Post by Jaysif on Nov 25, 2005 13:50:55 GMT -8
When I first heard about this film, I was afraid it would be a generic version of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. There is a chainsaw, but the similarities really stop there. Directed by Juan Piquer Simón, this film was made in 1983 (1982 according to imdb) but really has a 70's horror feel to it. This story of horror takes place on a New England college campus where the female students are terrorized by a chainsaw happy (or mad) psychopath dressed in a trench coat and a top hat. As the killer hacks up victim after victim, "Pieces" becomes a case of who done it. Was it the Gardner? the Professor? another college student? Detectives struggle to find answers, desperate for clues, they send Mary Riggs in undercover and seek the help of Kendall, a college student, as the killer simply tries to put together the "Pieces" of his puzzle.
What I liked about this film...
The gore is pretty darn good as the blood shed isn't spared in this one. Not all of the kill scenes are shown, one or two just show the product of what took place, but the one's that are seen are pretty good. The killer isn't one dimensional, resorting to methods other than the chainsaw to massacre his victims; in one chainsawless scene, a reporter is taken out and the killer also takes out a water bed with the same fury used on the reporter. The opening scene is great, it really sets the tone for the movie in my humble opinion. And last but not least, the final scene, even though it seems misplaced, will have most men cowering at the thought of that happening to them!
What could have been better...
The quality of the film leaves a lot to be desired, but what do you expect from an older, low budget film. At times the sound doesn't match up with the mouth movements. The acting isn't that great, but the same applies here as it did for the quality. The only other aspect that I can find that could be better is the character build up, as there isn't a whole lot in this film. But hey, that leaves more time for gore!
Review by Jaysif
