Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence

Lore & Background

The plot involves a voodoo priest named Houngan resurrecting Matt Cordell, who returns to life to do his bidding. A police officer, Katie Sullivan, is severely wounded during a convenience store robbery and declared comatose and brain dead. Cordell stalks her progress, killing several people, including her physicians and the reporters who framed her. The investigation by officer Sean McKinney and physician Susan leads them to Houngan, who reveals he brought Cordell back and that Katie was Cordell's lover. Houngan fails to resurrect Katie, and Cordell kills him; both Cordell and Katie are set on fire. Cordell survives ablaze and chases McKinney and Susan, but is ultimately blown up by an oxygen tank. The film ends with Cordell's charred hand moving to hold Katie's in the morgue.

Reader's Guide

Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence is notable for its troubled production. The original script featured a Black detective, but the Japanese distributor refused a Black lead, leading to Robert Davi being cast. Writer Larry Cohen refused to rewrite the script without additional payment, so director William Lustig had to cut scenes and shoot filler material to reach feature length, eventually walking away from the film. The film is credited to Alan Smithee. It was rated NC-17 by the MPAA and upheld on appeal. Reception was largely negative, with critics citing poor pacing, disjointed plot, and lack of emphasis on the antagonist. However, some reviewers noted Robert Davi's performance and the film's cult following. Retrospective praise has emerged in later years.

Did You Know?

• The film was released on videocassette in the United States on July 7, 1993.
• The original script featured a Black detective, but the Japanese distributor wanted Robert Davi instead.
• Director William Lustig walked away from the film after shooting filler scenes to reach feature length.
• The film is credited to Alan Smithee due to production issues.