London: A horror film, starring Hobbit actor Elijah Wood, has been banned in New Zealand due to its `graphic violence` and `content that may disturb`.
The film has been restricted to festival film screenings and academic viewing by government officials but won`t qualify to be released in theaters or on DVDs in the country, the BBC reported.
The film, which received a limited UK release in March, was due to screen at the New Zealand International Film Festival in Auckland and Wellington at the end of July.
A programmer for the festival, Ant Timpson, said that the Office of Film and Literature Classification was concerned that the movie was `injurious to the public good`.
The film, directed by Frank Khalfoun, stars Wood as serial killer Frank.
The original version of Maniac, by slasher director William Lustig, was a cult hit when it was first released in 1980.
ANI
First Published: Friday, July 26, 2013, 12:53
