The only reason that I saw Maniac (1980) was because I saw the remake Maniac (2012) starring Elijah Wood. While Maniac (2012) is more thematically conscious, I preferred Maniac (1980) as a solid slasher film though I would not recommend that you see it since there are better ones out there-John Carpenter’s Halloween. First, it is set in NYC, and not the corporate sponsored NYC of today, but the gritty, filthy NYC of the 1970s. Second, the crimes are more realistic-they feel like a mashup of Zodiac and Son of Sam. Third, while Maniac (1980) is gruesome, it is dated so it feels gruesome in a nostalgic awww, look what they used to think is scary way. Fourth, I love Elijah Wood, but it made no sense why anyone would talk to him in the context of the movie because he clearly seemed gone whereas when the star and writer of Maniac (1980) is not killing and around people, he seems like a normal, somewhat schlubby and sweaty guy who is good at engaging people and even seems somewhat sweet. Fifth, the scene in the subway with the nurse really gets me because my mom was a nurse at that time and would leave work late too. Still I’m not signing a waiver on the my mother was abusive so now I have to kill trope. I want scientific studies, people! Enough! Also why was the photographer not in the least disturbed that he came uninvited to her home and did not wonder how he found her?