Maniac (1980) & (2012)
I have seen the original Maniac only once before; so after watching this Elijah Wood featuring 2012 version I just instantly decided to revisit the original to make a 'fair' comparison as I could hardly recall anything about that 1980 cult classic. One thing I was pretty sure that William Lustig's clinical take on Joe Spinell's script didn't actually impressed me first time but that was about 6 to 7 years ago when I was quite newb as a horror movie viewer. Anyway, I think Joe Spinell did his best to portray the titular character considering his caliber as an actor back in the early 80s. For those great special effects from a young Tom Savini the film was quite effective on visual display of violence & gore as it was intended but it may not that good of a horror film in compare to its other particular subgenre of movies. But still 80s
Maniac is recommendable for honorable mention as it's little more than just a nasty little Grindhouse flick, IMO.
Now, about the 2012 version: though there are some similarities in plot elements with the original but I think it deserve to be categorized as a re-imagining remake. Partly scripted by Alexander Aja & directed by Franck Khalfoun (
P2), there are some fine changes or modifications they made regarding character attributes & plot developments in this new Maniac. And I appreciated that from the beginning to the end. To bring the viewer into the mind of a rampant lunatic, they shot the film almost entirely from the first-person perspective of the title character where Elijah Wood on the role still shines convincingly only through reflections on mirror & glass, dream sequences & photographs as one fractured young man. It was brutal and I liked it and I think some of my favorite HDCian friends here...V, Chrono, Newb, EC, Ferox may also going to like it.
>>(for both): B+