Customer Reviews

Slasher

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wow. After the years I've been in the business, going from sales person to closer, to desk manager to gsm to owner of my own dealership, I still have the turns in my stomach. If you're in the business you know what I mean. I watched this movie and felt them, the stress of not knowing if "enough cars will be sold" and the drive this man has, his face and heart strained with time and self torture. I encourage EVERY car sales professional to watch this movie. Also, read the Ziegler books "Cars and People: Pissing at 60 miles an hour" and "Cars and People: How To Put the Two Together."

If you have been, are in, think of being part of, ever wondered about the automotive business then you must watch this dvd. John Landis is an icon. His work on the documentary is evident in the way the "slasher" runs his mouth between takes. The stress he is under is obvious and the daily grind has taken its toll. Buy it now and see it before your month ends. Also, buy "Cars and People; Pissing at 60 Miles an Hour" by Ziegler and "Suckers" the DVD.

Of course, not all of the clients at my agency are this wacked out. And actually, this is the first time I've seen an $88 car...we usually run $88 down, $88 a month for our clients or they have cars as low as $995 on the lot. What I love about Slasher is that it shows that it takes all kinds. I had a hard time not laughing at some of the customers that showed up on the lot. Folks, I write these ads for a living. I can tell you that if someone's advertising cars for as low as $88, that means that there is just one on the lot and I can tell you that 99% of us would not be caught dead in that car.

Ah, but the 1% that would...! Anyone will get a kick out of these customers coming in for that $88 car. I'm sure all our clients would split their sides laughing at this, and perhaps crying too. I know it's hard to move these units. I'm responsible for developing new creative to help guys like you sell more of them. Sales like this will surely bring them in with the Slasher. We run advertorials quite frequently for clients who have used the Slasher before and others with imitations which we must call a different name in order for our clients not to run into legal problems with it.

I don't think that only automotive industry people should see this. I happened to stumble upon it while reading about other documentaries. This one was recommended to me and I laughed. I had to find it. One of my assistants saw it was coming on IFC and taped it for our team to see if we could gain new perspective. For me, I gained the perspective that not all my clients are crooks, and that these guys are working really hard to be able to feed their families too. I could feel their pain. It's hard work being in sales.

I think anyone in the market for a vehicle, new or used, should check this out. People can only take advantage of you if you let them, and not all car salesman or dealerships are bad. I say shame on the car buyers for not doing their homework beforehand. And if your credit is bad, don't expect to get a low payment on your new car. Either prepare to pay a large down payment or make large monthly payments. Or consider a used vehicle for crying out loud! Half the customers that showed up for the sale in this documentary looked like they couldn't even afford a new pair of shoelaces! Research the cars you're interested in...the internet makes this astonishinly easy. Figure out what you can afford. Determine your credit standing. And live within your means.

And a special note to the Slasher himself, if you ever read this, boy do you have a tough job. But not once did we see you say anything rude to any of those customers and I applaud you for that. I would've lost my mind dealing with people like that. You had such a high energy level the entire time, all the while you were probably thinking of your family to survive those 3 sale days. It's also nice to put a face with a name. I just imagined some poor shmoe from the sales department being forced to walk around in some sort of mascot suit in the hot, hot sun. I guess it doesn't help being in a tux though does it?

In conclusion, this being by far the longest review I've written, I really do think that most people would be able to take something very valuable away by watching this documentary. To the salespeople on the lots: watch this now! Get it and have your entire dealership watch it together. It will give you a new perspective on your business which is never a bad thing. To the car buyers everywhere: you only get taken advantage of because you don't research what you're buying. This isn't a $10 t-shirt at the mall. This is a large purchase. You wouldn't just buy a new TV without checking if it has the S video input and all that other junk (reminds me...I need a new TV). You compare the brands and see who has the best quality with the features you want at a price that is most reasonable to you. That's what you should be doing when you buy a car. If you go into a dealership knowing as much as you can about the vehicle you wish to purchase particularly regarding prices and vehicle features, you will be better able to negotiate a deal that makes you and the dealership happy without, pardon the expression, taking it up the a**. I highly, highly, highly recommend this documentary.

This documentary shows how poor people are the ones that get ripped off the most by used car salesman.

The "slasher" is fun to watch in action. I highly recommend it.

As a car dealer in today's market it was a very scary movie. I have a dealership near an airport and the dealership in the movie reminded me a little of ours. It was so depressing to see the "slasher", a human being live his life this way and in my business I see a lot of individuals like this. Even more depressing the owner of the dealership like so many trying to make ends meet hiring an individual who will do anything to sell a car. As always the less fortunate such as lower income and bad credit customers are the target for these vultures. All in all the movie is actual and truthful of what the director was depicting.

