Screening: MANIAC with Director William Lustig In-Person for a Post-Film Q&A at The Tenth Avenue Arts Center [3/21/25]

**Limited Seating Is Available for This Event - Please Grab Your Ticket Sooner Rather Than Later**

Co-Presented by The Casual Company at The Tenth Avenue Arts Center

Co-Presentation with The Creature Bazaar, Rendezvous, and Empire of Tombs

Featuring a Pre-Show DJ set by Rendezvous and a Special Walk-in Show from The Creature Bazaar

Featuring a Post-Film In-Person Q&A with William Lustig and Eddie from Popcorn Reef

Doors Open at 6:30; Rendezvous DJ Set from 6:30-7:30, Film at 7:30, Q&A after the film

When we teamed up with The Tenth Avenue Arts Center to starting bringing Grindhouse programming to San Diego two years ago, we aimed to bring you guys a safe space to go back in time and experience an era of film where things were not so safe. Never in our wildest dreams would we think that one of the kings of the NYC 42nd Street circuit would be down to come out to SD and visit our home grown “IMAX of Grindhouses.” But that’s exactly what’s going to happen on Friday, March 21st. Join us for an unforgettable evening as we welcome the inimitable William Lustig down to San Diego for a special screening of his terrifying masterpiece, MANIAC.

Most of you already know the deal here about MANIAC, but for those of you new in your moviegoing journey, here’s a bit on the film. Released in 1980, MANIAC is a character piece that explores one of the most vile, depraved, and disturbed figures ever brought to the silver screen. Joe Spinell (THE GODFATHER, ROCKY) stars in a career-defining role as Frank Zito, a perverted serial killer who stalks women, cuts them up, and then puts their scalps on mannequins around his house. But when a beautiful photographer named Anna (Caroline Munro) enters his life, things change. Can Frank turn his life around? We won’t spoil anything for you.

MANIAC serves as the gold standard for down and dirty, NYC-based exploitation filmmaking. Relentlessly brutal, full of dark meditations on the tragic side of life, and topped off with loads of outrageous gore, it’s a film that demands to be experienced, and it’s certainly something you’ll never forget. We can’t wait to have Mr. Lustig down here to watch the film with all of you, and after it’s all over, we’ll bring him out on stage and ask him everything you’ve ever wanted to know about how his ultimate Grindhouse masterpiece came to be.

But wait, there’s more! We’re co-presenting the evening with our friends at The Creature Bazaar, Rendezvous, and Empire of Tombs, and they’re going to set the tone for the occasion. Join us when doors open at 6:30, and Rendezvous will be spinning some of the coolest library music and film score content out on the main stage, while a curated walk-in show from The Creature Bazaar plays on the big screen. Gather around, listen to some tunes, and mingle with your peers for an hour, and then get ready for the big show at 7:30.

On March 21st, you can lock your doors, but you can’t lock the Madman out of your mind. We’ll see you there.

MANIAC Trailer:

Gene Siskel of "Siskel and Ebert" Whining Around About MANIAC (Admitting He Didn't Even Watch The Whole Movie, Yet Condemns The Film)

PLEASE NOTE:

-This show is at The Tenth Avenue Arts Center (930 10th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101)

-Doors will open at 6:30 PM, and the film will start on the main stage screen at 7:30 PM

-Guest availability is subject to change due to illness or unforeseen circumstances.

-Soft drinks, along with candy, chips, cookies, and crackers will be available for purchase during the show. Feel free to bring in outside food and drink. Hodad's and Pokez are within a block of the venue and are both great options.

-If you are visibly intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, we cannot allow you into the venue. Thanks for your understanding.

-There will be no delivery of tickets via shipping or email - we'll simply have your name on the list at the door (plus however many tickets you buy). Please bring your ID for verification purposes to check in. We can check in partial parties too, so if you're buying for multiple people and you're arriving at different times, don't worry about it.

-If you have any questions at all, please contact eddie@popcornreef.com