Touches You

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

A tile like 'Maniac Cop' should be an indicator of low quality but this film even though low budget is surprisingly good. A disgruntled ex-cop thought deceased is killing people in New York but it is not as simple as that. Who he is and why he is killing are eventually explained which involves the justice system, the penal system and ideas of trust and betrayal. There is a lot in the film and it moves along briskly with good character scenes and exciting action scenes. The last stunt is amazing. When the city realises there is a killing cop the paranoia of the population is well portrayed.The cast acquit themselves excellently, particularly Tom Atkins as policeman Frank McCrae, William Smith as Captain Ripley and Sheree North as Sally Noland. Robert Z'Dar as the titular cop is frightening, even in silhouette standing still. Bruce Campbell plays an adulterous cop who is accused of the crimes. Apparently the actor disliked the film but what does he know? He is fine in it.It's not really a slasher film, it's not a monster film, it's not a police procedural film. The laudable direction by William Lustig and script by Larry Cohen makes it rather a good drama and more engrossing than many a bigger budgeted thriller. There were sequels but was definitely the best one.

My mission to watch 30 horror movies from the 80's continues with Maniac Cop (1988). This content lacking and bland mess reminds me of the violent far-left anarchism and hate group BLM.I am not exactly sure how this movie became a horror classic. Often people refer to it with the words "guilty" and "pleasure". I didn't experience any enjoyment nor pleasure and the only thing guilty in this movie were the cops. The best part of the movie is clearly the catchy title 'Maniac Cop', but otherwise this is so unmemorable and dull watch that I couldn't have finished it without multitasking. Most of the time it didn't feel like anyone even tried. All in all the movie was so bland I don't even have much to say about it. 3.50/10.

The story (written by Larry Cohen of "It's Alive" fame) is just about as straightforward as you can get: a guy's dressing up as a cop and going out and hacking the stuffing out of people, first at random, then with a clear vendetta in mind. Tom Atkins plays the tough as nails but honest as a boy-scout detective who decides he's got to unravel the whole thing, even if it means airing out some dirty laundry at the mayor's office. Along the way, Bruce Campbell turns up as the prime suspect, and he's determined to prove his innocence! The pace is great, especially at the beginning where some films will bog you down with trying to get to know their one dimensional characters as if that has any relevance in a film like this. Nope, Maniac Cop doesn't pretend its characters are people it gets right down to the nitty gritty of murdering victims. Murder, meet Tom Atkins and see that his boss doesn't like him much, murder, get to see a couple more scenes of Atkins, murder, hello this is Bruce Campbell he could be the killer but murder happens and it's not likely he did it. No stringing you along, no pretension that this is anything but a slasher film through and through. While we're on the topic of murder, the killings are all done well. There's not an especially high level of variety or creativity to them, but it's not a film that calls for that kind of thing anyway. There's stranglings, stabbings, hangings, quite down to earth, almost even realistic within the story. The level of gore is also just right.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

Tom Atkins, Bruce Campbell and Robert Z'Dar star in this 1988 horror film. This takes place in New York and begins with a woman getting murdered by a mysterious killer (Z'Dar) dressed as a police officer. Soon, the killer stalks the streets and wipes out more innocent people. Atkins (Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Night of the Creeps) plays Police Lieutenant, Frank McCrae who investigates and suspects that the killer is a real cop. Campbell (Evil Dead Trilogy) plays cop, Jack Forrest who becomes the main suspect after his wife is murdered. Frank discovers that the maniac cop is Matt Cordell, a former cop who was badly scarred while in prison for brutality and is out for vengeance. Frank helps Jack clear his name and try to stop Matt from killing more people. This is a pretty good 80's flick, Tom & Bruce are great as usual, Robert is creepy and Jay Chattaway's score is chilling. I recommend this.