Customer Reviews

Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film

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Adapted from a book about the evolution of movies based on more and better ways to kill, this cable doc has grisly highlights, behind-the-scenes stories, and some fairly thoughtful explanations for why murders are so fascinating to watch from writers, directors and fans. The history starts with two seminal 1960 films: the underrated British film Peeping Tom from director Michael Powell and the far-more-successful Psycho from American visual genius Alfred Hitchcock. Then it leapfrogs into and out of three general eras of slasher films. The first era begins with 1978's Halloween, with a masked killer pig-sticking teenagers in a quiet suburban neighborhood. It peters out in the early 1980s, as gratuitous masked-murderer films piggyback on Halloween's cliches.

A new burst of creativity arises with 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street, dumped by its first studio because people didn't want to see movies about dreams, according to writer-director Wes Craven. Writer-directors had to pull out the punches in gore as movie fans had seen it all in the first wave. This era died about the time Reagan left office.

We are in the third era, according to documentarians. Horror films and slasher films in particular have been going strong since films such as Scream laughed at the genre and films such as Saw showed some of the most awful, realistic gore imaginable.

Going to Pieces never gets into academic or psychological discussions for why gore appeals. It lets the makers of gore and its fans expound their theories: Gore succeeds at times of great societal fear (Vietnam, nuclear war, serial killers). Gore shows us a part of humanity--the ephemeral nature of the human body, and our very human need to see violence (the horrors of the Roman Colosseum are brought up briefly). Everyone poo-poohs film critics' theory that slasher films denigrate women; after all, aren't women usually the victorious heroines these days? And what's wrong with sex in horror films?, asks a feminist-director.

Ultimately, the film is an homage to the fans. It shares stories and opinions that might not have been gleaned in director's cut commentaries, and it ends with shout-outs to the fans who made it happen. Those who can't stomach gore should avoid this--it's sometimes a greatest-hits of hacking.

"Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film" chronicles just that: the prestigious and respectable beginnings that quickly gave way to the cheap and lazy knock-offs that saturated and diluted the genre. Whether the films were attempting to create luminary icons such as Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger or cashing in on even the most trivial of holidays, they enjoyed their fair bit of success, made on a shoe-string budget and backed by major studios who treated them like red-headed step-children. The films were gory, gratuitous, often over the top and almost always a pleasure for genre fans, which of course means they were chastised by critics and the MPAA did all they could to neuter them.

Featuring interviews with legendary directors such as John Carpenter and Wes Craven, as well as special effects heroes like Tom Savini and the late Stan Winston, "Going to Pieces" does a fair job of assessing the sub-genre as a whole while shedding some light on some more obscure fare that got overshadowed by the blockbusters that defined the era. It recalls a time when special effects were practical and suspense was key. You didn't need a star or a pretty face, just a relatable character and an unrelenting madman. Even the lesser films like Slumber Party Massacre or Sleepaway Camp were enjoyable despite their lack of originality, and the documentary acknowledges that. Sometimes it digs deeper, questioning the mindset of the parents who rallied against the biggest offenders, as well as big time critics like Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, who strip away much of their credibility in failing to realize the purpose of these films, and that is to viscerally entertain its audience, thus providing the ultimate escapism.

"Going to Pieces" is nothing if not thorough. It leaves virtually no slasher film untouched and treats its subject with the utmost integrity. It manages to capture all of the nostalgia fans associate with these films, but at the same time, recognizes the downfalls of the genre and doesn't view everything at hand with rose-tinted glasses. Even still, if you remember the golden age of the slasher film and remember what it was like to be truly disgusted and yet entertained at the same time, "Going To Pieces" will go a long way in unearthing those old feelings as well as providing a substantial education in the genre. It's rare that these films are treated with respect and discussed in-depth, therefore, this is one documentary you won't want to overlook.

