Maniac Cop series discussion

[James M]

Who has seen this classic horror/action series? I think it's great, especially the original. It has a great cast featuring Bruce Campbell and Tom Atkins, and there's some great tension and action, especially towards the end.

For those who haven't seen the movies, the plot of the original goes like this...in New York City, someone in a policeman's uniform starts killing random people. After Officer Jack Forrest's (Bruce Campbell) wife, who recently caught him cheating amongst other marital problems is found killed in the motel Jack and his girlfriend were staying, Jack is suspected and taken into custody. Jack swears he didn't do it, but all signs point to him. Meanwhile, Lt. Frank McCrae (Tom Atkins) is trying to find out who the real Maniac Cop is, but Commissioner Pike (Richard Roundtree) and Captain Ripley (William Smith) are quite sure it's Jack, and have no interest in Frank's investigation. Might a Dirty Harry-esque cop who was sent to prison to be killed have anything to do with these crimes?

You can check out a great site for the series at www.ManiacCop.com

[Rich]

I only saw the first one. I got it on dvd for like $4 in a store. It was one of those Canadian cheap dvds. The quality was vhs quality, but the movie was a good one. I never saw the sequels.

[Lammert]

I love Maniac Cop 2... it's such a great B-movie. I wish that the police station shootout would have taken longer, it's my favorite scene from the entire trilogy! :)

[Jigsaw]

I haven't seen the original but I saw the sequels a few years back on cable. I remember liking Part 2 but Part 3 was only average.

[Joshg]

I've only seen the first one. I bought it on DVD late last year. It's a pretty good film. 7/10

[Kat]

I would probably like these better if I liked Robert Z'Dar for whatever reason I cannot stand the man as an actor. I hear he is a really cool guy to meet though.

[James M]

I only saw the first one. I got it on dvd for like $4 in a store. It was one of those Canadian cheap dvds. The quality was vhs quality, but the movie was a good one. I never saw the sequels.

If you liked the movie, you ought to check out the newer DVD of it. It features a commentary track with director William Lustig, writer/producer Larry Cohen, Bruce Campbell, and composer Jay Chattaway, as well as a 12-minute interview with Robert Z'Dar and several trailers and TV spots.

[Joshg]

Hey, didn't Lustig direct "Maniac" too?

[James M]

Indeed he did.

[Titan]

I wanna see this one. I hear a lot of things about it but I never see it anywhere. I guess I gotta look harder.

[CampNewBlood]

I am ashamed to say that I have never laid eyeballs on Maniac Cop or the sequels. I have been wanting to buy them though.

[Ron]

I am ashamed to say that I have never laid eyeballs on Maniac Cop or the sequels. I have been wanting to buy them though.

you're not alone..I really need to step my game up and buy these ASAP

[nottidelterrore]

I'm a fan of all three movies. The first being my favourite with the second being right behind it. I liked the third movie a lot but it's inferior to the previous entries in the series. Producers are to blame for that. It's still a fun movie though.

It's good to see Atkins & Campbell in the same movie. Atkins in one of his best roles....drinking more alcohol & being a cop. Campbell's role is a step away from his Evil Dead role as Ash because he doesn't put up the fight like Ash would. He's in jail for about a third of the movie anyway. Maybe longer. It's a good role for him. Laurene Landon is tough in this one too. Not as tough as she was in Hundra but that's a different story.

The second one was more action-packed with Leo Rossi as another killer with a giant beard & the urge to kill strippers. There's a police station massacre scene pretty much like the same scene in The Terminator. Blood splatters everywhere. And we get to see Laurene Landon wield a chainsaw, which she said she brought on the set from her garage, to no avail against Cordell's grip. And the beautiful Claudia Christian is in this as well as the great Robert Davi.

The third is voodoo themed & Cordell is a protector of sorts against a female cop that was framed for something she didn't do because a newsteam messed with the footage they shot to make it look like she shot an innocent person in cold blood. Cordell clears her...and still manages to off a few innocents. And it's always good seeing Doug Savant playing a prick. In this movie, he's a prick doctor. The role rivals his appearance in Trick or Treat as Tim the prick.

A fun trilogy of movies that I enjoy immensely.

[MaDMaNMaRz]

I really enjoy the first Maniac Cop. It's actually been quite a while since i've seen 2 and 3. I need to get those.

I agree, notti. It was great seeing Atkins and Campbell in the same movie. I'm a big fan of both.

Haha, that's right. Leo Rossi was in 2. I forgot about the beard, though. LOL

[nottidelterrore]

He's beard is HUGE. It makes me laugh.

If you've seen the extended Japanese scenes from the first Maniac Cop, Rossi plays the mayor's assistant...without the beard.

[James M]

Today is the 20th anniversary of Maniac Cop's theatrical release.

[nottidelterrore]

A happy birthday to Maniac Cop! :D

[Joshg]

What a coicidence that I just happened to write a review for it last week. Hmmm,

Go Maniac Cop! Wow, 20 years.

[Scarecrow]

I've seen only the firts but enjoyed it a lot. Have access to part 2 so will give it a go sometime!


- Scarecrow

[nottidelterrore]

I'm really hoping that we can convince First Look Entertainment to either release Maniac Cop 2 on DVD(they gave us a pretty nice MC3 DVD but it lacked special features) or come down on their price so someone like Synapse or Blue Underground could give us an awesome special edition. I know if Blue Underground got ahold of it, Bill Lustig would make sure we got an amazing release. :D

[Chucky's back]

I love Maniac Cop 2... it's such a great B-movie. I wish that the police station shootout would have taken longer, it's my favorite scene from the entire trilogy! :)
My favourite scene used to be that one to, then I saw part 3 and loved the awesome car chase at end of the film. He's driving the freakin' car while he's on fire! That must've been very unpleasant and complicated for the stuntman.

