Artivels Undescribable Perfection

Steinesongo Too many fans seem to be blown away

VividSimon Simply Perfect

Ginger Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Mr_Censored "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.

thesar-2 I grew up on slasher films, namely the 'Halloween,' 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' and 'Friday the 13th' series. I also liked the 'Hellraiser,' 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,' 'Sleepaway Camp' and 'Child's Play' series. So, watching 'Going to Pieces – The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film' was like reliving my childhood. Well, for what I could get my hands on and actually see being brought up in a Christian, anti-horror (also called trash) films. Sure anyone could put together clips and talk about them, but this film displays great style with the original actors, creators and shows no limits with the film spots. In other words, they don't censor the nudity, gore and violence. I respected them for that. For not making a PG or PG-13 documentary as these are kiddie movies. Though I didn't learn much more (okay, a little) than I already knew, it was great to relive these movies and in a very interesting timeline from the start of these films (I think it was 'Black Christmas') to 'Freddy Vs. Jason.' Unfortunately, the 'rise/fall' they speak of doesn't really end there, in fact, Rob Zombie is one of the interviewees and this was obviously made before his 'Halloween' reimagining. The extras on the DVD include extended interviews, and though somewhat interesting (aside from the 'Psycho' rambling) I'm glad they chose not to bog down the perfectly paced documentary with extra fluff. Though not too many more has been made since this 2006 release, I actually yearn for a sequel as, I believe there is more to say/show, such as any of the Child's Play' or 'Hellraiser' series (or pending remake) or films since, i.e. Rob Zombie's 'Halloween' or 'H2.' For any horror fan, this is the best horror documentary out there, period.

Michael_Elliott Going to Pieces (2006) *** 1/2 (out of 4) A look at the rise and fall of slasher films is one of the best documentaries I've seen on the subject due in large part to the fact that we actually get to see clips from the various movies that are being discussed. Most of the times these documentaries can't show clips due to rights issues but thankfully all of the glorious clips are here. We also get interviews with the big guys like Wes Craven, John Carpenter, Sean Cunningham, Rob Zombie and various other smaller guys who contributed to the big part of the genre back in the early 80s. I also loved the clips from Siskel and Ebert where the two say horror films only appeal to guys who want to kill women themselves.

lastliberal I was raised on Dracula and Frankenstein, and was living in Europe during the rise and fall of the slasher film. I have not seen most of the films mentioned in this film.However, I was pleased at the presentation and now have a sense of history as to how the slashers came into being, the influences of Italian directors like Bava and Argento, the importance of the makeup and special effects guys, and the guttural significance of slasher films.It was extremely interesting to see the directors and producers and actors and how they felt about the work they had done and were doing. I was also excited to see people like George Clooney, Jamie Lee Curtis, Cary Elwes, Robert Englund, Sid Haig, Heather Langenkamp, Dina Meyer, Bill Moseley, and many more in clips from their performances.Of course, I am always happy to see Christa Campbell.