Being a child of the "slasher" era of horror filmmaking, I was eager to check out this nifty documentary. Yes, it was not so long ago when movie theaters were stuffed by routine and formulaic pictures of teenage death--each trying to outdo the last entry in terms of creative killing. And whenever there was a new and creative burst of energy in the genre, that newness and ingenuity were quickly copied and reproduced under a different title. So, let's face it--I love the slashers and I hate the slashers. It's not like these films were art! But they more than satisfied my young lust for blood. But more than a like or dislike anyone might have about a particular film, these low budget affairs were generally independently financed and released. They, in fact, are an extremely vital part of the history of independent filmmaking. For the first time, significantly, multiple pictures made outside the mainstream studio system generated great financial success.

"Going to Pieces" promises a bit more than it can deliver, ultimately. Outlining the rise and fall of the slasher film, one might expect a more comprehensive history than is presented within the film. But, that said, this movie is a fascinating and nostalgic look back. Clocking in at just 90 minutes, the film can cover only so much--and, of course, most of the time is spent with films and filmmakers who agreed to participate in the documentary. So while many of the clips presented are from well known classics, an equal amount of time is spent on films with lesser profiles. It is an intriguing, if sometimes arbitrary, compilation--and I relished the chance to see many of these films again. The documentary is never less than entertaining and the clips chosen represent the genre well. Many big and small names from the era offer interviews and insight, and those are nicely done. Wes Craven is, arguably, the biggest name to contribute to the film--but my favorite recollection comes from the star of "Sleepaway Camp" and how that film's stunning (and absurd) ending affected her young life. (Look it up if you haven't seen it!)

Anyone who enjoys the slasher genre, horror, or even film history might want to check this film out. It's fast and fun. I can't say I walked away knowing more than I did going in (which I had expected), but as a diversion and a bit of nostalgia--it worked exceedingly well. KGHarris, 01/07.

GOING TO PIECES is a documentary based on Adam Rockoff's text of the same title. While it would be extremely difficult to cover all of the many titles included in the original book, the film version does an amazing job at tackling as much material as possible in a short amount of time. What it also offers and improves upon are the lengthy on-screen interviews with the actors, directors, and film critics involved in each of these films. That isn't to say that the book is devoid of these interviews, but many of them were reduced to a few short lines to fit into the context of the paragraph. The film adapts the same basic framework constructed by Rockoff to introduce truncated pieces of information from the book as introductions into these interviews, and then allows the filmmakers to elaborate on each topic as it pertained to their specific films and careers. Interviewees include Wes Craven, Tom Savini, Tony Timpone of Fangoria Magazine, Amy Holden Jones, Betsy Palmer, the late Stan Winston, and an impressive slew of others. I never grow tired of hearing these Horror greats discuss their motivations, struggles, and socio-political influences, and any true fan who's interest falls further than the films themselves will truly enjoy the feature. And what would a documentary on Slashers be without a ton of awesomely bloody clips, either? GOING TO PIECES delivers all of the best scenes from films ranging from Mario Bava's BAY OF BLOOD, to PIECES, to THE PROWLER, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, and many more. It serves as an excellent introduction to these films, but viewer beware, there be spoilers afoot! This is a must-see, must-own for any Slasher fan, period. Buy the book, buy the DVD, then make some popcorn and enjoy!

-Carl Manes
I Like Horror Movies

Here is an inside look at the history of the much malgined genre with such directors and stars like Rob Zombie, John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Tom Savini, Sean S. Cunningham, Paul Lynch ("Prom Night" director), Betsy Palmer ("Friday The 13th 1980" fame), Felissa Rose ("Sleepaway Camp" fame) and more all discuss the history of the slasher genre that started well with Alfred Hitchcock's famed "Psycho" to the glorious 70's/80's slasher pics like "Halloween", "Friday The 13th", "Prom Night", "Sleepaway Camp", "The Burning", "Maniac", "Pieces", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "Black Christmas", "A Nightmare on Elm Street" etc. to the postmodern classics like "Scream", "Saw", "Hostel" and "House of 1000 Corpses/Devil's Rejects". This one shows backgrounds on these films, their successes, some of their controversies including a clip of Siskle and Ebert debating on the violence in these movies and of course how they created iconic characters such as Freddy, Jason, Michael, Jigsaw, Leatherface and others even on the rise of obscure actors to big stars.


