Maniac: 30th Anniversary Edition

From his Italian wiseguy roles in formidable films such as The Godfather and Rocky to his later work in direct-to-video B movies, much of what made Joe Spinell special as an actor can be seen in director William Lustig's sleazy excuse for a slasher exploitation flick Maniac, a film so notorious upon its initial release in 1980 that noted critics such as Gene Siskel were up in arms. As Frank Zito, a deranged man killing and scalping innocent victims around New York, Spinell is mesmerizing, transcending a narrative that would generally be considered questionable or downright degrading to women. Thankfully, time has tempered some of the film's more repulsive concepts, and while hardly a classic of the genre, Maniac is worth seeing because of Spinell, whose unexpected death at age 52 signaled the loss of an iconic talent. Boasting a sharp image on Blu-ray, extras include a pair of audio commentaries with Lustig and others, an exhaustive documentary on Spinell, and interviews with select cast and crew, including star Caroline Munro and F/X master Tom Savini. Recommended for those collecting cult horror films. (B. Gibron)