground has gone the extra mile with the bonus features. This was easily the most anticipated release of the year for me and Blue Underground did this film proud. Not surprising since as we all know the director Bill Lustig runs BU.

Maniac Cop has always been a favorite film of mine. It's a near perfect film for what it is. It's filled to the brim with that great sleazy NYC atmosphere of the 80's that Lustig captured perfectly in his earlier films. It features a strong performance from Robert Davi and Robert Z'Dar aka the Maniac Cop perfectly embodies the role of this undead & unstoppable Terminator/Zombie like cop out for vengeance.

Blue Underground Presents Limited Theatrical Release of William Lustig’s MANIAC COP 2

You Have the Right to Remain Silent…FOREVER!

Blue Underground is bringing a 2013 DCP Restoration of director William Lustig’s MANIAC COP 2 to theaters this fall in advance of its upcoming Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack release. Featuring a brand-new 4K High Definition transfer from the original camera negative and new Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, this MANIAC COP 2 DCP is the definitive presentation of the action-packed cult-horror favorite!

Movie Review: Maniac (2013)

Review by John Beutler

Ya' know?? For a while there, I was worried...worried that this new incarnation of the uncompromisingly violent, brutal, perverse and grimy 1980 splatter horror classic, "Maniac", would suffer in much the same way as other attempts at making...or rather, remaking some of the more prominent and controversial '80's horror flicks (...like "Friday the 13th" and "Last House on the Left", for instance), in that the film would be newly rendered in what this viewer has previously & often termed as having a 'rustic slickness', which often tends to temper the overall tone of raw and visceral horror, notable in classics past. Well, I'm quite elated to say that this is not wholly the case, as the 2013 film, "Maniac" definitely exhues a most familiar, albeit slightly toned down and polished sense of dark, inner-city, back-alley filth and seediness...one of the aspects, which made the original film very uncomfortably irresistible to watch...though indeed, this new 'Maniac' definitely reflects a sense of higher production value, as compared to it's inspiration. That been said, the film...despite how respectably accomplished it looks, and how effectively the film unnerves and unsettles...DOES somewhat fail in ways that seem inevitable and unavoidable...in ways, which made the original film so alluringly embraceable...

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #28 - The Ghosts of Interview Past

As we close out the year, Kevin introduces some of the interviews from the earlier days of the podcast.

Kevin interviews the director, writer and star of the cult hit The Room, Tommy Wiseau.

Lacey Paige interviews Hanger director Ryan Nicholson and Maniac Director Bill Lustig.

Jeff interviews three cult legends: Mink Stole, Kitten Natividad and Lance Henriksen.

Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save Link As..." to download.

Click on any of the links above to listen to the entire original episodes!

Movie Review: Maniac Cop (Blu-ray)

William Lustig's (Maniac, Uncle Sam) Maniac Cop has seen some very solid cult fandom over the years, which certainly makes it feasible that genre DVD specialists Synapse Films would tackle the feature for a new Blu-ray Special Edition. While not really a slasher film as the title may imply, Maniac Cop is more of a hybrid of action, crime-thriller and horror. The host of cult film favorites that make out the cast - Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, Army Of Darkness), Richard Roundtree (Shaft), Tom Atkins (Night of the Creeps) and Robert "The Chin" Z'Dar (Samurai Cop, Tango and Cash) is enough reason for me to flip it on. Tom Atkins is the man here, and as close to a hero as you'll get in Maniac Cop. Sorry Bruce, we'll get to you later.

Buy Maniac Cop on Blu-ray

William Lustig's Classic "Maniac Cop" Hits Blu-Ray this October from Synapse Films!

Special Features and Disc Info (MANIAC COP):

• Maniac Cop Memories – Interview with Robert Z'Dar
• Out the Window – Interview with Tom Atkins
• Three Minutes with Danny Hicks Featurette
• Motion Still Gallery
• Additional Scenes Filmed for Japanese TV
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots
• Spanish Radio Spot

Buy Maniac Cop [Blu-ray]

Director: William Lustig
Starring: Bruce Campbell and Tom Atkins
Run Time: 87 minutes
Release Date: October 11, 2011
Language: English (6.1 and 4.0 Surround)
Aspect Ratio: High-Definition 1080p Widescreen (1:85:1)
Format: Blu-ray
Price: $24.95

Movie Review: Vigilante (1983, Blu-ray, Blue Underground)

Blue Underground brings Bill Lustig's gritty street revenge flick to Blu-ray!

Buy Vigilante on Blu-ray or DVD


Film: 3.5/5
Badass. I'd say that would be an apt description of Lustig's self serve  justice outing. Despite not packing as much punch as I'd like it to, there's no denying it's presence in the revenge oeuvre. A genre I seldom tire of due to the subject matter. Watching a regular joe lose everything he loves and stopping at nothing to exact revenge is cinematic bliss.

Movie Review: Uncle Sam (1997, Blu-ray, Blue Underground)

Blue Underground brings head honcho's Bill Lustig patriotic horror flick to Blu-ray. IT WANTS YOU...TO WATCH!

Buy Uncle Sam on Blu-ray or DVD

Film: 1.5/5

I love Bill Lustig flicks. The New York born director has made some highly entertaining and memorable films. Maniac Cop and it's sequels are a blast. Vigilante is a straight up badass revenge outing. And lastly Maniac is a without a doubt his crowning achievement, a film that truly makes me feel grimy . However I can't say the same for Uncle Sam.

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #6 featuring William Lustig

Recently, our Canadian correspondent Lacey Paige interviewed director William Lustig at SplatterFest in Calgary. Bill is known for such films as Maniac and Maniac Cop.

Also in this episode, Kevin Moyers shares news about Angry Birds and tells you how brilliant Scrubs is.

Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save Link As..." to download.

Find Bill Lustig on Amazon.com.

Interview: William Lustig

Lacey Paige sat down with director William Lustig to discuss his career. The Blue Underground president and director of such influential cult classics as Maniac, Vigilante and the Maniac Cop trilogy talks a little about his adult film career, the state of genre DVD and of course his classic features.

Find William Lustig on Amazon.com