This DVD has some fine extras as it has trailer, audio commentary, a message from author Adam Rockoff before you watch the movie, bonus interviews, and Trivia game to test your slasher movie knowledge.

if u love slasher films i highly reccomend this. there were alot of movies i havent ever seen talked about in this with clips from them. i've bought some that were shown on there because of seeing them on it and thinkin they looked interesting. i've bought ''The Burning'' and ''Madman''. both are great rare old school slasher flicks. if u love old school slasher films and are interested in tha history buy this.

First of all, how on earth did I ever miss "Sleepaway Camp"? I mean, not only did I not see this particular slasher film, I do not remember hearing anything about it let alone the fact that it is clearly an antecedent to "The Crying Game." I am not even sure if I have even heard of that particular film before, although titles like "Sleepaway Camp," "Slumber Party Massacre," and others tend to meld together in your mind over the years. But after watching "Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film," I am going to have to track that puppy down, and I imagine other fans of this horror genre will also see a title or two that they have missed along the way that they will want to track down as well after watching this 2006 documentary.

The documentary is based on Adam Rockoff's book, "Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, 1978 to 1986," and while that particular time frame is not explicitly mentioned in the film version it explains why it essentially begins with "Halloween" and ends with "April Fool's Day." At the start we go back to the birth of the Grand Guignol theatre and how a pair of 1960s films, Michael Powell's "Peeping Tom" and Alfred Hitchock's "Psycho" laid the foundation for the slasher film. But there is no effort to connect the dots until John Carpenter's "Halloween" bursts on the scene 18 years later and it was not until I saw the book's title that I felt better about this gap. The same thing applies at the end, when the rebirth of the genre with "Silence of the Lambs" giving horror a new sense of legitimacy in the movies and the success of "Scream" quickly turning to the extremely violent but commercially successful films like "Hostel," "Saw," and "Wolf's Creek." Again, there the link is not established from the past to the present either, which is why the true scope of this documentary is all about the glory days of the slasher films (the name just does not make sense in describing the current crop of ultra-horror films).

The fun here are the clips of memorable moments from these films, with attention being paid to not only obvious biggies like "Friday the 13th" but also one of my personal favorites in "My Bloody Valentine," the controversial "Silent Night Deadly Night," and pretty much anything they could get a clip from to show, which is not everything, but most of the movies that come to mind for this genre and several that do not. In terms of the talking heads you will find that in addition to big name directors like Carpenter and Wes Craven there are also lesser names such as Amy Holden-Jones ("Slumber Party Massacre") and current hot shots like Rob Zombie (I recognize more of the movies than I did the directors). Makeup and special effects guru Tom Savini shows up a lot as a talking head and actress Betsy Palmer relishes her notoriety as Mrs. Vorhees, but one of my favorites ended up being Jeff Katz, the director of development at New Line Cinema, who talks about these films while walking through an alley somewhere (I thought for sure he was Rockoff). Memories trump analysis, but there is a nice argument made for how Jamie Leigh Curtis was pivotal to the success of "Halloween" that jump started the genre, a look at how the slasher flick formula developed and then ossified, and the strange way in which the promotion of the tongue-in-cheek "April Fool's Day" put the genre into hibernation for a decade.