[girlychaos]

The Maniac Cop movies are on my list. I've never watched any and I've been really looking forward to for a while now...hopefully I'll get to see them soon enough.

[nottidelterrore]

I think you'll enjoy them, GC. The Maniac Cop movies are a pretty solid trilogy.

[Special Killa B]

That must've been very unpleasant and complicated for the stuntman.


That was a stuntman? :D:p

Is there any word on a DVD release of Maniac Cop 2? I bought part 1 last year when it came out and I've been waiting patiently to complete the trilogy!! Do you know how empty my movie collection looks with just 1 and 3!!!! :mad:

[nottidelterrore]

That was a stuntman? :D:p

Is there any word on a DVD release of Maniac Cop 2? I bought part 1 last year when it came out and I've been waiting patiently to complete the trilogy!! Do you know how empty my movie collection looks with just 1 and 3!!!! :mad:

First Look Entertainment owns the rights to Maniac Cop 2 & Maniac Cop 3 but hasn't put out MC 2 for some reason. And their asking price for it is pretty high from what I hear. That's why Synapse never picked it up. The funny thing is that First Look put out Maniac Cop 3 on DVD & the picture quality is really good. The only special feature is the trailer though. Better than nothing, I guess.

[Special Killa B]

First Look Entertainment owns the rights to Maniac Cop 2 & Maniac Cop 3 but hasn't put out MC 2 for some reason. And their asking price for it is pretty high from what I hear. That's why Synapse never picked it up. The funny thing is that First Look put out Maniac Cop 3 on DVD & the picture quality is really good. The only special feature is the trailer though. Better than nothing, I guess.


thanks for the info. Hopefully they'll get MC2 on the shelves soon at a reasonable price.

[James M]

Singing the petition below may help. ;) Tell your friends.

[Special Killa B]

Singing the petition below may help. ;) Tell your friends.

Did that a month ago my good friend.

[nottidelterrore]

Thanks for signing it! Hopefully we can get enough signatures to get their attention. I'd be content if First Look released it themselves but would rather them lower their asking price so someone like Synapse or Blue Underground could give us a great release. Blue Underground especially since I know Bill would give it uber treatment. He's very proud of Maniac Cop 2. :)

[Jigsaw]

I signed the petition a while back. Hopefully we can get MC2 on DVD along with the unrated cut of MC3.

[Special Killa B]

yeah both copies would be nice, I would gladly trade my current MC3 for a unrated one.

[nottidelterrore]

I can't even tell the difference between the R-rated & unrated versions of Maniac Cop 3. The VHS I have is unrated & I honestly didn't notice anything different. Probably a few seconds of gore were shortened, I'm guessing.

[Jigsaw]

Even if the differences are minimal, it'd be nice to get MC3 on DVD unrated or at least have the unrated footage as a special feature.

[nottidelterrore]

If it's a split second or a few seconds of gore missing, having that as special feature would be kind of pointless.

[Jigsaw]

It'd still be good to have the footage available anyway, regardless of how minimal the trims or cuts were.

[nottidelterrore]

Releasing the unrated version would be the more intelligent thing to do instead of having the option to watch a brief few seconds of gore then having the screen go back to the extras menu.

[Jigsaw]

I agree, and hopefully the unrated cut of MC3 is the one that'll get a DVD release somewhere down the line.

[Scarecrow]

I heard he's not such a villain in Part 3, is that the case at all?

- Scarecrow

[Jigsaw]

Don't really remember enough to answer, but I seem to very vaguely remember that MC3 did make him somewhat of a more tragic character.

[nottidelterrore]

He became a protector of sorts for Officer Kate Sullivan, a gunned down police officer that was made to look like a "maniac cop" herself by a few cameramen who edited their footage to put her in a negative light.

[Jigsaw]

Thanks for the clarification. My memory of both MC sequels is so vague and I still haven't seen the original :(

[James M]

Cordell is sort of an anti-hero in MC 3, killing only devious people (not gonna count those two cops being shot on the stairs, blatantly lifted from MC 2) until the end when he goes after McKinney and Susan, I guess cause they got in the way of his plans. One could argue the main villains are Jessup and Tribble & Bishop.

[God of Thunder]

The first one is pretty kickass, I haven't gotten the chance to see the other 2 yet. By the way, is the Legacy DVD cut? That's the version I have. I think I saw the VHS a long time ago but I can't remember too much about it.

[nottidelterrore]

The Legacy version should be uncut. It also has the extended scenes added into the film.

[Ron]

I loved the first one. I'll definitley sign the petition to try and get 2 on dvd. It's worth a shot right?

[Patrick]

This is another film series I have never seen. I just signed the petition also. I am gonna try and get the first and 3rd off of eBay.

[nottidelterrore]

Thanks for signing the petition! :)

The third shouldn't be much on the net. I got mine for under $10.

[Lance Lives]

I saw the special edition of part 1 at Barnes and Nobel for about 26 bucks. I was planning on getting it but we left and we came back to grab some stuff from that store it had just closed! I was a bit unstoked, but hopefully I can find a copy for a bit cheaper than that.

[Scarecrow]

What does the special edition come with?


- Scarecrow

[Patrick]

Thanks for signing the petition! :)

The third shouldn't be much on the net. I got mine for under $10.

Yea they have both Parts 1 and 3 for under $10 a piece.

