Mania Killer Blu Ray Review (Full Moon Features)
Mania Killer (aKa Maniac Killer) is a 1987 horror film directed by Andrea Bianchi (Burial Ground, What the Peeper Saw, Cry of a Prostitute, Strip Nude for Your Killer, Malabimba, Angel of Death, and Massacre). It was written by Georges Friedland (The Panther Squad, Angel of Death, and Night of the Eagles), Marius Lesoeur (Golden Jail, Women Behind Bars, Captive Women 4, and Angel of Death), and H.L. Rostaine (Cannibal Terror, Golden Jail, The Man with the Severed Head, and Helga, She Wolf of Stilberg). It was produced by Daniel Lesoeur (Angel of Death, The Panther Squad, Night of the Eagles, Diamonds of Kilimandjaro, Oasis of the Zombies, Zombie Lake, and Devil Hunter).
A malevolent religious cult lead by Gondrand (played by: Robert Ginty from Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, The Exterminator 1/2, Two-Minute Warning, Gold Raiders, Madhouse, Warrior of the Lost World, and Vietnam, Texas) stalks a French village aided by Professor Roger Osborne (played by: Chuck Connors from Tourist Trap, Taxi Killer, Terror Squad, Werewolf, Airplane II: The Sequel, and The Rifleman). They start kidnapping prostitutes and subjecting them to unimaginable torments under the guise of saving their souls. When a young man’s girlfriend is taken by the sect, he teams up with a mob of angry pimps including the vengeful Count Silvano (played by: Bo Svenson from The Inglorious Bastards, Inglourious Basterds, Kill Bill, Walking Tall franchise, Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker, Curse II: The Bite, and Beyond the Door III) to track down the maniacal holy rolling killers and put an end to their bloody mission, once and for all!!!!
Mania Killer also known as Maniac Killer had all the right ingredients when it comes to a quality 80’s horror flick. It had a great name, several talented actors, and a cult director with a great reputation. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t live up to all of that but it’s still solid and it has it’s moments. This one does get a little weird and bizarre at times which adds to it’s charm. The script and concept is all over the place here, it tries to be a few different sub-genres but it doesn’t really settle on any. I think it would have been so much better if it was just aimed at the cult angle because that’s the best material in Mania Killer. It has a very impressive cast for it’s super low budget production. I think most of these respected and known actors were just trying to keep busy at the time but it definitely increased the quality of the feature. It’s some of the better performances from Robert Ginty, Chuck Connors, and Bo Svenson later in their careers. Plus it had a solid supporting cast that included Suzanne Andrews (Angel of Death), Stanley Kapoul (The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak), Dora Doll (Women in Cellblock 9), and Olivier Mathot (White Cannibal Queen). Mania Killer drags a little bit and it does try to put too many sub-plots in but it’s still a decent low budget horror film from the 80’s. Full Moon is killing it with these rare Eurocine features.
Let’s talk about the high definition presentation from Full Moon Features! This 1080p (1.66:1) transfer is a massive upgrade compared to all those low quality VHS, DVD, and bootleg home video releases over the years. This obscure 80’s horror flick has been through hell and this is the best it’s ever looked in it’s cinematic history. It has a few different audio options which includes English Dolby Digital 2.0 and 5.1 tracks. These are also an upgrade compared to past releases. All of the dialogue is clean, all the action is elevated, and the music has a nice boost to it. The only extras it has is a few “Euro-Cult Trailers” which includes Naked Girl Murdered in the Park, Barbed Wire Dolls, Love Letters To A Portuguese Nun, Satanic Sisters, Voodoo Passion, and Women In Cell Block 9. It’s a Full Moon Direct exclusive for a few more weeks. It’s available everywhere on November 9th, CHECK IT OUT!!!!