When you go car shopping, you automatically know it is going to be a very long process. As a society that takes our cars as a status symbol, we should also be aware of the tactics that are used to get us to buy a car beyond our means. Additionally, I came to realize that Michael Bennet must have ADHD. He could not stop talking or moving. Also, people with ADHD usually self-medicate. He drinks pretty non-stop and is a chain smoker. I have boys who have been diagnosed with ADHD, and this movie gave me a glimpse into an adult with this disorder! There really should be a follow-up documentary on Michael Bennet/

It's an intriguing look into the automotive business. Thank God John Landis is the director. He kept it where it needed to be and I, as an auto dealer, appreciate the job he did. Well done, John!

Michael Bennet (a.k.a. The Slasher) is a freelance auto salesman that travels the country to help dealerships clear out their lots of dead stock. This film follows Bennet to Memphis, TN where he arrives to help a local Toyota dealership clean out their inventory over a Memorial Day weekend (Thursday through Saturday).

Bennet is portrayed as a slick and very high-strung personality who cares about his family even though he feels as if he rarely sees them (he states that he sometimes feels like he is paying for storage space for his family rather than a home, since he is so often gone). On the job, he wears his tuxedo and walks the lot slashing prices (when he is "slashing" the price, the salespeople chant "Slash it, Slash it" per presale instructions from Bennet). With his wireless microphone, he is able to talk to the crowd (or empty lot) all day. Off the lot, he is portrayed as a heavy beer drinker and smoker. When not working, he often seems to have a beer in his hand and one (or two) cigarettes going. His wife calls him to ask him to drink orange juice for breakfast instead of beer (which is his usual breakfast beverage).

The film reveals the high-pressure used-auto sales environment and Bennet and his team show no mercy. They use the lure of door prizes, an $88 car, attractive female models, baselining, and a myriad of persuasion techniques to convince visitors to buy. His techniques are no doubt effective; however, he runs into trouble with completing the sale due to his prospects' credit ratings. At one point, a frustrated Bennet states, "they couldn't finance a piece of bubblegum with $200 down."

Although it portrays the very uncomfortable used-car sales process, this documentary is still quite comedic and overall has a lot of entertainment value. This documentary was made for the Independent Film Channel, where you may still be able to preview it before buying the DVD.

Slasher is a documentary that looks at what it takes to sell used cars. The Slasher's real name is Michael Bennett. He lives in southern California and flies to various car lots around the U.S. where he helps the dealers sell "stale inventory." The film focuses both on the tactics that Slasher uses to sell cars and on Slasher's personality.

In Slasher, Bennett travels to Memphis, Tennessee, for a 3-day sale at a struggling Toyota dealership. The dealership has a credit-poor, working-class clientele. Slasher's biggest advertising "hook" is selling cars for just $88; the catch is that the buyers don't know which cars carry that price. During the sale, Slasher creates excitement by parading around the lot with a microphone while wearing a tuxedo.

Bennett hires attractive young women as "Slashettes" - hostesses. The film shows Bennett interviewing potential Slashettes. After the interviews, Bennett makes vicious comments about the interviewees. Viewers also learn that Slasher is an alcoholic, a heavy smoker, and a cynic. Bennett isn't boring, he is - at best - an ambivalent figure.

John Landis ("The Blues Brothers" and "Trading Places") returns to directing with Slasher. He adds some great visuals from Memphis and also uses classic Memphis soul as a soundtrack. One veteran salesman recounts how he sold Elvis Presley "about ten Cadillacs." Unfortunately, the dialogue is difficult to hear at times.

Slasher is an interesting film that reveals a cynical subculture. I recommend the film.

I've been in the car business for right at 10 years, everything from sales to GSM and F&I Manager. For the last 4 years I have been performing these "Liquidation Sales Events" at dealerships all over the United States. This movie is an EXCELLENT portrayal of what life is like on the road.

These sales attract the best salesmen and closers in the business to come in and basically take over the dealership for a week at a time. Dealers hire us because 9 times out of 10 their sales staff are very lazy and complacent...we are sort of skilled assassin's coming in for one purpose...to make as much Gross Profit as possible during the 5 day sales event.

This documentary captures everything, the "whining" dealership "sales" team(more like professional greeters!), the pressure to produce in the short time given for the sale, and the amount of customers and sales we produce in such a short time.