Maniac Cop (1988)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

William Lustig

Writer:

Larry Cohen (written by)

Release Date:

13 May 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

You have the right to remain silent. Forever.

Plot:

In New York, a man in a cop's uniform starts killing people for no apparent reason.

Plot Keywords:

Mass Killing | Woman's Neck Broken | Mini Skirt | Nude Fight Scene | Neck Break

Cast

Tom Atkins	...	Frank McCrae
Bruce Campbell	...	Jack Forrest
Laurene Landon	...	Theresa Mallory
Richard Roundtree	...	Commissioner Pike
William Smith	...	Capt. Ripley
Robert Z'Dar	...	Matt Cordell
Sheree North	...	Sally Noland
Nina Arvesen	...	Regina Sheperd (as Nina Aversen)
Nick Barbaro	...	Councilman
Lou Bonacki	...	Det. Lovejoy
Barry Brenner	...	Coroner
Victoria Catlin	...	Ellen Forrest
James Dixon	...	Clancy
Corey Michael Eubanks	...	Bremmer
Jill Gatsby	...	Cassie Phillips

Runtime:

85 min | Canada:88 min (DVD version) | USA:91 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (video premiere) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (video premiere) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:R | France:-12 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Shapiro-Glickenhaus Home Video

Trivia:

Cameo: [Sam Raimi] [makes a brief cameo as the parade reporter.]

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Theresa is trying to escape the maniac, the corpse of the police sergeant he's just stabbed helpfully moves out of the way so that she can throw a stool through the window.

Quotes:

Desk sergeant: They don't make cops like him anymore. He was one of a kind.
Frank McCrae: He still is.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick (2003) (VG)

Soundtrack:

WALK THE FLOOR

An 80s trash classic! One of my real guilty pleasures.

'Maniac Cop' is the most enjoyable of William Lustig's movies for me. If I was being objective I'd have to admit that it's stupid trash, but I love it just the same, and never tire of watching it. The team of Lustig ('Maniac', 'Vigilante') as director and the legendary Larry Cohen ('Q', 'The Stuff') as writer really worked well here. Each sequel is slightly worse than the one before - though still entertaining enough - and their latter day attempt to start a similar franchise with the overlooked 'Uncle Sam' wasn't as successful, though that movie was a lot of fun for me. Facially challenged b-grade regular Robert Z'Dar ('Cherry 2000', 'Tango And Cash') "stars" as Matt Cordell the Maniac Cop, but the real drawing card here are cult favourites Tom Atkins ('The Fog', 'Escape From New York') and Bruce Campbell ('Evil Dead', 'Crimewave'), who are both always cool to watch. The supporting cast includes the legendary William Smith ('Run, Angel, Run', 'The Ultimate Warrior'), original Shaft Richard Roundtree, and Laurene Landon and Frank Pesce, both regulars of Lustig and/or Cohen. Lustig himself pops up in a cameo, as does his Uncle 'Raging Bull' Jake LaMotta, director pal Sam Raimi, and the ubiquitous 'Buck' Flower. I love 'Maniac Cop', an 80s trash classic that I enjoy every time I watch it. Highly recommended fun!