First, I’d like to preface my review briefly with an observation of the nature of a horror remake. Why are these films remade in the first place? Is it simply to feed our nostalgia? Is it to keep the spirit of a film alive for a new generation? Maybe producers would rather just use an old script rather than come up with something original. Whatever one’s personal thoughts may be, I like to think that remakes are made for a variety of reasons; some better than others. When a horror remake is released for shallow reasons, it shows. Franck Khalfoun’s ambitious remake of “Maniac’, written by Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes), is not a shallow movie.
There are a two immediate differences that set “Maniac” apart from the 1980 original. First, the film is viewed almost exclusively from the first person perspective. The second regards the portrayal of Frank. Elijah Wood’s take on Frank Zito is that of a slight, shy, fragile young man whereas the original’s Joe Spinell – whom some may recognize as Gazzo from the Rocky series – portrayed Frank as a fat, bloodthirsty fiend.
While the technique it is often written off as a flashy gimmick, Khalfoun’s use of the first person perspective serves the film well not only to show a different side of carnage, but also to convey to the audience the sense of dread that comes with murder. One can’t help but feel his or her stomach sink at the sight of a young woman’s skull being impaled by a hunting knife from under her chin, especially when it occurs within the opening scene. It should be noted that after a gruesome opening sequence, one woman at the press screening promptly left the room never to return. A few others would leave before the credits rolled but perhaps not out of contempt for the film, but for the discomfort it causes when considering the terror of what is happening not only to these victims, but also to Frank. The slayings are made all the more intimate and personal when shown through the eyes of the killer. Think Prodigy’s music video for “Smack my Bitch up” meets “Psycho”. Frank’s lust for violence draws him further into a hell of his own creation as he brings home the scalps of his victims and staples them to mannequins at his shop, to this end creating a grotesque harem of female mannequins in his back bedroom. The only times the film shows Frank’s face are through reflections on mirrors and glass, a few brief flashbacks of a tormented childhood, and – in perhaps some of the more powerful scenes – dramatic “out of body” moments that Frank, and the audience, experience during his slayings. The spiritual overtones of these moments along with Elijah’s reserved yet convincing performance eerily convey the madness and ecstasy Frank feels and speak volumes not only about the nature of violence, but also of what a man is capable of doing when he completely indulges himself in his darkest fantasies. It is observations like these that put “Maniac” a cut above films like “Texas Chainsaw 3D”.
The film knows its source material and has an intense admiration for it and for fans of the genre and thus is lousy (riddled) with easter eggs and allusions to other horror movies. Such nods to horror classics come subtly and others not so subtly but those who can pick up on them will rejoice silently when hearing “Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazarus playing on a stereo (Silence of the Lambs).
While all the characters aside from the two leads are hopelessly thin, the acting is solid and the dialog is believable if a bit off-putting. Wood’s breathy whisperings while hiding in a car or within a closet give some possible insight as to what a voyeur may think to himself whilst in the throws of perversion, and his tormented screams and psychotic episodes demonstrate the damage that has plagued his mind. The ticking time bomb of insanity that is Frank is articulated exquisitely through Wood’s nervous delivery. Eventually Frank starts to fall for a beautiful french photographer named Anna who shares Frank’s love for attention to detail for the display mannequins that he restores. Anna, played by Nora Arnezeder, has a unique gaze that works well especially when coupled with the aforementioned POV camera. When she looks into Frank’s eyes, she obliterates the fourth wall, seeming to expose Frank with nothing more than a disarming smile. The lack of plausibility in a few scenes is remarkable, but the overwhelming trance of terror will mask it well and before long, it is easy to suspend disbelief. Suddenly, the idea that a screaming woman being chased by a small skinny man around a giant subway station and into a parking lot can remain completely out of earshot of a single other person, doesn’t seem so ridiculous.
Although not without some flaws, “Maniac” is a good film; not just because it wants to gross out the audience, not because it wants to cash in on a market saturated with horror remakes, and not because it wants to look at violence from a new perspective. “Maniac” is a good film rather because it aims for many goals and even if it may reach too far, it delivers a unique experience for filmgoers and is a refreshing take on an old formula. This movie is great for those who want to be frightened on all levels both physically and psychologically. It doesn’t aim to outdo its predecessor, but instead to pay homage to a bygone era of horror while simultaneously experimenting with the medium which is what made the original so memorable; a brash and uncompromising B horror film that wears its grade as a badge of honor.
