Maniac, a video nasty which was banned by the BBFC back in the day and passed in 2002 with cuts, has been remade by French director Franck Khalfoun along with producing partner Alexandre Aja (co-author of the script). The Bill Lustig splatter flick starred Joe Spinell as a serial killer haunting the streets of NYC who likes to get handy with a shotgun on lover’s lane and stuff like that. The original features possibly the goriest shotgun death scene ever put on screen (courtesy of effects man Tom Savini) and how will this new version be able to top that?!

Maniac sees Elijah Wood turn into Elijah Blood (see what I did there?) as the psycho killer and Nora Arnezeder plays Anna, the dame who befriends the nutcase and lives to regret it. A trio of official production stills have been put out online and you can see them below. Maniac will be screening on May 26th at the Cannes Film Festival as part of the Midnight line-up.

And check out the original clip from Maniac where Tom Savini’s face meets a shotgun shell. It’s pretty darn gross. The legendary KNB effects house are handling the gore work on this one. Could be a good’un.

Just when the streets seemed safe, a serial killer with a fetish for scalps is back and on the hunt. Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna appears asking for his help with her new exhibition. As their friendship develops and Frank’s obsession escalates, it becomes clear that she has unleashed a long-repressed compulsion to stalk and kill.

The original poster:

Source: Indiewire