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Duplicate of Maniac 1980


[[quoteright:299:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maniac80_7625.jpg]]

->''"I warned you not to go out tonight."''
-->-- '''{{Tagline}}'''

A horror film from 1980. It was directed by William Lustig (''Film/ManiacCop'', ''Film/UncleSam'') and stars Joe Spinell in the title role.

It follows the exploits of the [[HeManWomanHater woman-hating]] and [[FreudianExcuse mommy issues]]-ridden psychopath Frank Zito, who wanders the streets of TheBigRottenApple from one brutal kill to the next, breathing heavily and babbling incoherently all the while.

The film's effects were provided by Creator/TomSavini, which includes the infamous "Disco Boy Scene" where a man's [[YourHeadASplode head explodes]] from a close range shotgun blast.

The film also has the dubious honor of being one of three movies the late [[Series/SiskelAndEbert Gene Siskel]] had ever walked out on.

The year 2012 was treated to a remake that was produced and written by Creator/AlexandreAja and which had Creator/ElijahWood star as the title character. It is mostly the same story, but with the twist that almost the entire film is [[UnbrokenFirstPersonPerspective shot from a first-person perspective]]. It also incorporates online dating.

Not to be confused with an even more crazy and totally unrelated 1934 film, ''[[Film/{{Maniac 1934}} Maniac]]''. Or the 2018 TV show ''Series/{{Maniac2018}}''.

----
!!These films provide examples of:
* AffablyEvil: Despite being a psychotic SerialKiller who murders women for their scalps, Frank is a really nice guy when he's not sitting in his room rambling.
* BigWordShout: ''"MOTHEEEEEEER!!!"''
* CreepyDoll: Various mannequins which wear scalps from Frank's victims that he keeps around his apartment.
* FreudianExcuse: Frank's mother was a prostitute who [[AbusiveParents beat him]] and would lock him in the closet when she was with her johns. That would certainly explain his awkwardness around the fairer sex, as well as why he kills women that remind him of her.
* {{Hallucinations}}: Frank starts having these when Anna hurts him at the cemetery in the original. The remake has one as well.
* JobTitle: Well, Frank is certainly maniacal.
* MadnessMantra: "Rita knew ... Rita knew ... Rita knew ... Rita knew ... Rita knew ..."
* MissingMom: Frank misses his mother, despite the horrible abuse she put him through.
* MurderousMannequin: Frank hallucinates being ripped apart by his own mannequins (on which he placed the scalps of his victims) in both versions of the film.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Frank has this reaction to most of his murders. It doesn't stop him from committing them, though.
* OneWordTitle: Which describes the AxCrazy Frank.
* PsychopathicManchild: Frank, more so in the original than in the remake. He's a mentally unstable serial killer with a room full of dolls and childhood toys, and has an unhealthy, childlike obsession with his belated mother.
* ReluctantPsycho: Frank hates killing and feels nothing but remorse for his crimes, but is urged on by his own psychosis.
* TheRemake: The unmade sequel was apparently going to be a remake of the 1975 film ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070572/ The Psychopath]]''. And of course, there's the remake of the original.
* SerialKiller: Frank murders five women (six in the remake) and takes their scalps as trophies.
* SpiritualSuccessor: ''The Last Horror Film'', which features Caroline Munro and Joe Spinell in nigh-identical roles.
* VillainProtagonist: Both films follow Frank's point of view.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: When you take Frank's miserable life and general loneliness into account, he becomes a lot more pitiful than revolting. Made all the worse by his instant remorse whenever he claims a victim.

