Maniac
Director: Franck Khalfoun
Cast: Elijah Wood, Nora Arnezeder, America Olivo
Franck Khalfoun’s “Maniac” paints the story of Frank Zito, a man whose shattered psyche is shrouded beneath his dark obsession for stalking beautiful women and recreating them in his mannequins.
The substance of Frank Zito’s psyche is that while he possesses a genuine desire to establish a meaningful connection with women, the emotional and psychological scars which are remnants of a dark and painful past with his abusive mother have transformed him into a reluctant but gifted killer with an insatiable lust for beautiful women.
One of the most powerful elements of Frank Zito’s story is that his life does not stem from truth, but rather his slanted perception of reality. As the story unfolds from Frank’s perspective, the audience only sees his image as a reflection. Likewise, Frank’s perceptions of reality are also reflections – uncertain flickers of truth and fantasy that even he struggles to accept. One of the strongest illustrations of this may be found in Frank’s unique obsession with his mannequin’s – in the sense that when he takes a woman’s life (and her hair), he maintains the connection he has to the woman by literally reincarnating her in his mannequins. While Frank’s devotion to this peculiar ritual gives the impression that he believes the mannequins are truly alive, there are moments when reality breaks into the veil of fantasy and he sees the “women” for what they truly are. Ultimately, it is this same struggle between reality and Frank’s inner fantasy that destroys him.
While his volatile behavior towards women paints Frank as the villain of the story, there is a part of him hidden deep within his psyche that is innocent – almost vulnerable. It is this vulnerable side of Frank which portrays him in as the sympathetic protagonist. While the dark side of Frank paints him as a killer, in the light of day, he is a gifted artist and he regards his mannequins as unique works of art rather than mere lifeless faces. While he does kill women, there is a part of him that almost feels pain for his victims while he is killing them. While he establishes a fragile connection with Anna, a beautiful, young photographer who takes an interest in his mannequins, his insecurities prevent him from truly trusting her and in the end, she becomes his ultimate prize.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Franck Khalfoun
Cast: Elijah Wood, Nora Arnezeder, America Olivo
Franck Khalfoun’s “Maniac” paints the story of Frank Zito, a man whose shattered psyche is shrouded beneath his dark obsession for stalking beautiful women and recreating them in his mannequins.
The substance of Frank Zito’s psyche is that while he possesses a genuine desire to establish a meaningful connection with women, the emotional and psychological scars which are remnants of a dark and painful past with his abusive mother have transformed him into a reluctant but gifted killer with an insatiable lust for beautiful women.
One of the most powerful elements of Frank Zito’s story is that his life does not stem from truth, but rather his slanted perception of reality. As the story unfolds from Frank’s perspective, the audience only sees his image as a reflection. Likewise, Frank’s perceptions of reality are also reflections – uncertain flickers of truth and fantasy that even he struggles to accept. One of the strongest illustrations of this may be found in Frank’s unique obsession with his mannequin’s – in the sense that when he takes a woman’s life (and her hair), he maintains the connection he has to the woman by literally reincarnating her in his mannequins. While Frank’s devotion to this peculiar ritual gives the impression that he believes the mannequins are truly alive, there are moments when reality breaks into the veil of fantasy and he sees the “women” for what they truly are. Ultimately, it is this same struggle between reality and Frank’s inner fantasy that destroys him.
While his volatile behavior towards women paints Frank as the villain of the story, there is a part of him hidden deep within his psyche that is innocent – almost vulnerable. It is this vulnerable side of Frank which portrays him in as the sympathetic protagonist. While the dark side of Frank paints him as a killer, in the light of day, he is a gifted artist and he regards his mannequins as unique works of art rather than mere lifeless faces. While he does kill women, there is a part of him that almost feels pain for his victims while he is killing them. While he establishes a fragile connection with Anna, a beautiful, young photographer who takes an interest in his mannequins, his insecurities prevent him from truly trusting her and in the end, she becomes his ultimate prize.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.