2001 Maniacs (2005)

Directed by: Tim Sullivan

This review contains a Kitty Carnage Warning!

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: A remake of Two Thousand Maniacs finds a group of college students on spring break lured into a remote Georgia town where they are preyed upon by the locals.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Three of the college guys are talking to Granny Boone (Lin Shaye) when a boy named Hucklebilly (Ryan Fleming) comes by chasing an adorable black and white cat. He cries, “Kitty’s getting away!” as he races after the cat. Granny suggests the boys help him.

2001 Maniacs - black and white cat Kitty running

The boys join in the chase (during which the cat seems to be letting out a continuous Poor Cat Screech). Finally they corner the kitty.

Anderson Lee (Jay Gillespie) gets a hold of the cat and one of his friends makes a pussy joke (of course).

2001 Maniacs - Anderson Lee Jay Gillespie holding black and white cat Kitty

Hucklebilly takes the cat and introduces himself, then asks if the boys want to play a game with him. They refuse and Hucklebilly goes off in a huff.

2001 Maniacs - Anderson Lee Jay Gillespie handing black and white cat Kitty to Hucklebilly Ryan Fleming

2001 Maniacs - Anderson Lee Jay Gillespie with Hucklebilly Ryan Fleming holding black and white cat Kitty

Kitty Carnage Warning: The boys follow Hucklebilly and say they’re sorry and offer to play the game with him, then ask what he has in mind. Hucklebilly turns around, holding the poor cat by the scruff and a noose in the other hand. “It’s called Kill the Kitty!” Hucklebilly goes on to explain that Kitty has been real bad and he’s going to lynch her.

2001 Maniacs - Hucklebilly Ryan Fleming holding black and white cat Kitty by scruff

The guys try to talk Hucklebilly out of hurting the cat. Anderson Lee asks him what his mother would think if he killed the poor little kitty. “My mama?” asks Hucklebilly, “Mister, my Mama give me a silver dollar for every broke-neck pussy I bring home.” He then turns around and we hear him killing the cat off camera.

The only slight improvement between this film and the previous incarnation is that they don’t actually put the noose around the cat actor’s neck. On the other hand, the cat was not scruffed in the original version. The animal coordinator on the film was Gloria Winship with Shane Ayon acting as Head Trainer.