Opening

73% World War Z Jun 21
78% Monsters University Jun 21
61% The Bling Ring Jun 21
60% Maniac Jun 21
100% A Hijacking Jun 21
66% Unfinished Song Jun 21
100% The Attack Jun 21
—— The Haunting of Helena Jun 21

Top Box Office

56% Man of Steel $116.6M
85% This Is the End $20.7M
50% Now You See Me $11.0M
71% Fast & Furious 6 $9.6M
38% The Purge $8.3M
34% The Internship $7.1M
62% Epic $6.3M
87% Star Trek Into Darkness $6.3M
11% After Earth $4.1M
78% Iron Man 3 $3.0M

Coming Soon

—— How To Make Money Selling Drugs Jun 26
—— White House Down Jun 28
—— The Heat Jun 28
56% I'm So Excited! Jun 28
Maniac (Sex Maniac)

Maniac (Sex Maniac) (1934)

tomatometer

No Reviews Yet...

Release Date: Jan 1, 1934 Wide

audience

38

liked it
Average Rating: 2.9/5
User Ratings: 824

My Rating

Movie Info

Produced and directed by exploitation specialist Dwain Esper and written by Mrs. Esper, Hildegarde Stade, this ultra low-budget "educational" melodrama not only defied logic but broke virtually every rule of narrative film-making. That would not necessarily be a detriment to a film ostensibly warning about the dangers of untreated insanity, but Maniac is so badly handled in an obvious attempt to both horrify and titillate that it defies description. Vaguely based on Poe's The Black Cat and

Rifftrax

Watch It Now

Cast

ADVERTISEMENT

All Critics (9) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (1) | DVD (3)

A truly wretched film that I enjoyed, partly because of and partly in spite of its excessive excrescence.

October 17, 2011 Full Review Source: Goatdog's Movies

A true trash masterpiece.

July 6, 2010 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com
eFilmCritic.com

Dwain Esper's stupefying parody

March 13, 2010 Full Review Source: CinePassion
CinePassion

It's a campy shocker that is so bad that it might just appeal for that very undeniable reason.

January 7, 2004 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

It's impressive how every new player brings their own bad acting technique to the picture

February 24, 2003 Full Review
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Whoa! Even seeing it isn't believing!

December 1, 2002
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Audience Reviews for Maniac (Sex Maniac)

The earliest example of a trashy horror/exploitation flick. This movie, like 'Plan 9 from Outer Space', is so bad that it is rather good. The acting is hilariously over-the-top, the 'educational' slides for mental illness are weirdly phrased, and plenty of entertainingly surreal moments (like a scene where the scientist eats a cat's eye). A truly outrageous schlocky horror flick that is worth seeing because of how consistently laughable it is throughout.
June 27, 2012
Christopher Heim

Super Reviewer

So bad it's...really quite good! I have to admit that among the awful acting, laughable 'Science' and odd descriptions of mental health issues (with wonderful upbeat accompanying music) there is so much to admire. It was made in 1934 and yet, I feel I've seen much of this before, that is how influential it has been over the years. The blueprint to many a horror/exploitation film, I can't help but find myself immediately fond of it.
December 8, 2010
SirPant

Super Reviewer

No quotes approved yet for Maniac (Sex Maniac). Logged in users can submit quotes.

Discussion Forum

There are no discussion threads for Maniac (Sex Maniac) yet.

What's Hot On RT

24 Frames
24 Frames

Pictures from a zombie nation

Blue Jasmine
Blue Jasmine

Woody Allen in San Francisco

<em>The Hobbit</em>
The Hobbit

See the Desolation of Smaug trailer!

Summer Scorecard
Summer Scorecard

Where does This Is the End rank?

Foreign Titles

  • Maniac (1934) (DE)
  • Maniac (1934) (UK)
Help | About | Jobs | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Mobile