RMR: Maniac
So over the last few weeks I think I may have watched at least 10 different movies. Some random, some notable. I watched "Man of Steel" (Amazing, loved the last 45 minutes especially), "X-Men: First Class" (Michael Fassbender's performance as Magneto!), and Cloud Atlas (Had to buy the book afterwards). These and others were all great movies however there was one that just gripped me from the beginning and had me cringing in Cancun in the end and that was "Maniac". "Maniac" was a movie that was released earlier this year, but I guess America decided not to publicize it for some reason (Maybe the .gif below has some answers).
The movie is a remake of the 1980 movie with the same title; it was directed by Franck Khalfoun. It stars the retired hobbit Elijah Wood and a beautiful actress by the name of Nora Arnzeder. Spoilers ahead as usual but I have to tell you how absolutely crazy this movie was.
First off this is a slasher film, but 90% of the movie is shot in P.O.V. It's like the director attached a Go-Pro camera on Wood's chest during the filming. Slasher movies have been losing their flavor these last few years due to the success of ghost and demonic movies in the box office (Insidious 2 & Paranormal Activity anyone?) So for a director to revamp an old movie, and then add such a bizarre twist was a great idea in my opinion.
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| The lovely French maiden Anna |
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| Lucie from the online dating site. |
The plot is as follows, Wood plays a mannequin shop owner by the name of Frank. You can already tell this is some creepy stuff by the mannequins. Well Frank has a bit of a mental problem, he's slightly schizophrenic and scarred by his mother's constant whoring during his childhood. So he has a personal grudge against all those with the double X chromosome. Every once in awhile Frank goes hunting. In the subway, at a dance hall, through an online dating website; and every time Frank comes home with a trophy just like any other hunter.
Except these trophies are the scalps of his female victims. He decorates the heads of his mannequins with them. Life seems to be easy until a beautiful French photographer named Anna (Arnzeder) comes into his shop. He falls under her trance (I would too just from the way she speaks) and decides to help her with her project that just so happens to involve...mannequins. Well half the movie is him trying to appease her and the other half is him appeasing the demons that live in him. The demons always win.
What I particularly loved about this film was the P.O.V. I mentioned before. The director does a great job of allowing you to get in the mind of a maniac. The visual and sound effects are realistic, when Frank is opening his mouth in the mirror you can hear the pressure just like you would if you did the same. His "migraines" make you reach for your own bottle of Motrin. Other slasher films try and relate to the killer through a main character but how many times is the main character that killer? It's like being behind Jason Vorhees infamous hockey mask. However the single most important factor about the P.O.V. I love is the biological effects (breathing, heartbeat, etc). When Frank is hunting you can hone in on his breath and feel the energy surging through him. During the scene where Anna mentions his mom's name you can hear his heartbeat, and that right there sold me. You aren't just watching the murders, you become a part of them. As if you had either become some paranormal witness or the killer himself.
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| The Bride of the modern day Frankenstein |
What I also liked was Elijah Wood's performance. Now in my honest opinion, Wood hasn't gotten much of the limelight after his performance portraying the Shire born and bred hobbit Frodo. What the public doesn't know is that Wood has been perfecting his craft. He's explored his comedic side by starring in the hit-TV show Wilfred and was in another movie not too long ago, one of my personal favorites called "The Oxford Murders". Well in this movie he makes his first attempt at horror and he effortlessly plays the role. His character Frank soars over Anna's. His boyish nature is visible even during the murder scenes, his constant begging of his female victims to stay quiet is eerie and saddening at the same time. Part of you feels sorry for Frank, and part of you is absolutely disgusted by his actions. Frank's interactions with Anna let you see him as a normal man in love, but when he carries his knife you see the cold and calculating serial killer that stalks the streets. The movie does a great job of tying in the mannequins to the film. They are almost more real than their living breathing counterparts. Well at least that's what Frank thinks. My favorite scene would have to be the first one, you don't even see Frank until the carnage has passed and boy that death scene may be one of the best shot in awhile.
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| Notorious Frank |
This soundtrack was especially powerful. It's as if they revived the old synth machines from the 80's slasher films and remade some tracks. It has that campy feel to it but at some areas it does such a great job of creating the horror atmosphere. The use of songs in this movie is well placed too, the disco hit playing during the art exhibition speaks volumes about the movie and the lonely Frank. I had such a hart time choosing what song to pick but this is by far the scariest.
Haunted - ROB
My personal take on this movie slightly freaked me out. While watching Frank choose, stalk, kill and scalp his prey you start to wonder how you could do it differently. Maybe you shouldn't drive so close when you follow her down the street, or maybe you should tip the wine glass into the bathtub to alert your prey. It's eerie how the human mind works when it witnesses something from the first person point of view. I also liked how this movie was similar to "Drive". It cut out a great deal of dialogue and let the other areas of the movie tell the story. The subtle noises, the hand motions and the slow buildup of fear and anticipation. The two also do a great job in their death scenes, you can feel the adrenaline and release of power from them after the soul escapes their victim. I think Lucie's death gripped me the most, the way he watches the life escape her, and the ferocity at which he pulls away her scalp. These movies allow the suspense to crawl up your spine without noticing until it's time to deliver the final blow. Overall this movie was great in my opinion, a magnificent and new twist on slasher films. It's quite gory which is why America and the MPAA decided to film it in select locations. I recommend checking this movie out if you're looking for a good horror movie to scare your friends, however it's probably not the best movie to watch on a first date though. You may creep out your partner.
Fear: 3/5 (More gore & violence than fear)
Soundtrack: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 2/5 (Frank & The Mannequins steal the show)
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| #FreshCutFridays |
Cheers,
~white rabbit
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