[nottidelterrore]

It depends on which version of the first you get. The Legacy version is cheap as hell with VHS picture quality. The Synapse version is the one that's pricey but is a pretty good special edition. Unless that version is under $10 as well. I haven't checked the price on that in awhile.

[Patrick]

Ok thanks. yea, I am gonna make sure which one it is I am getting beforehand.

[Lance Lives]

What does the special edition come with?


- Scarecrow

I know that there is a commentary featuring Bruce Campbell which is enough to make me hold out for, I'm pretty sure there's a bunch more stuff, I'm pretty sure it's a good release.

[James M]

The SE has a commentary (William Lustig, Larry Cohen, Bruce Campbell, Jay Chattaway), a retrospective interview with Robert Z'Dar, additional scenes later filmed for Japanese TV (these are in the movie on the Legacy DVD...I think it's better without these scenes, myself) trailers, and TV spots.

[nottidelterrore]

And the picture quality of the Synapse version is beautiful.

[The Dream Master]

Maniac Cop 3 has one of the most bad ass moments ever committed to film: McKinney using Cordell's flaming, severed arm to light his cigarette. Awesome.

[nottidelterrore]

After the whole car chase scene where Cordell chases McKinney & Dr. Fowler...while on fire. Haha.

[The Dream Master]

Cordell is nothing if not persistent.

I'm still waiting for a Maniac Cop 4 that furthers the exploits of Cordell and his bride. ;)

[Ron]

I'd be down for another Maniac Cop installment.

[Lammert]

What I love most about these films is the police station massacre scene in Maniac Cop 2, felt almost like the one in the first Terminator.

Great scene! :)

[nottidelterrore]

Here are some upcoming cable televsion airings of Maniac Cop 3:

Showtime Extreme
Sep 08 12:05 AM EST

Flix
Sep 09 3:30 AM EST

Showtime Extreme
Sep 13 8:30 PM EST

Showtime Next
Sep 14 3:20 AM EST

http://www.sho.com/site/schedules/product_page.do?seriesid=0&episodeid=131565

[MaDMaNMaRz]

I saw Maniac Cop 3 was on yesterday, but not in time! I tuned into it around the time of the end credits. :( I haven't seen the series in such a long time, and i've been wanting to for awhile. If I see the original on DVD when i'm out, i'll definitely have to pick it up. I really wish I had when Best Buy used to carry it.

[Ron]

That's a real kick in the nads Marz. I hate when that happens so I can feel your pain. I still need to get my hands on 3.

[nottidelterrore]

I hate when that happens. Even though I own Maniac Cop 3, I'd really like to watch it on a cable channel since I've never watched it that way before.

[Ron]

Yeah, I like to watch movie that I already own on cable to see if there are alternate cuts for tv.

[nottidelterrore]

It'd be cool to watch Maniac Cop 3 during one of those airings & find something new! Don't think it'll happen though but I'm going to mark one of the dates on my calendar & watch it. :)

[nottidelterrore]

Apparently First Look Studios released Maniac Cop 2 on DVD last October according to Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Maniac-Cop-2/dp/B0016MJ6P6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1221576282&sr=8-5

Looks like it was a limited release & has been discontinued already. Andrew(the guy who runs MC.com with me) & I snagged a few copies so we could each have one. It's in full screen & is about VHS quality(or slightly better). No special features. Not even a trailer. It's better than nothing though.

I scanned the cover & disc for it:

http://www.maniaccop.com/maniaccop2firstlookcover.jpg

http://www.maniaccop.com/maniaccop2firstlookdisc.jpg

This slipped completely under the radar. :thinking:

[The Dream Master]

Strange. DVD Aficionado doesn't have a listing for this, but they are showing a First Look release of a box set in France. Could it be a well-disguised bootleg that was sold on Amazon Marketplace?

[nottidelterrore]

It's legit because my copy was brand new with the plastic on it as well as the security stickers on the top(the one that says the title & lists the UPC) & bottom. It also had the security tag on the inside.

First Look also has a page for it on their site's catalog.

http://www.firstlookstudios.com/catalogFLHE.aspx?projectid=b0e43613-78bc-4594-b697-657143a323b7&index=679&productid=20e1ffc3-e8ce-43b5-89c6-988891c90f50

I sent in the info for it earlier today on DVD Aficionado so hopefully they'll put a listing up for it. I own the First Look French steelbook set. I actually added that one some months ago. :)

[The Dream Master]

Well fuck, then. How did that slip under the radar?

[nottidelterrore]

It's a huge mystery. What's even funnier is that it seems to have been released before I made the petition.

I emailed Bill Lustig earlier about the DVD. Hopefully he'll have some news about it.

The only other place I've seen it for sale besides the Amazon Marketplace is CD Universe but it's on backorder.

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7662600&style=movie

[Scarecrow]

Finally gona grab Maniac Cop 2 from the Uni archive today, hopefully it'll be decent.

- Scarecrow

[MaDMaNMaRz]

Maniac Cop 3 was on later last night, but I missed it......AGAIN! :( I really wish we had the plan to include the DVR. I really need to start looking for the VHS and DVD of all of them. I went to Suncoast today to see if they had the original, but they didn't have it.

[nottidelterrore]

If you get stuff off Amazon, they're your best bet. Maniac Cop 3 is a cheapie DVD. If you want a cheapie copy of Maniac Cop to hold you over until you get the Synapse version, I recommend the Legacy version. The quality is shit but it's cheap.

Hopefully once that happens, your computer will stop being a douche & you can make your return to the MC boards. We miss you over there. :(

[MaDMaNMaRz]

This is the 3rd time i've missed it. :( I'll have to just order them from Amazon. Or if i'm ever out, i'll look for the original.