Overall, "Going to Pieces" is not a comprehensive documentary on the subject and I have no doubt fans will find a lot more information in Rockoff's book. But the book does not have the movie clips that this documentary can offer and the net result is more than a nostalgic walk down memory lane (Remember when Michael Myers was the first villain to keep getting up? Remember the last time you saw a horror film where that did NOT happen?). Just have one of your favorite slasher flicks from this period on hand to watch afterwards, because "Going to Pieces" is just going to whet your appetite and it will take a while to get your hands on the films covered here that you have never seen. For extras on the DVD there are some more interviews with the likes of Stan Winston and a trailer for the documentary. Adam Rockoff includes a "message," but you have to read it. There are a pair of Slasher film trivia games, regular and advanced, that should prove rather challenging (You should already know "How many couselors and campers did Jason kill in 'Friday the 13th'," but can you handle it when they ask the same question about his mom?).

Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (Director unknown, 2006)

IMDB, thou hast failed me! I neglected to note the name of the director of this doco when I watched it, and it's not listed at IMDb. Mea culpa. Sorry. On with the show.

Going to Pieces is great, great, great, if you're a slasher film neophyte who wants to get interested in the genre. Now, this is not necessarily a nonexistent niche market, especially with so many youngsters who have been attracted to the genre with newer variations on it (Final Destination being the obvious example), all of whom were not yet born, or in diapers, when most of the films noted here were made. (I was only six, myself, when Black Christmas, the first true North American slasher flick, hit theaters in 1974.) The problem is, the rest of us who would normally be attracted to it have seen all the movies, and know all the backstories. If you're an established fan, most of the stuff you get from Tom Savini, John Carpenter, etc. you'll probably have gotten from other documentaries from the subject, if not from your obsessive Fangoria reading when you were a teenager. That said, it does provide an interesting trip down memory lane to some flicks you might have forgotten about (Pieces and Prom Night are definitely in that category for me, I'll have to watch them again soon). A lot of great clips, a lot of fun (and, a warning, a lot of spoilers). Could have had more original substance, though. ** ½

Despite a lacklustre ending, I found the film dark and hilarious --- with a satisfying soundtrack to boot. The cast was great, namely (Cyndi Lauper's husband) David Thornton and McKean, who had great chemistry together. Although some are claiming they didn't laugh at all, I laughed out loud several times. Totally recommended for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

I am delighted to have the opportunity of being the first person to review this straight-to-video film. I am delighted because I can hopefully influence a few folk to buy or rent this flick *without* having to know the plot, or at least all its twist and turns, ahead of time. You see, I believe that we have ruined our movie-going experiences by too *many* reviews, or at least too many reviews of the type that give away the whole plot. In the old days, when people turned up at their local movie house on a semi-regular basis to see the "feature", they did not know the whole plot before they even sat down. All they usually knew was who the stars were and the genre of movie.

This is the way I saw 100 Mile Rule for the first time. Knowing nothing about the film at all. It was showing at a film festival, and the film just happened to be showing at a time and place that was convenient to me and my friends. I just sat down and let the filmmaker spin his yarn around me. That is the way I hope you'll see it too.

Let's just say that this is a movie consisting of excellent performances by Jake Weber and Maria Bello ("Auto-Focus", "The Cooler")and the irrepressible Michael McKean turning in a superb performance in a role that could have been a Jack Nicholson role. Also David Thornton, Cyndi Lauper's husband and a former alternative rock musician, in an unforgettable role as a wild-haired "unhelpful" fellow auto parts salesman to the lead character.

Let's also say that 100 Mile Rule is well-directed by Brent Huff and features equal parts of humor, drama and suspense. The film, like Tin Men, captures perfectly the world that most of us live in: working dry jobs, eating crow from your boss, trying to "turn the corner" financially, juggling the family flamed batons of Kids, Sex and Finances but having to deal-day-to-day with less than savory co-workers. And, oh yes, the temptations of the flesh which make a playground upon our suburbia-addled minds. Male motive, in all its ugliness, is splayed open for our inspection here.

A thrilling ride and a mind-bender from start to finish, sit back and enjoy this film and the fine actors at work here.