Pieces (1982)

Pieces (1982)

“That maniac is going to kill again. This may be the only way we have of catching him!”

Synopsis:
Forty years after a 10-year-old (Alejandro Hernandez) brutally hacks his abusive mother (May Heatherly) to death, a spate of chainsaw murders begin occurring on a Boston college campus. Two detectives (Christopher George and Frank Brana) come to question the dean of the college (Edmund Purdom) and also meet with a professor (Jack Taylor), a groundskeeper (Paul L. Smith), and a student (Ian Sera) eager to help out. Meanwhile, more murders of sexy young women across campus make the case urgent enough to bring in George’s beautiful colleague (Lynda Day) as an undercover tennis instructor.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Horror Films
  • Psychopaths
  • Serial Killers

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this cult film — “directed with a minimum of style by J. Piquer Simon” — “epitomizes the slice-and-dice genre.” He notes that while it offers “sex, some suspense, and a bevy of beautiful women”:



the “murders are too gristly for all but the hardcore fans of the genre” — and “of course, the subject matter is blatantly offensive”. While there’s some bad-movie “humor” given that Sera, for instance, “is able to be in a chipper mood 10 minutes after the girls he knows are found slaughtered,” this is really only viewing for a specialized taste.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
Not much of anything, unless this is your cup of tea — which it clearly is for many.

Must See?
Nope.

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2 thoughts on “Pieces (1982)

  1. ⭐️⭐️ out of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Hilariously bad slasher film seems to be spoofing the whole thing whilst trying to also pile on the violence. Love the bit where the killer gets the woman in the elevator and at first she seems to know him just before pulling a chainsaw out from behind his back … already switched on! Did she not notice the thing growling away?

    Paul Smith (as the college gardener) is the reddest red herring from red herring city, glowering away suspiciously at the back of shots. You gotta love the bit where Lynda Day George – as an undercover cop and former tennis pro (!?) – gets attacked by an Asian student using kung fu, she kicks him and he apologises and goes on his way!

    Filled with stupidities and non sequiturs … a classic case of a film so bad it’s good.

    However, not must see.

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