I miss it over there. :( I don't know why my computer is acting up. Not only can I not post on pro-boards, but for some reason I can't copy and paste links anymore. Weird. :duh:

[nottidelterrore]

I see some cheap copies of MC3 floating around on Ebay too. Both are on Best Buy's site too. Maniac Cop 2 will be a bitch to find though unless you randomly come across a cheap VHS or find the sneaky new DVD online somewhere.

It seems like they caused more problems for your computer when they fixed it. Jerks!

[MaDMaNMaRz]

They are jerks. :mad: I took it in to remove viruses and such, and then I get it back with problems that weren't there. Damn Geek Squad. :lol:

[nottidelterrore]

It's a damn shame too.

If you check Showtime's site, there are still a handful of Maniac Cop 3 airings in the near future. Seems they're playing the poop out of it. Now if they'd just play the poop out of the other two.

[The Dream Master]

I saw part 2 on Encore Action about a month ago, but haven't seen it on there since.

[nottidelterrore]

Sweet! Looks like they'll be airing it again...but not until November 1st though.

http://www.encoretv.com/appmanager/seg/e?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=movie_detail&vid=726718&eid=-1

[The Dream Master]

The funny thing about that is that I had just watched it on VHS like 3 days before, but you know I watched that shit on TV anyway. :)

[nottidelterrore]

Nice!

There's just something about watching movies like that on TV since they're pretty obscure these days & whatnot. I know they were hits on video back in the day.

Here are some screen shots of the sneaky Maniac Cop 2 DVD:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c332/albadeimorti/ad497ed0.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c332/albadeimorti/d9a4a69b.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c332/albadeimorti/acf61353.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c332/albadeimorti/697df795.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c332/albadeimorti/ab61c864.jpg

[Scarecrow]

I grabbed it so going to have a double bill of the firts towe films, hopefully. :)


- Scarecrow

[nottidelterrore]

That's cool, Scarecrow. I hope you enjoy them! :)

*Edit*

Maniac Cop 2 also comes on Sunday, November 16th, 12:05 AM EST on Encore Action.

http://www.starz.com/titles/ManiacCop2

[Scarecrow]

Didn't quite pull off the double as my girlfriend was feeling ill but watched the first yesterday and plan to watch Part 2 today. I actually liked the firts more thna I have before, it has acertain late eighties style that works, a nice line in paranoia and kills offthe main guy half way through in a wonderful twist. Shame the make-up is so inconsistant at the end!


- Scarecrow
ADDED:
Part 2 was actually superior to the first and certainly had a higher budget. A shame to see Bruce killed off so soon! And then there's a nasty moment where Teresa(?) gets it, but at least she put up a fight! I loved how the Maniac Cop was portrayed, almost a targoc character. In the first he wanted revenge on those who dmane dhim but having been stopped, he now wants the whole city to burn apparently... but I adore that it all comes down to clearing his name. Not sure how Part 3 works now his name is cleared and he's buried with honours. I do love how he abandons his plan to release criminals once his charges are dropped and he just goes to kill the prisoners that attacked him... can finally rest in peace it comes across! Oh and Claudia "Susan Ivonava in Babylon 5" Christianson was in this... as another Susan! That was awesome. :D


- Scarecrow

[nottidelterrore]

I slightly prefer the first over the second film but I do notice a lot of people like Maniac Cop 2 the best. It's a great sequel with loads of action & explosions. And Leo Rossi's singing voice & an annoyed Danny Trejo.

He is revived in Maniac Cop 3 by a voodoo priest. Cordell tries to clear an innocent cop while she's dying in a hospital...& make her his bride. It's pretty cheesy but a fun sequel. Not too many people like it though. He's more of a protector in this one but still offs a handful of people.

[Lance Lives]

Damn it dude, I got so close. I was actually watching part 1 on Netflix Instant Watch or whatever the hell, and I got an hour and 5 minutes into the apparently hour and 25 minute long movie and it froze up. I hit refresh since I had no idea what would happen and it tried to start over. I then couldn't get it to work...I'm hoping I'm experiencing slow internet because a lot of people are on right now and I can finish later...if not, consider me PISSED!

[nottidelterrore]

Yeah it clocks in at around 85 minutes so you're right about the running time.

That sucks you didn't get to finish it. Hopefully you can. It has a cool chase scene & ending.

[Lance Lives]

Yeah, it seems like movies I really want to see, I have to go through hell before I can ever get the job done. My quest to see the Burning for the first time was awful, but now I own it so all is fine.

Looks like I'll have to try again after 11 or so because the traffic is really killing my internet speed.

[nottidelterrore]

Tim, if you get Encore Action, Maniac Cop 2 comes on three times in November. The newest date is November 25th at 2:05 AM EST.

Maniac Cop 3 has been on Showtime-related channels a good deal lately as well.

[Lance Lives]

Yeah, I'm praying I'll have seen Maniac Cop 1 at least once before those Encore dates roll around. Thanks for the heads up...too bad I don't get Showtime though.

[Ron]

I just bought Maniac Cop 3 off Amazon. I can't wait to watch it. Then, I can truly await 4.

[Lance Lives]

Thankfully I was able to finish part 1. I thought it ruled...I had been wanting to see it forever. I can't wait to check out part 2 now...apparently there's no official DVD release on that?

[nottidelterrore]

Glad you liked it. :)

Apparently there was an official release but it was completely out of nowhere & very few copies are circulating. First Look Studios own the rights to Maniac Cop 2 & that's what it says on the DVD I have. It's also listed on Amazon as being discontinued by the manufacturer. I, as well as the dude who runs MC.Com with me, got our copies off Amazon. He bought a few more when they popped up last week. One may be for a contest that we might hold in the future.

