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NEON MANIACS (1985) Director: Joseph Mangine Hacktors: Leilani Sarelle, Allan Hayes, Donna Locke. Cutting Remarks: Disappointment isn't the word for it. I've been putting off the actual viewing of this movie for at least a decade, for one reason: it just looks so cool that there's no way the film itself can live up to it. And ain't that the truth...       Neon Maniacs' fairly unique selling point is the fact that it features multiple killers, each with their own look, personality (of sorts) and MO. Unfortunately, it's a badly written and - to a large extent - made film, which does the initial concept a disservice. As producer Steve Mackler admits in this Anchor Bay disc's sleeve notes, "It was a much better script than a movie". Not that the script had much in the way of logic or structure: it just lumbers along, crawling from one so-so set-piece to the next, as cute teen couple Natalie (Leilani, who went on to enjoy lesbo action with Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct) and the irritatingly smug Steven (Hayes) are terrorised by the titular brood.       While the Maniacs themselves generally look good, their sheer number (at least ten) means that we never get to see enough of any one of them. Neither is it explained who they are or where they come from! Their severe allergic reaction to water is revealed far too soon in the story: once you know that they can destroyed with a water pistol or a hosepipe, their menace disappears like a balloon introduced to a pin.       There's some good gore from time to time: the killings have a nicely mean-spirited feel to them and one fun scene sees a Maniac named Axe getting his head knocked off by a jet of water! Yet the weaknesses keep parading themselves like tuppenny-bit whores: ludicrous moments such as Natalie and Steven making out on the floor of a school lab, while hiding from the freaks. Or the abysmal, protracted sequence at a prom where we're forced to endure two-and-a-half songs from live '80s rock and metal bands, weirdly intercut with scenes of the Manics slowly - oh, so slowly - approaching the ballroom. And the ending? It'll make you wince. And not in a good way. DVD Extras: Surprisingly few, for an Anchor Bay release. Just those sleeve notes and a trailer, with a widescreen presentation (1.85:1) and Dolby mono. Release Date: Out now. [Check it out at Amazon US] [Reviews Menu] [Home] © Copyright Slasherama 2002-present