!!The 1980 version provides examples of:
* {{Adorkable}}: Frank, particularly when he's with Anna, comes off as awkward but kind-hearted.
* AllInTheEyes: Used when Frank wakes up, CatapultNightmare-style, and light is shining on his eyes.
* AnArmAndALeg: Frank sees his hand being chopped off in his last hallucination.
* BedmateReveal: When Frank gets up from his bed, the audience is shown that the corpse of his latest victim is laying next to him.
* BloodSplatteredInnocents: Disco Girl gets covered with Disco Boy's blood when Frank shoots him.
* BoomHeadshot: Disco Boy's death, courtesy of a double-barrel shotgun blast by Frank.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Frank addresses the viewers at one point. But hey, he's just crazy.
* BulletTime: Used when Frank shoots Disco Boy and when he attacks one of the Anna's photograph models.
* ContemptibleCover: The cover art for the VHS and DVD releases-- also apparently the original movie poster art-- shows Frank holding a bloody scalp and knife, and has a very visible bulge in his pants. Even Joe Spinell was appalled when he saw it.
* CampingACrapper: Frank chases a nurse into a subway restroom and kills her there.
* DisposableSexWorker: Frank's second on-screen victim is a hooker whom he picks up from the streets, and proceeds to strangle in bed.
* TheEndOrIsIt: [[spoiler:Frank goes off the deep end, hallucinating that his victims have returned to take revenge, stabbing himself in the stomach in his madness. The cops show up to arrest him, and find him lying on his bed. They go get the coroner, and his eyes open the moment they close the door.]]
* ExcitedShowTitle: Only the original version has the exclamation point, although it's noticeably absent on most promotional and cover art.
* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday: Takes place at Christmastime.
* GraveMarkingScene: Frank visits his mother's grave near the end.
* MakeOutPoint: Disco Boy and Disco Girl drive into one near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge for some AutoErotica. Unfortunately, they were followed by Frank.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Much of Frank's personality, mommy issues, and his scalp-taking were inspired by Ed Gein. He also shares some traits with the Son of Sam in terms of appearance, place of residence, and time frame of his murders.
* NoNameGiven: Most of the characters, like Disco Boy and Disco Girl.
* NoTellMotel: Frank takes the hooker whom he intends to kill into an establishment like this.
* OffWithHisHead: Frank's final hallucination has his mannequins come to life and ripping his head off.
* RiseFromYourGrave: Frank has a hallucination at the graveyard of his mother's maggot ridden corpse rising from the grave and grabbing him.
* SenselessViolins: Frank carries his shotgun in a violin case.
* SlashedThroat: Frank does this to his first on-screen victim (whom he finds on the beach waiting for her boyfriend) with a razor blade.
* ShovelStrike: Anna attacks Frank with a shovel when he is chasing her in the cemetery.
* SinisterSubway: Frank follows one of his victims through one.
* StalkerShrine: There's one for Frank's mother, that's right next to his bed.
* WouldntHurtAChild: A little girl bumps into Frank on her bike; he just tells her to be careful and sends her on her way.
* YourHeadASplode: Disco Boy's head explodes thanks to a shotgun blast.
* YourCheatingHeart: Disco Girl attempts to cheat her boyfriend with Disco Boy at the MakeOutPoint. Frank then arrives and kills them both.

!!The 2012 version provides examples of:
* AdaptationalAttractiveness: In the original film, Frank was a sweaty, beer-bellied middle-aged man. He's played by Creator/ElijahWood in this version, and the comparison is even lampshaded by one of his victims.
* CarFu: Anna tries to run down the serial killer with his car.
* DeathByAdaptation: [[spoiler: Anna]] dies in a car crash, and Frank claims her scalp. [[spoiler:Also, Frank successfully dies by his own hand in this one.]]
* DownerEnding: Unlike the original version, [[spoiler:all of Frank's intended targets die, along with Frank himself]].
* FacialHorror: The end has Frank [[spoiler:hallucinating that his face gets ripped to shreds]].
* FinalGirl: [[spoiler:Subverted with Anna, as she dies this time around.]]
* KillEmAll: [[spoiler:The entire cast dies, the serial killer included.]]
* MythologyGag: Lucie tells Frank that he's "not what I imagined, I thought you'd be fat with long greasy hair". This is a reference to Joe Spinell, the actor who played Frank in the original.
* RageAgainstTheReflection: Frank takes out his frustrations on a mirror, unhappy over his psychotic urges.
* ShoutOut: The film includes a version of [[Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs Q Lazzarus' "Goodbye Horses."]]
* SpiritualSuccessor: Some have called the film a slasher version of ''Film/{{Drive}}''.
* VomitIndiscretionShot: From a first-person perspective, no less.
----

to:

[[quoteright:299:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maniac80_7625.jpg]]

->''"I warned you not to go out tonight."''
-->-- '''{{Tagline}}'''

A horror film from 1980. It was directed by William Lustig (''Film/ManiacCop'', ''Film/UncleSam'') and stars Joe Spinell in the title role.

