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...
Frank Zito, a quiet, mousy and boyish looking young man, running a family-owned mannequin shop, clearly has problems...deep, dark and primordial problems, which have progressively and invariably torn asunder, his emotional and psychological being...a behavior-affecting mental degradation, stemming from a controlling, though quite uncaring, abusive and overly sexually promiscuous mother. Though now deceased, Frank's mother continues to haunt and 'control' him in torturous visions, and mental recollections of the past, leaving Frank with an instilled and twisted sense of inferiority, as well as an overwhelming and degradative feeling of being rejected and unloved. On an almost nightly basis, Frank creepily trolls the inner city night streets of New York, in search of women; when he singularly pursues, approaches and confronts each of these women, he is immediately assumed a stalker & attacker. Frank naturally construes this as rejection, and soon after subduing these women, he brutally kills & scalps them, taking the bloodily matted hair back to his studio, and staple-tacking them onto the bare scalps of some of the mannequins in his apartment...in his mind, giving the mannequins, the identity of the women, whom he has murdered...women whom he can speak to...can relate to...can love...can control...
Happenstance, Frank meets a beautiful and young photographer, Anna, and is compellingly drawn to her, initially in the twistedly relatable sense that she appreciates the 'artistry' of mannequins, and strives to use her deftly keen photographic eye, to give life and identity to them. In turn, taking an interest in Frank's dedication to restoring mannequins, Anna begins seeing Frank on a regular basis. Engaging himself in helping Anna put together an exhibit with the mannequins, Frank begins to fall in love with her, though his visions and hallucinations continue, compounded by reoccurring migraine headaches, which give Anna serious cause for concern, when they happen in her presence. On the verge of professing his love for Anna, Frank is frustratingly taken back and shut down, when she abruptly discloses that she has a boyfriend...once again, leaving Frank feeling rejected, invariably drawing him further into his abysmally bottomless insanity, refueling his psychopathic inclinations...and giving him cause to contemplate the notion of adding Anna to his 'collection'...
Given the film concept's overall 'reinvention', this new "Maniac" genuinely and successfully comes across in creepily unsettling ways which the original film had not considered. Actor Elijah Wood gives an exceptionally powerful performance, that which viewers might consider perversely repulsive, yet irresistibly alluring. Definitely a shockingly surprise acting turn by Wood, considering his more recent and prominent role, as a certain diminutive shire adventurer, journeying the vast lands of Middle Earth...though this viewer suspects that he might not have been considered for this subsequent sinister casting, had it not been for a certain minor, albeit equally noteworthy sinister role, in director Robert Rodriguez' "Sin City", from 2005. Unlike actor Joe Spinell's conspicuously grubby, gritty and sleazy 'mama's boy' take on the character, Wood outwardly portrays Frank Zito as quiet, mousy and more than a bit insecure...hardly intimidating, in the onset...but on the inside, a collective sense of gross mental instability, indomitable rage and perversely sadistic desires, unconsciously driven by a matriarch long deceased, but very much alive and manipulative, in his skewed mind. In fact, if the viewer listens very carefully, on a subtle and almost unconscious level, one can almost imaginatively hear the lyrical prowess of Pink Floyd, in this respect (...i.e., "...mama's gonna make all your nightmares come true...gonna put all her fears into you...gonna check out all your girlfriends for you...won't let anyone dirty get through...etc...")
Supplementing the chillingly horrific proceedings, much as was done in the original film, is a most eclectically frenetic and discomforting soundtrack, which spans a wide spectrum of synthesizer-predominant themes, inspirationally reminiscent of that of early John Carpenter and Claudio Simonetti. The enhanced graphic special effects and make-up work are, at times quite effectively shocking here, though not that far removed from the original film, as far as intensity. However, the unnerving filmmaking style is what makes this film work best, as 90 percent of the film is rendered through the eyes of the Frank Zito character, with Frank himself appearing in notably quick and sporadic moments...reflections in mirrors and such...not so much making the viewer seemingly forced to assume the role of Frank, but rather feel as if one is as trapped in an inescapable level of madness and insanity, as he is. As did this viewer, one might even suggest a certain Argento-esque touch to this voyeuristic approach, especially in scenes of pursuit, as well as some of the unflinchingly graphic and bloody murder scenes...
In contrast, it is unfortunate that despite all of the film's effective and respectable virtues mentioned, it loses a good measure of power, as compared to the original film...quite literally due to the existence of the original film. Expectantly, those who have embraced the cult status of the 1980 film, may find this new incarnation somewhat shoulder-shrugging matter-of-fact, in that being a remake, the jaded fans of the original film know very well how things are going to end up for the characters...especially Frank, and especially the gripping, surreal and horrific conclusion. In addition, as audiences have become much more complex and jaded, with regards to the constantly moving, line-in-the-sand drawing intensity of today's modern horror films, the new incarnation of "Maniac" can only wish that it bore the stigma of controversy, which the original film had, back in it's revered time...and to a certain degree, still does. And finally, as often happens with remakes, the film-making powers that be, cannot help but slyly afford the viewing audience, a subtle, though sometimes distracting 'wink-wink' to it's inspiring predecessor...in the case of the new film, some darkly reflective, albeit intensity-tempering tongue-in-cheek humor, sporadically mixed amidst the macabre proceedings...and even a moment of outright familiarity, which harkens back to the original film's controversial advertising. On a whole, when it comes right down to it, this new "Maniac" film may well cater best to those not privy of the original cult classic...
Undeniably respectable to the original film...elatedly shocking in it's revised execution, and alternately faceted point of view...unnervingly effective in it's ability to horrify and disturb...not to mention, bearing a few notable surprises unto itself...2013's "Maniac" tries it's very best to live up to it's notoriously legendary predecessor...and although not quite living up to the challenge, it is still a worthy attempt...and a most satisfactory viewing experience...
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