Before First Look revamped their site, they had a page for Maniac Cop 2 on there with the same DVD cover art that's used for the release as well as a catalog number. The UPC's also matched up. Now you have to get login info & a password from First Look to view their catalog, which I think is lame.

The whole thing with the Maniac Cop 2 DVD is just pretty odd. I wish I knew what the hell was going on.

Maniac Cop 3 is hella easy to get. It's cheap on Amazon. It's also owned by the same people that own Maniac Cop 2.

[Scarecrow]

I wonder how a Part 4 will work, considering the ending of Part 2. Or will they have a "new" Maniac Cop perhaps?


- Scarecrow

[Chucky's back]

I wonder how a Part 4 will work, considering the ending of Part 2. Or will they have a "new" Maniac Cop perhaps?


- Scarecrow
Well, Robert Z'Dar isn't gonna play him in the new one so that might be possible.

[Ron]

Nah, I see them continuing with the Matt Cordell character. Screw a new "maniac cop":shame:

[nottidelterrore]

I'd like to see the return of Matt Cordell....but it has to be someone that can do the character(Robert Z'Dar) justice, someone who can give a rad performance with intimdating body language.

I'm also open to there being a new Maniac Cop. I'm just glad that this series has some life in it & that we're going to get something new.

[Scarecrow]

I thinkthe central important notion is that of the revenant, a creature returning from the dead not because it's evil but because it's been badly wronged. Most interesting aspect of the films.


- Scarecrow

[DrSpengler]

Dug out my old VHS of "Maniac Cop" (http://pellecreepy.blogspot.com/2008/10/maniac-cop-1988.html) today since this thread got me real nostalgic for it (and I'd been meaning to review it, anyway).

Man, such a good slasher flick. I really need to get ahold of 2 and 3. It's been so long since I've seen them that I can hardly remember them.

[Scarecrow]

I still find the flashback to Cordell's detah as a kind of Hollywood take on Argento sequences. A bit brighter, and mroe vibrant blood, and it'd be very Argento, especially with the music.


- Scarecrow

[DrSpengler]

I still find the flashback to Cordell's detah as a kind of Hollywood take on Argento sequences. A bit brighter, and mroe vibrant blood, and it'd be very Argento, especially with the music.


- Scarecrow

The music was what made that scene so incredibly strange. It was the kind of melody you'd hear when looking at a baby in a crib. Very unusual, but it made what might otherwise have been a very silly fight scene come off as eerie and creepy.

[nottidelterrore]

Dug out my old VHS of "Maniac Cop" (http://pellecreepy.blogspot.com/2008/10/maniac-cop-1988.html) today since this thread got me real nostalgic for it (and I'd been meaning to review it, anyway).

Man, such a good slasher flick. I really need to get ahold of 2 and 3. It's been so long since I've seen them that I can hardly remember them.

Good review, Doc. :)

[Ron]

The weird thing is I expected to hate the Maniac Cop films. I don't know why, I just did, but it was quite the contrary. I love the Maniac Cop franchise and I'm glad that it will continue. I just hope that this next installment does take a turn 'Shit Street'.

[Scarecrow]

The music was what made that scene so incredibly strange. It was the kind of melody you'd hear when looking at a baby in a crib. Very unusual, but it made what might otherwise have been a very silly fight scene come off as eerie and creepy.

Certainly, but the music would just be such a standard for Argento and it seems unlikely he wasn't an influence. Profondo Rossos flashbacks in paticular come to mind.

- Scarecrow

[DrSpengler]

Certainly, but the music would just be such a standard for Argento and it seems unlikely he wasn't an influence. Profondo Rossos flashbacks in paticular come to mind.

- Scarecrow

Oh I wasn't disagreeing, just remarking how great the music made that scene. It certainly had that bizarre Argento vibe to it, if mostly because Argento was always big on using music to get an abstract concept across to an audience.

To go off on a tangent, it bugs me how music is treated like such an after thought in horror movies these days, when it can really make or break a film's atmosphere. I honestly can't think of any horror film from the past 5 or 6 years that had a memorable and effectual score.

[Scarecrow]

True. Even Christopher Young's score for The Grudge, whilst better than many, isn't quite up to his usual standards. That said the main Saw theme is already iconic and great individual peice of music.


- Scarecrow

[Scarecrow]

First Maniac Cop fanfilm?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UAeb2u9jGxQ&eurl=http://www.ohmb.net/showthread.php?t=14047



- Scarecrow

[nottidelterrore]

Anybody here get a kick out of the Maniac Cop Rap that plays during the end credits of Maniac Cop 2? I love it. Hilarious shit.

[James M]

Who can't love these lyrics: "Light him on fire, I shoot him with an uzi, but he'll show up in your jacuzzi." Seems like half of late 80s-early 90s movies had a plot retrospective rap during the end credits.

[Lance Lives]

Who can't love these lyrics: "Light him on fire, I shoot him with an uzi, but he'll show up in your jacuzzi." Seems like half of late 80s-early 90s movies had a plot retrospective rap during the end credits.

Yeah:duh: What's the deal with that? Funny for sure, but kinda strange. The one from Maniac Cop 2 is terrible, but good for a laugh.


I finally watched the whole series. I personally found the second to be the best, and I loved the Robert Davi character. I think it sucks that Z'Dar can't/won't return for part 4, but I'd love to see Davi back.

[MaDMaNMaRz]

I was flipping through channels a few days ago, and I noticed that Maniac Cop 2 was coming on. I waited for it, and they played a different movie! I was so pissed. I hate when they make mistakes like that.

