Screened as part of NZIFF 2013

Maniac 2012

Directed by Franck Khalfoun

Now here's one for the head-scratcher file: a remake of an infamous 80s slasher flick with sweet, innocent Elijah Wood in the role once played by the late, great, bloated and sweaty Joe Spinnell.

France / USA In English
89 minutes CinemaScope / DCP

Director

Producers

Alexandre Aja
,
Thomas Langmann
,
William Lustig

Screenplay

Alexandre Aja
,
Grégory Levasseur. Based on the film by William Lustig

Photography

Maxime Alexandre

Editor

Baxter

Production designer

Stefania Cella

Costume designer

Mairi Chisholm

Sound

Zsolt Magyar
,
Emmanuel Augeard
,
François Joseph Hors

Music

Rob

With

Elijah Wood (Frank)
,
Liane Balaban (Judy)
,
Nora Arnezeder (Anna)
,
Megan Duffy (Lucie)
,
Jan Broberg (Rita)
,
Genevieve Alexandra (Jessica)
,
Sammi Rotibi (Jason)
,
Joshua De La Garza (Martin Nunez)
,
America Olivo (Frank’s mother)

Festivals

Cannes (Midnight Screenings) 2012

Elsewhere

Now here's one for the head-scratcher file: a remake of an infamous 80s slasher flick with sweet, innocent Elijah Wood in the role once played by the late, great, bloated and sweaty Joe Spinnell. Not novel enough? How about the whole film being mesmerisingly shot via first-person POV? A voyeuristic script with a sense of humour from Alexandre Aja (Haute Tension)? A phenomenal performance from French actress-singer Nora Arnezeder? A mind-blowing 80s-style synth score from Rob that is reminiscent of prog rockers Goblin and John Carpenter? Did we mention that Elijah Wood is slicing people up and losing his effin’ mind because all he cares about are his damn mannequins? Yeah, you're curious, right? — Ant Timpson “Everything just falls into place… from the performances to the sleaze-filled streets at night and the phenomenal, pulsing electronic soundtrack. Maniac is a film that will challenge you, shock you, and disturb and repel you.” — Gareth Jones, Dread Central