Elijah Wood Thinks It’s ‘Funny’ That New Zealand Banned His Film ‘Maniac’

Elijah Wood thinks it’s “humorous” that New Zealand has banned “Maniac.” The 32-year-old U.S. actor, who famously played Frodo Baggins in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, was baffled that the country that he has grown to love has rejected his psychological slasher film.

“Maniac” is a remake of the 1980 film of the same name. In the new version, Wood plays a mentally disturbed young man who kills and scalps women. Unlike the original, though, Wood’s version is shot entirely from his character’s point.

It was aired first at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2012, opened in Europe in March 2013, and was released in the U.S. the following June.

Unfortunately for those who are in New Zealand, “Maniac” won’t be getting a theatrical release.

In July, the Office of Film and Literature Classification has banned the film because it was deemed harmful to the viewers. However, it can be used in tertiary media, a film studies course, or be screened as part of a festival.

“The OFLC decision says that the film may be ‘injurious to the public good’ if it goes out on a wider release,” Ant Timpson, programmer for the New Zealand International Film Festival, said in a statement.

“It’s saying that the POV nature of the film mixed with the psychotic behaviour of actor Elijah Wood is more than disturbing; it’s potentially dangerous on the hands of the wrong person – that is, a non-festival-goer.”

The horror film remake, directed by Franck Khalfoun, is also denied a DVD release.

“It’s certainly ironic and kind of funny,” the star of the film remarked on the ban, as quoted by Stuff.co.nz. “Certainly a country that I love so much and had spent so much time in, for that country to ban the movie, I found kind of humorous.”

As for the authorities’ explanation that the POV style of the film would inspire copycat killers, Wood said that “in a way, that disregards the intelligence of the audience.”

“If someone is going to carry out a violent act on somebody else, it’s within their DNA already, there’s already something within them that is capable of doing something like that,” the actor continued.

Australian audiences, on the other hand, can watch the R18+ film at select cinemas in November. It is already out on DVD.

Red Band trailer for ‘Maniac’