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.