Directed by: William Lustig
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Tom Atkins, Laurene Landon, Richard Roundtree, Robert Z’Dar
Distributed by: Synapse Films
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 85 minutes
Overall Score: 4 out of 5 stars
I remember seeing “Manic Cop” in the late 80’s and it scaring the crap out of me. It doesn’t anymore but it is still a damn great film. The genre cast is the film is so great and fits so well. The gore in the film is fantastic and definitely holds up in today’s standards. This release is the first time this film is being presented in high definition and is released from up-and-coming Blu-ray studio Synapse Films.
The film hits the streets of New York City where innocent people are being brutally murdered by police officer. A Young copy, Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell) is being framed for the murders and had to clear his name. With the help of his friends Theresa (Laurene Landon) and McCrae (Tom Atkins) they set to find who the killer is before he strikes again. Bruce Campbell is fantastic in the film and genre favorite Tom Atkins is perfect for the role. Robert Z’Dar also kicks some major ass and it is too bad you don’t get to see his face more until the end of the film.
I am very happy with the the Blu-ray transfer in 1080p and it looks really clear and crisp. The soundtrack is really impressive boasting a fantastic DTS-HD MA 6.1. If you are a fan of this film you will not be disappointed with this great release. The film is also packed with special features. The first is “Maniac Cop Memories: Interview with Robert Z’Dar” which has him chat about his career and working on the film. The next is “Out the Window: Interview with Tom Atkins”, discussing his role in the role. “Three Minutes with Danny Hicks” talk about his role in the film as well. There are three trailers, one being a French trailer, as well as two television spots and a Spanish radio spot. There is also an series of images of promotional art backed from the film’s music. Lastly included is additional footage filmed for Japanese TV, which focuses on the New York City Mayor character.
