No film tagline has been more blunt, alluring, and perfect in describing a slasher horror 
film. Pieces (1982): It’s exactly what you think it is. A early 80’s film with a early 70’s feel in both style, fashion, and cinematography. Pieces is a plain and simple slasher film inspired by The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). It’s poster reads: You don’t have to be in Texas for a chainsaw massacre. A full on psychopathic creeper stalks (sometimes topless) college women and murders them in a grotesque fashion. His choice of weapon of course, his trusty chainsaw. The film offers viewers raw carnal violence in a traditional horror film. The exploitation slasher flick, drive-in favorite, is from Spanish director Juan Piquer Simón. Simón is also the director for the cult-classic horror film Slugs (1988).
The Cast
Paul L. Smith plays the killer Willard in the film. His other notable works include Haunted Honeymoon (1986), Midnight Express (1978), Red Sonja (1985), and Popeye (1980). He was often typecast to play villains because 
of his large domineering body size. He reminds me a lot of actor Pruitt Taylor Vince. Mission: Impossible (1972) star Lynda Day George stars in the film. Actor Christopher George plays the lieutenant investigating the murders. George is best know for his staring roles in 1976’s Grizzly, 1981’s Graduation Day, and City of the Living Dead (1981). The film has some deeply rooted psychological reasoning behind the murders. With a solid and exciting story line Pieces gives audiences the brutal massacre they expect from the title.
Trivia
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Producer Dick Randall was simultaneously making kung-fu films in Rome during the making of Peices. Bruce Lee imitator, Bruce Le, was thus written into this film, even though this scene makes no sense in the context of the rest of the film.
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The “look” of the killer was based on the comic book character “The Shadow”
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A pig carcass was used for the close-up of the chain saw cutting through the tennis player.
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Although all the women in the film play tennis none of the actresses actually knew how to play. A coach was hired to teach them how to lob the ball in as much as a believable fashion as possible.
- Although the film was set in Boston it was filmed in Valencia, Spain, the hometown of director Simón.
Final Thoughts
Peices is one of my newer favorite horror films of the early 80’s. Along with many early and late 1970’s horror movies, it offers deranged murders in a horrific fashion. Pieces is not your average horror film. It is carnal and deeply psychological. The reasons for the murders are made clear by Willard’s early killing of his mother. Like many slasher flicks there is always a method to the madness. However, story line aside Pieces offers painfully brutal murders sure enough to satisfy your undying carnal needs.
Get it on Amazon! Pieces
THE FANATIC 