Slasher (2004)

I first saw Slasher on ifc one of the few times they showed itbefore releasing the DVD which i bought. This movie takes you behind the scenes of a "slasher" sale which car lots hold to either move there stale inventory are to save themselves from beaning shut down. We are introduced to Michael bennett aka the "slasher" and his partners Dj Kevin and Mud as they head to Memphis the home of Elvis and bankruptcy capital of the world to help a sinking car dealership during very hard times. But the main point is missed by a lot of people as to what this movie really shows as to what extreme lengths people like this are willing to go to make sure there kids have food on the table and a place to live. I have heard a lot of people say they don't like Bennett because he seems to only care about the almighty doller and don't care about the costumers well they forget if he don't make his quote he won't get his bonus which means he won't be able to spend anytime at home because he will have to rush to another job to make up the pay he lost i think the only thing wrong with the way ifc published this was they labeled it as funny which in my mind is far from the truth . It's a gut wrenching look at a man who wants to be with his family badly and it is cause of money why he is forced to spend time away i give this a ten one of the best documentary's i have seen in a long time and i hear they might be in talks to do a part two can't wait

I just saw this on the Independent Film Channel, and I really liked it in the same way that I enjoyed Glengarry Glenross, although GGGR was much better. Once you got past the main character's obvious superficial charisma (not always appealing charisma, btw) the film made clear the sad, thankless life a salesman leads, and that this guy was their "leader", a highly paid sales consultant, is astonishing. The movie was depressing and highly instructive, and very entertaining. Anyone who likes films with interesting characters, or anyone who has ever been in sales at any level, or even anyone who is in the market for a used car should enjoy this film.

This movie is a naked, in-your-face look at the mysterious world of used car salesmen. I loved the way Landis combined the stark reality of the life of an on-the-road traveling salesman with the desperate humor that guys living on commission seem to possess.Mike Bennet comes off as smart, driven and someone who likes beer too much.If you like Glen Gary, Glen Ross, and Used Cars you'll love this.The film is cut to an amazing blues score, and is crisp and terribly funny and terribly sad.

this movie starts strong with a promising sleaze-ball used car salesman as the title character who has traveled to Memphis, TN to try and sell 30-50 cars in one weekend at a car dealership located in a very poor area.In order to do this, the guy becomes the "slasher" who brings a dj and muchpomp and circumstance to an ordinary dealership, prepared to lower prices that have been overly inflated. he attracts attention to the memorial day sale with an advertised but hidden $88 car/junker.Anyway, the character is fairly deep-- an alcoholic who loves his wife and kids whom he rarely sees. And he knows his job is bulls**t. All of this is prettyinteresting, but the piece just doesn't carry for a full 90 min. I admit to being drawn in for a good 30 min, but by that time, most of the range of this guy's personal life and mildly interesting dealings in the used car business seemed to be thoroughly exhausted.In particular, the events at the dealership (where we are stuck 70-80% of the time, really never reached any interesting developments. There were a fewinteresting characters, but nothing really worth showing off. I feel like I've seen equitable characters or better the few times I've been at car lot. Nothing too spectacular here. I know, it's supposed to be John Landis, with all the hooplah that goes along with his name, but I really feel Landis didn't spend enough time documenting here. This piece was primarily, if not entirely,contained within the one car sale and the days leading up to it. To me, the smart thing to do would be to follow this guy to half a dozen of these events and pull the best material together into a composite piece, because this singular event was not funny, moving enough or revealing enough to hold together on it's own.Good topic, nice start, but go back on the road with the Slasher and get some more 'A' material to splice in, please, because I was squirming in my seatwaiting to leave this dragging film.