STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: You’ve just released two of the most beloved cult horror films of all time – ZOMBIE and MANIAC. How are you feeling about these projects and the reactions to them so far? The transfers are stunning and certainly much better than any versions I’ve seen before.
BILL LUSTIG: We did 4K-16 bit Arriscans of both films’ original camera negatives, so the results can’t be any better! Of the two, I consider MANIAC to be a miracle from the movie gods! Let me explain, although we always intended to use the title MANIAC, it was filmed under the title ON THE RUN for the purpose of having a less provocative title to secure city permits, insurance, locations, etc. We shot the film on 16mm then after editing did a 35mm blow-up negative. The 35mm negative was then used to strike the release prints and video transfers. 10 years ago, we could no longer use the 35mm negative due to its age and condition and thus began a search for the original 16mm, which was nowhere to be found. In April, I got a call from my producing partner Andrew Garroni, “I found a box in my deep film storage labeled ON THE RUN”.