It follows the exploits of the [[HeManWomanHater woman-hating]] and [[FreudianExcuse mommy issues]]-ridden psychopath Frank Zito, who wanders the streets of TheBigRottenApple from one brutal kill to the next, breathing heavily and babbling incoherently all the while.

The film's effects were provided by Creator/TomSavini, which includes the infamous "Disco Boy Scene" where a man's [[YourHeadASplode head explodes]] from a close range shotgun blast.

The film also has the dubious honor of being one of three movies the late [[Series/SiskelAndEbert Gene Siskel]] had ever walked out on.

The year 2012 was treated to a remake that was produced and written by Creator/AlexandreAja and which had Creator/ElijahWood star as the title character. It is mostly the same story, but with the twist that almost the entire film is [[UnbrokenFirstPersonPerspective shot from a first-person perspective]]. It also incorporates online dating.

Not to be confused with an even more crazy and totally unrelated 1934 film, ''[[Film/{{Maniac 1934}} Maniac]]''. Or the 2018 TV show ''Series/{{Maniac2018}}''.

----
!!These films provide examples of:
* AffablyEvil: Despite being a psychotic SerialKiller who murders women for their scalps, Frank is a really nice guy when he's not sitting in his room rambling.
* BigWordShout: ''"MOTHEEEEEEER!!!"''
* CreepyDoll: Various mannequins which wear scalps from Frank's victims that he keeps around his apartment.
* FreudianExcuse: Frank's mother was a prostitute who [[AbusiveParents beat him]] and would lock him in the closet when she was with her johns. That would certainly explain his awkwardness around the fairer sex, as well as why he kills women that remind him of her.
* {{Hallucinations}}: Frank starts having these when Anna hurts him at the cemetery in the original. The remake has one as well.
* JobTitle: Well, Frank is certainly maniacal.
* MadnessMantra: "Rita knew ... Rita knew ... Rita knew ... Rita knew ... Rita knew ..."
* MissingMom: Frank misses his mother, despite the horrible abuse she put him through.
* MurderousMannequin: Frank hallucinates being ripped apart by his own mannequins (on which he placed the scalps of his victims) in both versions of the film.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Frank has this reaction to most of his murders. It doesn't stop him from committing them, though.
* OneWordTitle: Which describes the AxCrazy Frank.
* PsychopathicManchild: Frank, more so in the original than in the remake. He's a mentally unstable serial killer with a room full of dolls and childhood toys, and has an unhealthy, childlike obsession with his belated mother.
* ReluctantPsycho: Frank hates killing and feels nothing but remorse for his crimes, but is urged on by his own psychosis.
* TheRemake: The unmade sequel was apparently going to be a remake of the 1975 film ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070572/ The Psychopath]]''. And of course, there's the remake of the original.
* SerialKiller: Frank murders five women (six in the remake) and takes their scalps as trophies.
* SpiritualSuccessor: ''The Last Horror Film'', which features Caroline Munro and Joe Spinell in nigh-identical roles.
* VillainProtagonist: Both films follow Frank's point of view.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: When you take Frank's miserable life and general loneliness into account, he becomes a lot more pitiful than revolting. Made all the worse by his instant remorse whenever he claims a victim.

