After our review of The Inveterate Bachelor, here we have another new RYKO-distribution/ MYA Communications offering. Again a single-layered, bare-bones DVD with a progressive transfer and it looks acceptable but not quite up to the standard of, the older film;  Inveterate Bachelor on DVD. It appears a little thick and hazy but certainly watchable. Contrast seems okay but hardly pristine. There are some minor speckles but what you see in the captures below is a reasonably accurate representation.

The audio is original, fairly smooth, in and unremarkable 2.0 channel and there are optional, yellow, English subtitles (see sample below). No extras at all save a salacious 3.5 minute trailer.

This film is a series of brief comic, vignette-style, skits supposedly based on 'manias', some sexual, featuring repeat actors and actresses like Walter Chiari and Raimondo Vianello. I would say it's like Benny Hill, but I didn't even find it that amusing. What is more remarkable about this film is the director, Lucio Fulci, who went on to achieve some measure of notoriety for his controversial gore epics of the late 1970s and early 1980 (ex. see our reviews of Massacre Time, Contraband , The Psychic and Zombie.)   

The Maniacs isn't much of a comedy and the DVD is overpriced for what it offers - only Fulci completists are encouraged - for the rest of us I suggest a pass.   

Gary W. Tooze