I love it when women swerve into male-dominated lanes. That’s why I was so excited to catch Frankie, Maniac Woman at Salem Horror Fest. All I knew about the movie was that Frankie was different, in the violent kind of way. That was enough for me. Kat (my co-host) and I power walked down the Salem streets to slide into Die With Your Boots On (a great store) to snag a seat for the screening.
Although it was well past my bedtime, Frankie, Maniac Woman shook me awake with its chaos, violence, and absurdity. It was easy to forgive the continuity errors and low budget, because the movie has a lot of spirit and blood. Frankie, Maniac Woman follows an aspiring singer-songwriter who finally snaps after a long battle against fatphobia, misogyny, and childhood trauma. This flick is worth watching if you like movies like Dolly, Maniac, or American Psycho, that involve unhinged killers who enjoy what they do and are willing to kill even at the risk of getting caught.
Frankie is a real one. A wild one, but a real one.
One of the reasons Frankie, Maniac Woman works is because of the performances. Dina Silva (Frankie) gives her all and transitions smoothly between terror and humor. Frankie feels like a real person, especially when she’s navigating an industry that is actively trying to push her out. She might be out committing crimes, but she answers the phone when her manager calls. She has a penchant for chopping off limbs, but she still gets satisfaction from feeling beautiful and included. Frankie is clearly a villain, but the audience can relate to her in the moments she’s trying to hold back her rage after being slighted or insulted. Because we spend so much time following Frankie, her interactions and reactions set the tone, which keeps the audience on a rollercoaster of violence and humor.
The Other Characters Get Their Shine!
The other characters we meet float between totally normal and outrageous. Many of them who seem typical are tangible characters like Gabriella (Desma Triplett) or Sarah (Sarah Grace Lee). They respond to Frankie’s behavior in understandable ways. You can expect them to be hesitant to interact with Frankie, or they will verbally point out her strange behavior. Other characters and situations live in Frankie’s mind, which gives them the license to crank the dial up to eleven and leave reality behind. Jerome (Pierre Tsigaridis) and The Mother (Daniella Mendoza) take scenes to surreal heights, often turning the interactions with Frankie into internal standoffs.
Frankie Did Not Come to Play
Frankie, Maniac Woman gives us interesting characters and plenty of blood. Frankie’s violence is not depicted as her snapping once and causing a lot of chaos. She operates over a period of time! We watch the year-long version of her snapping and killing all the pretty things in her path, even when she doesn’t really want to. We see severed limbs, entrails, and rotting body parts. I know Frankie’s apartment smells like Frank Zito’s place from Maniac (1980). I love that she lives up to her name. Additionally, there are plenty of fun kills and creative weapons. She also has a killer mask that transforms as the movie progresses.
Chaos Reigns!
Frankie, Maniac Woman takes so many unexpected turns. One moment, Frankie is talking to a girl she’s attracted to, and within minutes, it turns bloody. She goes from having meetings with music execs to making guitars meet skulls. The surreal interactions with The Mother and Jerome crank up the chaos factor as well. We somehow end up on Frankie’s reluctant shrooms trip, which leads her to murdering people while she’s in costume. The plot also seemingly leads to Frankie’s death several times, but she keeps popping back up like The Undertaker. You never know if she will truly stay down. This film is unpredictable, and I love that.
Humor and Charm
Blood and chaos aren’t the only punches that this movie packs. I wasn’t expecting it to be as funny as it was. Much of the dialogue made me chuckle, especially her inner dialogue. You’ll have to listen closely, because it sounds jumbled. However, there are so many funny quips and comments buried within her incessant negative self-talk. Some scenes made me laugh out loud, along with the audience in Salem. It’s easy to forgive the lapse in continuity and places where the budget shows itself when you’re having a good time. Frankie would be bruised badly in one scene, then barely bruised in the next, but I was having too much fun to care. I recommend this movie for a wild experience that you won’t forget.