!!The 1980 version provides examples of:
* {{Adorkable}}: Frank, particularly when he's with Anna, comes off as awkward but kind-hearted.
* AllInTheEyes: Used when Frank wakes up, CatapultNightmare-style, and light is shining on his eyes.
* AnArmAndALeg: Frank sees his hand being chopped off in his last hallucination.
* BedmateReveal: When Frank gets up from his bed, the audience is shown that the corpse of his latest victim is laying next to him.
* BloodSplatteredInnocents: Disco Girl gets covered with Disco Boy's blood when Frank shoots him.
* BoomHeadshot: Disco Boy's death, courtesy of a double-barrel shotgun blast by Frank.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Frank addresses the viewers at one point. But hey, he's just crazy.
* BulletTime: Used when Frank shoots Disco Boy and when he attacks one of the Anna's photograph models.
* ContemptibleCover: The cover art for the VHS and DVD releases-- also apparently the original movie poster art-- shows Frank holding a bloody scalp and knife, and has a very visible bulge in his pants. Even Joe Spinell was appalled when he saw it.
* CampingACrapper: Frank chases a nurse into a subway restroom and kills her there.
* DisposableSexWorker: Frank's second on-screen victim is a hooker whom he picks up from the streets, and proceeds to strangle in bed.
* TheEndOrIsIt: [[spoiler:Frank goes off the deep end, hallucinating that his victims have returned to take revenge, stabbing himself in the stomach in his madness. The cops show up to arrest him, and find him lying on his bed. They go get the coroner, and his eyes open the moment they close the door.]]
* ExcitedShowTitle: Only the original version has the exclamation point, although it's noticeably absent on most promotional and cover art.
* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday: Takes place at Christmastime.
* GraveMarkingScene: Frank visits his mother's grave near the end.
* MakeOutPoint: Disco Boy and Disco Girl drive into one near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge for some AutoErotica. Unfortunately, they were followed by Frank.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Much of Frank's personality, mommy issues, and his scalp-taking were inspired by Ed Gein. He also shares some traits with the Son of Sam in terms of appearance, place of residence, and time frame of his murders.
* NoNameGiven: Most of the characters, like Disco Boy and Disco Girl.
* NoTellMotel: Frank takes the hooker whom he intends to kill into an establishment like this.
* OffWithHisHead: Frank's final hallucination has his mannequins come to life and ripping his head off.
* RiseFromYourGrave: Frank has a hallucination at the graveyard of his mother's maggot ridden corpse rising from the grave and grabbing him.
* SenselessViolins: Frank carries his shotgun in a violin case.
* SlashedThroat: Frank does this to his first on-screen victim (whom he finds on the beach waiting for her boyfriend) with a razor blade.
* ShovelStrike: Anna attacks Frank with a shovel when he is chasing her in the cemetery.
* SinisterSubway: Frank follows one of his victims through one.
* StalkerShrine: There's one for Frank's mother, that's right next to his bed.
* WouldntHurtAChild: A little girl bumps into Frank on her bike; he just tells her to be careful and sends her on her way.
* YourHeadASplode: Disco Boy's head explodes thanks to a shotgun blast.
* YourCheatingHeart: Disco Girl attempts to cheat her boyfriend with Disco Boy at the MakeOutPoint. Frank then arrives and kills them both.

!!The 2012 version provides examples of:
* AdaptationalAttractiveness: In the original film, Frank was a sweaty, beer-bellied middle-aged man. He's played by Creator/ElijahWood in this version, and the comparison is even lampshaded by one of his victims.
* CarFu: Anna tries to run down the serial killer with his car.
* DeathByAdaptation: [[spoiler: Anna]] dies in a car crash, and Frank claims her scalp. [[spoiler:Also, Frank successfully dies by his own hand in this one.]]
* DownerEnding: Unlike the original version, [[spoiler:all of Frank's intended targets die, along with Frank himself]].
* FacialHorror: The end has Frank [[spoiler:hallucinating that his face gets ripped to shreds]].
* FinalGirl: [[spoiler:Subverted with Anna, as she dies this time around.]]
* KillEmAll: [[spoiler:The entire cast dies, the serial killer included.]]
* MythologyGag: Lucie tells Frank that he's "not what I imagined, I thought you'd be fat with long greasy hair". This is a reference to Joe Spinell, the actor who played Frank in the original.
* RageAgainstTheReflection: Frank takes out his frustrations on a mirror, unhappy over his psychotic urges.
* ShoutOut: The film includes a version of [[Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs Q Lazzarus' "Goodbye Horses."]]
* SpiritualSuccessor: Some have called the film a slasher version of ''Film/{{Drive}}''.
* VomitIndiscretionShot: From a first-person perspective, no less.
----
[[redirect:Main/{{Maniac}}]]

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