[Lance Lives]

Yeah, that really sucks Mike. I don't know why that happens...they get it right 99% of the time, but I guess we can let 'em have a mistake or two here in there. Hell, I remember when my sister first got Primestar satellite and I was so amazed that you could see what show was coming on next. Now I can know what'll be on in 3 days.

[nottidelterrore]

Glad you enjoyed the series, Tim. I watched Maniac Cop 2 last night. It's still my second favourite behind the first but it's definitely a solid & entertaining sequel.

Thanks for signing up for the MC.com boards, by the way. :)

[Lance Lives]

Yeah, I look forward to discussing the series over there. What's your name there, I'm assuming you're one of the mods.

[MaDMaNMaRz]

I still can't seem to post on any Pro Boards forums since I got my computer fixed. I miss it over there. I can't wait to get a new laptop, and be rid of these lame problems.

Tim - Chris is Matt Cordell over at the Maniac Cop board, IIRC.

[nottidelterrore]

Mike, are you getting a new laptop anytime soon? Hopefully.

I post as Jack Forrest over there nowadays. I'm currently in "Bruce Campbell Fanboy Mode." :D

[MaDMaNMaRz]

It probably won't be anytime soon. :( I can't really afford to get one at the moment.

[nottidelterrore]

That sucks, man. We could use a dose of Mike over there. The place is a tomb once again.

I just watched the trilogy again this past week. Despite already liking Maniac Cop 3 quite a bit, I like it more with each viewing.

Also in Maniac Cop 3, it appears that Houngan(the voodoo priest) has some sort of wound on his neck. Perhaps he's a survivor of a throat slashing.

[Scarecrow]

I really want to see Part 3, but I've never even see it for sale.

- Scarecrow

[Ron]

It's alright, but it's nowhere near as good as the first two.

[Lance Lives]

I noticed that too Chris, I kept waiting for the neck wound to be called attention to, but it never was.

[nottidelterrore]

For anyone interested, Maniac Cop 2 will be airing at 2:30 AM EST on December 22nd on Encore Mystery.

[nottidelterrore]

I got this interesting email from a fan yesterday:

Hi. My name's John Hibbard. I was a member of the message board when it was still up and running; well if you remember I was recreating the costume and I had some pics emailed to me. The original hero mask from part 3 has been restored back to original condition I have enclosed the pics. The restore job was done by this shop here http://www.tomspinadesigns.com. This piece was in relatively good condition, but had some drying in the face, cracks on the neck and several holes on the cheeks. He also had bad tears on both sides of his mouth. I repaired the tears (filling in some large gaps and blending those as well) and, as per the client's desire, mounted the piece to a customized foam head (made to match the large jaw of actor Robert Z'Dar!). I also created a custom eye insert to "finish off" the piece, making it look as if the actor was wearing it. This will eventually be part of a life-size display.

http://maniaccop.com/mc3mask.jpg

Neat as hell! I can't wait until he finishes the life-size display.

[Chucky's back]

I agree, that mask looks wicked.

[nottidelterrore]

I added a pretty cool Japanese Maniac Cop VHS to the site just a little bit ago.

I'll just post the links since the scans are pretty big.

http://www.maniaccop.com/medusajapanesevhsfront.jpg

http://www.maniaccop.com/medusajapanesevhsback.jpg

[Scarecrow]

The Japanese always get the coolest covers. :D


- Scarecrow

[nottidelterrore]

Yes indeedy!

The cover looks kind of odd since it's a foil cover & they scan kinda weird. Still very cool nonetheless. Hopefully we can find more Japanese memorabilia. :)

[James M]

The board is back:
http://www.freepowerboards.com/maniaccopdotcom

If you like horror and general talk in a fun, friendly atmosphere, check it out and help us grow.

[nottidelterrore]

Here are some upcoming TV listings for Maniac Cop 2 & Maniac Cop 3:

Maniac Cop 2:
Saturday, June 6th
Encore Action 3:30am EST

Friday, June 19th
Encore Action 4:00am EST

Wednesday, June 24th
Encore Action 1:00am EST

Maniac Cop 3:
On Showtime Beyond
04/29/09 at 1:40 AM EST

Sunday, May 3rd
Encore Action 1:50am EST

On The Movie Channel
05/15/09 at 2:50 AM EST

Saturday, May 16th
Encore Action 1:45am EST

Tuesday, May 26th
Encore Action 1:15am EST

[nottidelterrore]

For anyone interested, I FINALLY put the Maniac Cop script up on the site.

http://www.maniaccop.com/maniaccop.html

[nottidelterrore]

I put these pictures of a Matt Cordell model up on the site the other day.

http://maniaccop.com/cordellmodel1.jpg

http://maniaccop.com/cordellmodel2.jpg

http://maniaccop.com/cordellmodel3.jpg

A lively psycho-killer flick, "Maniac Cop" was released in 1988 starring Robert D'Zar as an officer wronged by the department and sent to Sing Sing. While there, he's murdered by the inmates, soon returning from the dead with a vengeance, running rampant on a city-wide killing spree, stabbing his victims with a lethal blade built into his nightstick. The above average slasher film inspired two sequels -- and this fine resin garage kit by veteran GK sculptor, Shawn Nagle.

Produced independently by James Fabrizi, this rare model figure premiered at the October 1994 Chiller Theater Expo, where it sold out immediately, and hasn't been seen since. It's a powerful sculpt, and a highly accurate rendition of the killer cop, with a threatening pose and lots of tight detailing. Assembled, the figure stands approx. 12" tall, and includes his nasty weapon, and a 5" wide x 4" deep sidewalk base with movie-logo nameplate. Cleanly cast in solid off-white resin, the model's a simple build, with not much more than a few molding sprues to cut off prior to assembly.

