…but if you missed the debut of the Starz network’s new documentary, “Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film,” on Friday the 13th, fear not: it’s being re-run at least three times during this month: 10/19, 10/29, and…what a shock…on Halloween.
If you enjoy the whole slasher genre, it’s really a fantastic look at a ton of different films…and, unlike so many of the more simplistic specials on VH-1, E!, or even Bravo, this digs really deep into the horror archives. It’s not just all about “Friday the 13th,” “Halloween,” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” (although, of course, it covers those films in detail), taking pains to detail some of the lesser classics – I wasn’t really familiar with “Happy Birthday to Me” or “Maniac,” and not only do I not remember “Terror Train,” but I was shocked to discover that Jamie Lee Curtis was the star of it – along with the blatant rip-offs and cheap flicks that came out in attempts to score a few bucks while the trend was hot. There’s considerable discussion about public outcry over the films, particularly when the Christmas-themed slasher flick, “Silent Night, Deadly Night,” emerged. The film concludes with a discussion about the revival of the slasher genre and how, unlike the old days, the new slasher flicks invariably have some major star attached to them. There are a ton of interviews, from stars (Betsy Palmer a.k.a. Mrs. Voorhees) to directors (Wes Craven, John Carpenter) to special-effects guys like Tom Savini; Rob Zombie also chimes in. Catch it if you can…but, seriously, if you don’t dig gore, stay far, far away.
