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Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop  MANIAC - The remake, which I saw last night at 'The Vue' in Leeds city centre of all places. I quite enjoyed it, although it didn't seem as harsh as I was anticipating it to be. This is because I'd allowed my expectations to build to an unrealistic degree, so a re-watch in a more neutral frame of mind is due at some point. There are plenty of points in its favour - a bleak atmosphere, well captured sense of urban grime, violence pretty full-on for a multiplexer, good synth score, nicely handled POV structure and well acted. The cardboard psychology was a let down, and I think this is where the remake disappointed, because, and this is where I let my expectations get the better of me, I couldn't shake Joe Spinell's utterly intense potrayal of psychotic desperation from my mind - this was the driving force behind the orginal, and I have to say that the latter day version lacks any such power. However, I always think that remakes should be taken on their own terms ultimately, and in this respect, 'Maniac' is a successful attempt to make a serious, uncompromising mainstream horror film. |
I think the one thing I failed to mention, most importantly, was the difference between Spinell and Wood. While I thought Wood was terrific, no one could capture the delirium and madness of Spinell's performance. And he just has the look, doesn't he? Wood is a nice looking guy, but he has that mad elvish, slightly odd look that they worked wonders with, so I didn't have a problem buying him as a nutbag.
I think I was drawn into its aesthetic, and generally bought into it a lot more though.