[Ron]

Are they still making another Maniac Cop sequel?? I haven't heard anyhting in a while.

[nottidelterrore]

As far as I know they are.

Things have been pretty quiet since that announcement last fall. I haven't heard anything whatsoever since then.

[nottidelterrore]

Maniac Cop short by filmmaker Chris Notarile

UAeb2u9jGxQ

Pretty good stuff if you ask me. :)

[Apocalypto]

That figure is a great likeness, I'd have loved to have owned that.

[nottidelterrore]

Chris Notarile made another Maniac Cop short. I believe he filmed it on Sunday.

6kdpE1iPjRE

Although I'm not big into the music playing(even though White Zombie is better than Rob Zombie's solo garbage), I think it works quite well for the video.

[God of Thunder]

I gotta watch the first one again...; I've not gotten to see any of the others, unfortunately.

[nottidelterrore]

The sequels usually play on movie channels fairly often these days.

[The Dream Master]

Yeah, I managed to catch part 2 in HD (which means it's widescreen too) and have it saved on my DVR. Pretty doep upgrade from VHS.

[God of Thunder]

I saw Maniac Cop 3 was playing on cable a lot last year.... but I don't have those fucking cable packages. Can you say 'god DAMMIT!!!!'?

[Ron]

Has Maniac Cop 2 been released on dvd?? I thought I saw it on amazon the other day.

[The Dream Master]

If you look back earlier in this thread, there was apparently a weird DVD release of part 2. Not sure if it was an authorized release or not, but it wasn't out long. Notti should know more.

[nottidelterrore]

Has Maniac Cop 2 been released on dvd?? I thought I saw it on amazon the other day.

Yeah man. It's legit. First Look owns the rights to it as well as the rights to Maniac Cop 3. They put both out. The MC 2 DVD is pretty crappy. I'd say it's of about laserdisc quality...maybe a little better. It's in full screen too. Do not pay out the door for it because it's not worth it. If you can snag a copy for about $10 or under, go for it. :)

I don't know if people are still selling it on eBay for $50 these days or not. Haven't checked in awhile.

[Spook]

Chris Notarile made another Maniac Cop short. I believe he filmed it on Sunday.

6kdpE1iPjRE

Although I'm not big into the music playing(even though White Zombie is better than Rob Zombie's solo garbage), I think it works quite well for the video.

Yeah, he filmed that for a reason actually. He's in the process of trying to buy the rights to the franchise for $1.3 million. The short was to help raise funds. If he succeeds in buying the franchise, he's gonna do a reboot of the series. He also mentioned that he would include Robert Z'Dar, Tom fucking Atkins, Bruce Campbell, and Robert Davi. However, Z'Dar wouldn't be playing Matt, since he's too old.

So this is serious for all Maniac Cop fans. Let's hope Notarile gets the funding he needs and gives us another Maniac Cop.

[nottidelterrore]

I know. I've been in email contact with him as of late discussing this. :)

I hope he gets the funding too because I'd like to see this in his hands since he's a huge fan of the series. I'd rather a fan like Chris make this rather than some random suit & a random director that has no clue what's going on.

[Spook]

Yeah, he posts quite a bit over at OHMB. I seriously think he would make an awesome Maniac Cop film. Haha, if it wasn't so goddamn expensive, I'd try and contribute some dough. I think he'll get it. It might take some time, but I think he'll succeed.

[Ron]

Yeah man. It's legit. First Look owns the rights to it as well as the rights to Maniac Cop 3. They put both out. The MC 2 DVD is pretty crappy. I'd say it's of about laserdisc quality...maybe a little better. It's in full screen too. Do not pay out the door for it because it's not worth it. If you can snag a copy for about $10 or under, go for it. :)

I don't know if people are still selling it on eBay for $50 these days or not. Haven't checked in awhile.

They have it on amazon new for about 10 bucks so I might grab it soon.

[nottidelterrore]

I added this sweet Cordell artwork to the site a few minutes ago by Maniac Cop fan "Sir MWK."

http://maniaccop.com/CordellSirMWayneKofViolence.jpg

I've also been thinking about reopening the original Proboards Maniac Cop.Com board but more than likely won't since I'm sure it'll be dead as hell.

[God of Thunder]

I watched the first one on DVD the other night.... I really like it!

It's a lot better than I remember it. I mean, I always liked it, but I think it's a movie I'll continue to watch.

[Chucky's back]

Chris Notarile made another Maniac Cop short. I believe he filmed it on Sunday.

6kdpE1iPjRE

Although I'm not big into the music playing(even though White Zombie is better than Rob Zombie's solo garbage), I think it works quite well for the video.
Not a big fan of the choice of music used, but otherwise I liked it a lot. The actor's body language was very close to Z'Dar's.

[mirage2130]

I just finally watched all three of these movies over the past few days, streaming them from Netflix. I had never seen them before and have to say that I really liked all 3 of them, although I thought part 2 was the best of them. I can still remember seeing the VHS covers to at least the first two when I was younger at the video store, but just never got around to watching them.

[nottidelterrore]

My newest Robert Z'Dar autograph:

http://maniaccop.com/robertzdarmaniaccopautograph.jpg

And for anyone that cares, the Maniac Cop board has been reopened. The original Proboards message board. I won't post the link here because I don't want to spam or plug the board. If you want to find it, you'll know how to get there. :)

[nottidelterrore]

Anybody still into this series? I haven't watched 'em in ages but will probably have a marathon once I get moved to NC.

