2001 Maniacs
Directed by Tim Sullivan
Raw Nerve

While remakes are quite common these days, it's quite rare when a remake is actually worth watching. 2001 Maniacs is indeed a remake worth watching. Building from Herschell Gordon Lewis 2000 Maniacs, the movie is gory, humorous and ridiculously over the top, in other words a perfect homage to Lewis.

If you've seen the original you know the basic idea behind the film although the story has been updated. A small southern town whose citizens were all killed horribly return to seek revenge on the Yankees that killed them. They set up a detour that leads unsuspecting travelers to their celebration. Blood flies as the town takes revenge, while it takes the victims far too long to figure out what is happening.

The cast is a combination of new faces and horror legends. The teenagers are obnoxious and their deaths are satisfying to say the least. Robert Englund plays the leader of the maniacs with a delivery that only he can produce. Everyone from Eli Roth to Johnny Legend has a part in the movie and part of the fun is seeing who you can pick out.

Just like the original this is an extremely gory movie outdoing the original by leaps and bounds. The drawn and quartering scene is done particularly well. I like the fact that while the gore is excessive it is still fun. It doesn't take itself seriously although it is very well done.

As both a remake and a homage to the early days of splatter, this movie really works. The laughs are plentiful and the blood flows freely. If you are an H.G.Lewis fan this is a fan that you will enjoy thoroughly.

Official 2001 Maniacs Myspace Page