A guy waits outside a bar in his car and follows a girl who's by herself. She notices him and runs. But somehow he knows were she lives and goes up to her at her door. He rams a knife through her throat and scalps her. Back home he puts the scalp on a female mannequin.
Frank clearly has issues. Next he goes on an internet date. During dinner he has to run to the bathroom to take meds. He suffers from migraine. They drive to her place, she seduces him, but it's not long before he chokes her and scalps her.
Aside from the migraine he also has visions or recollections of his youth. Frank's issues are mommy issues. She was a prostitute and he witnessed all sorts of activities when he was a little boy.
He sees an acrobatic performer practicing. He hides in a closet and watches her. Then he follows her, she runs, he locks her in a parking lot, slashes her Achilles tendon and stabs her. And scalps her.
Frank works as a mannequin restorer. One day a photographer stops at his place. She takes pictures of mannequins and is fascinated by his place. She rents some mannequins for an upcoming exhibition. Frank falls for her. And eventually she will learn what he's really about.
Maniac is filmed almost entirely in POV. But it's not the usual annoying shaky hand-held stuff. Rather, it's as if his eyes are the camera. We are truly seeing things from his perspective and hearing him talk to himself. The movie is gory and has some cool 70s music. It's not clear how or why his mother's activities would derail his life to such an extent. Since we take on the role of Frank basically, it's hard for the audience to distance itself from him and you do end up rooting for him. But of course his affliction is an obstacle to connecting entirely with him. And at some level, too, the movie as a whole fails to engage. Something is missing, not clear what. Perhaps it's the all-POV style that becomes tiring over time. Frank's relationship with Anna the photographer fails to have the impact it should. Maniac does have some neat late 70s/early 80s touches and makes for a different horror experience.
Frank clearly has issues. Next he goes on an internet date. During dinner he has to run to the bathroom to take meds. He suffers from migraine. They drive to her place, she seduces him, but it's not long before he chokes her and scalps her.
Aside from the migraine he also has visions or recollections of his youth. Frank's issues are mommy issues. She was a prostitute and he witnessed all sorts of activities when he was a little boy.
He sees an acrobatic performer practicing. He hides in a closet and watches her. Then he follows her, she runs, he locks her in a parking lot, slashes her Achilles tendon and stabs her. And scalps her.
Frank works as a mannequin restorer. One day a photographer stops at his place. She takes pictures of mannequins and is fascinated by his place. She rents some mannequins for an upcoming exhibition. Frank falls for her. And eventually she will learn what he's really about.
Maniac is filmed almost entirely in POV. But it's not the usual annoying shaky hand-held stuff. Rather, it's as if his eyes are the camera. We are truly seeing things from his perspective and hearing him talk to himself. The movie is gory and has some cool 70s music. It's not clear how or why his mother's activities would derail his life to such an extent. Since we take on the role of Frank basically, it's hard for the audience to distance itself from him and you do end up rooting for him. But of course his affliction is an obstacle to connecting entirely with him. And at some level, too, the movie as a whole fails to engage. Something is missing, not clear what. Perhaps it's the all-POV style that becomes tiring over time. Frank's relationship with Anna the photographer fails to have the impact it should. Maniac does have some neat late 70s/early 80s touches and makes for a different horror experience.