[The Dream Master]

I was actually thinking about the MC series the other day. I'm planning on getting a DVD recorder soon, and one of the first things I'm gonna do is burn my DVR recording of part 2 to a disc. Then I can replace my VHS copy.

[nottidelterrore]

The Maniac Cop 2 DVD is back in print or something & isn't going for ridiculous amounts anymore. You can grab a new copy off Amazon for about $10 from the marketplace.

[The Dream Master]

Damn, you're right. Tempting. I just know the DVD recorder idea will either fall through or fuck up, and that disc will be back OOP again.

[nottidelterrore]

We recorded a DVD commentary for Maniac Cop 2 last night.

http://www.maniaccop.com/maniaccop2.html

Doesn't work in Internet Explorer for some reason.

[nottidelterrore]

Fright Rags has a new Maniac Cop shirt for sale:

http://www.maniaccop.com/maniaccopfrightrags.jpg

http://www.fright-rags.com/maniac-cop-p-366.html

[nottidelterrore]

I have some bad news about Maniaccop.com. The site is no more because the guy that ran it with me is a petty little douche that took his ball and went home. It's over personal shit that I've been going through over the past few months that had nothing to do with that site at all. He also revoked my admin privileges on Commandofans.com. He did this behind mine and everyone else's back because that's how the dude operates. But without getting into any more details or smearing the guy over the internet too much, the site has been completely nuked from orbit over extremely petty reasons. Three years of work down the drain. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the site and message board.

[The Dream Master]

Sorry to hear that, mang. Fucking crazy shit. So all the stuff is just gone?

[nottidelterrore]

As far as I know everything has been completely nuked. Maniaccop.com redirects back to commandofans.com. I still have most of the merchandise that was on the site. Probably going to eBay it all.

[Chucky's back]

Damn, that sucks. Do you still have the myspace account for the site?

[nottidelterrore]

No. I closed the account a day or so after the site was nuked.

[Scarecrow]

Was it your site? If so, surely he can't do that? Or did he own the domain name? Sounds dodgy to me. Did you have the site files? Could you not ressurect it elsewhere? :)


- Scarecrow

[nottidelterrore]

It was pretty much 50/50. He does own the domain name & pretty much paid for everything. I was the one who'd make most of the updates. I still have some of the files on my PC but I'm not going to bother to rebuild it. I don't really have the time these days. Maybe he'll grow up someday and restore the site but I'm not going to hold my breath. It was a nice three year run though. We accomplished quite a bit within the first year of the site's existence.

[CODE RED DVD]

Didn't know there was a MANIAC COP website. Did you guys had download of the original script of MANIAC COP 3 that Larry Cohen wrote? It's 90% different than what was on the film. I was visiting my friend Robert Davi and he threw a script at me. I looked at it and asked him who he played in the film since I didn't see his COP 2 character in the script. Part 3's lead was a black Haitian cop name Moonjean!!!! Funny stuff. :):lmao:

[nottidelterrore]

I wanted to see the original script and when I was talking with Larry Cohen a few years back, he was going to look for a copy of it for us but never did come across one.

[The Dream Master]

Thought Notti would get a kick out of this poster that the Alamo Drafthouse had made for a screening:

http://www.dreadcentral.com/img/news/feb11/lustig2.jpg

[nottidelterrore]

That is....beautiful!

[MaDMaNMaRz]

Damn Chris, i'm sorry to hear that about the MC site. :( I liked posting there, but I stopped because I was having log-in issues for whatever reason.

[nottidelterrore]

Meh it's ok. We accomplished a lot with the site so all wasn't lost. It's just a shame how the site was deleted. Oh well.

[The One and Only]

Only seen the secon and third entries to the Maniac Cop series. Both I enjoyed with Number Two as the best. Cordell's rampage through the precent house, while a little over the top, was hellacool, and probably the best cop station rampage since the TERMINATOR.

And I have to say, that FanFlick was the tops also. Well edited to coincide with the soundtrack as Cordell did his duty to dispatch the transgressor.

[CrazyChris187]

im watching these on youtube i just watched the first one at my girlfriends house the other day i liked it and now on to the second one its a shame bruce campbell's character gets killed but other than it seems good i give the first one 5/5 will rate on the other 2 as soon as im done im watching them

[Monkey]

Thought Notti would get a kick out of this poster that the Alamo Drafthouse had made for a screening:

http://www.dreadcentral.com/img/news/feb11/lustig2.jpg
They did a poster of "The Thing" a few years ago. I tried to get it online, but the asking price was over $200, I believe. Incredible artwork, especially Tyler Stout (sigh).

http://www.movieposteraddict.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/mpathethingposterstout.jpg

[Cody]

I've established a personal tradition of celebrating St. Patrick's Day by consuming a shamrock shake and some potato wedges while watching a Leprechaun movie, I totally blanked on the fact that Maniac Cop is another viewing option, with it's St. Patrick's Day parade.

[Ron]

Too late, Cody. Don't start fuckin'g with tradition:shame:

[nottidelterrore]

Bruce Campbell got legit chased by the police during the filming of that scene.

[MaDMaNMaRz]

If anybody still hasn't seen it yet, Maniac Cop 2 is on Showtime OnDemand. They're also airing it on their regular stations too. So keep a look out if you wanna catch this. It's well worth it!

[nottidelterrore]

Looks like the DVD is still available for a decent price too:

http://www.amazon.com/Maniac-Cop-2/dp/B0016MJ6P6

I've seen that Maniac Cop 3 has been on Netflix instant. Woo!