Maniac
1934 : 1 hour 3 minutes
This video is only available with Night Flight+.
Director: Dwain Esper
synopsis
There’s no way around it. DWAIN ESPER’s Maniac can justifiably be called one of the greatest exploitation films ever made. Not content to crank out another sex hygiene or dope film, Esper and his wife, HILDAGARDE STADIE (who wrote the screenplay), concocted a uniquely delirious mix of horror film, discourse on mental illness, and whacked-out girly show. The plot – if you can call it that – pulls elements from Frankenstein, Mystery of the Wax Museum, and Poe’s “The Black Cat,” as well as the spicy spectacle of exploitation epics of the day.
recommended
The Dark Crystal
“Another world, another time… in the Age of Wonder.” From the imaginations of Jim Henson and Frank Oz, The Dark Crystal is a puppetry fantasy classic that tells a timeless tale of goo...Read More
Dolemite
The legendary classic…the pillar of the ‘blaxploitation’ genre….Rudy Ray Moore is DOLEMITE! Sent to prison on a frame-up by some crooked cops and his arch rival, the notorious Will...Read More
The Damned - Don't You Wish That We Were Dead
From "Lemmy" filmmaker Wes Orshoski comes the story of the long-ignored pioneers of punk: The Damned, the first U.K. punks on wax and the first to cross the Atlantic. "THE DAMNED: Don...Read More
Richard Lewis - Magical Misery Tour
Lewis' 1997 HBO stand up special was filmed at New York' s historic Bottom Line. The Los Angeles Times called it, "his best show ever."
New York Dolls - All Dolled Up
In the early 70's, rock photographer Bob Gruen and his wife Nadya purchased a portable video recorder. In a period of three years they shot over 40 hours of New York Dolls footage. No...Read More
Tokyo Gore Police
Blood and guts are the ultimate weapon! In the near future, the Tokyo Police Corporation is locked in a bloody war with the engineers. These genetically modified super-criminals can b...Read More
Labyrinth
From visionary filmmaker Jim Henson comes the unforgettable fantasy of a 16-year-old girl (Academy Award® winner Jennifer Connelly) who's been given only 13 hours to traverse a danger...Read More
Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time (Vol. 1 - Midnight Madness)
From The Rocky Horror Picture Show to The Big Lebowski and everything in between, this fascinating deep-dive documentary begins its celebration of the greatest cult movies of all-time...Read More
X: The Unheard Music
X: The Unheard Music takes long, detailed, and often funny look at the LA music scene of the late 70s and 80s and focuses on the group that critics had singled out as the leader of th...Read More
Night Flight - 45th Anniversary Pre-Show
Night Flight’s 45th Anniversary Pre-Show premiered before a special screening of Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains at Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn on June 3, 2026. Edited by Jo...Read More
Out of Time: The Material Issue Story
Out of Time: The Material Issue Story examines the tragic story of a rock band on the cusp of superstardom cut short by front man Jim Ellison’s suicide. The film tells the story of Ma...Read More
Minor Threat Live
Minor Threat played one of its last shows at Washington DC's 930 Club in June of 1983; they would only play once more in DC. Two years later, the tapes from the 930 show were edited t...Read More
The Slumber Party Massacre
Put on your PJs and say your prayers ... it's time for one nightmare of an all-nighter! In The Slumber Party Massacre, Trish (Michele Michaels) invites her high school basketball team...Read More
It Came From Aquarius Records
It Came from Aquarius Records explores the San Francisco-based independent record shop that helped shape the tastes of Bay Area residents and beyond for nearly a half a century. The s...Read More
Skateboard: The Movie
Skateboard was the first feature film to depict the height of the 70s skateboard craze. Many refer to it as the Bad News Bears of the sport. It’s star studded cast includes Alan Garfi...Read More
The Return Of Captain Invincible
Alan Arkin and horror/fantasy icon Christopher Lee star in the long-unseen 1982 action-comedy from the director of The Beast Within and Howling II, with songs by Richard O'Brien (The ...Read More
