Throwback Thursday: Chris Latta (1939-1994)

“My time will come.”

Odds are that if you were between the ages of six and sixty at any point during the 1980s and early 90s, you came into contact with the work of Chris Latta. Latta, who was also credited as Christopher Collins, voiced many of the iconic villains (and a few heroes) from some of the most beloved cartoons of the 1980s. He also guest starred in numerous television shows and films throughout his career.

He is perhaps best known for voicing Cobra Commander in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon series that originally aired from 1983 to 1986. He voiced the character in later G.I. Joe properties as well. He also voiced other characters for the property including Gung-Ho, Breaker, Ripper, Steeler, Frostbite, and others. Latta also voiced Starscream, my favorite Decepticon, in the classic The Transformers animated series that ran from 1984 to 1987. He also lent his voice to other Autobots and Decepticons including Wheeljack, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Krunk, and others.

Latta voiced characters in a number of other 80s and 90s cartoons as well. Some of the more notable ones include D’Compose and Tendril from Inhumanoids, Darkstorm from Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, and Adrian Ravenscroft in Bigfoot And The Muscle Machines. His voice can also be heard as various characters from cartoons such as Superman (1988), The Real Ghostbusters (1987), and Star Blazers (1979). He was also the original voice of Mr. Burns and Moe in the first season of The Simpsons.

Latta made a number of appearances on live action shows including multiple characters on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as well as guest roles on Seinfeld, Doogie Howser, M.D., and NYPD Blue. He had a recurring role as Roger, one of the members of Al Bundy’s anti-feminism group, NO MA’AM, on Married…With Children, and even hosted a live-action children’s show in California called King Koopa’s Kool Kartoons. He appeared in full costume as King Koopa (Bowser) from the Super Mario franchise and would interact with a live audience of children, perform skits, and introduce cartoons.

Latta also had roles in films such as Road House (1989), Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992), and True Identity (1991). He was also a successful stand-up comedian. A complete list of Latta’s film and television work can be found on IMDb.

Latta passed away at the age of forty-four on June 12, 1994. Diagnosed with a cerebral hemorrhage in 1992, it would prove to be the cause of his death. His daughter, Abby Cluster, herself a voice actor, was present at Latta’s posthumous induction into the Transformers Hall Of Fame. He is one of only twenty-two people to be inducted into the hall. Two of the characters that he voiced for Transformers, Starscream and Wheeljack, are also in the hall.

Latta as Roger, center back, on Married…With Children.

So, how many of the shows or films that I mentioned have you seen? Did Chris Latta voice one of your favorite cartoon characters? Let me know in the comments section.

As always, thanks for reading my post.

Upcoming: Lake Charles Film Festival October 6th & 7th

Less Than One Month Away!!!

Be sure to join me at the Lake Charles Film Festival next month Enjoy two days of independent feature-length films, short films, special presentations, vendors, and more at the Holiday Inn & Suites located at 2940 Lake Street in Lake Charles, LA. Filmmakers from all over the world have submitted their projects to the festival in the hopes to win a coveted Scallywag award.

Things will get started on Friday evening beginning at 5PM with screenings until 9PM. There will also be a special presentation of two silent film shorts, Felix In Hollywood and It’s A Gift, which are both turning one hundred years old this year! Topping the night off will be a mixer at Rikenjaks Brewing Company that will last until the place shuts down! Film and special presentations will continue on Saturday beginning at 10AM and will end with the festival’s official awards ceremony taking place at MacFarlane’s Celtic Pub at 7PM.

Film and television star Johnny Whitaker will be in attendance. Louisiana filmmaker Mitch Laing will be giving a presentation on the process of making and finding distribution for your independent film. More filmmakers, artists, vendors, and guests will also be in attendance. To find an updated list, please visit the Lake Charles Film Festival website or Facebook page.

Oh, and by the way, there’s still a little time left to enter the 48-Hour Film Sprint! Winners will be announced at the festival! Visit the festival website for more information.

I really hope to see you at the Lake Charles Film Festival this year. I’ll be working behind the scenes most of the time, but feel free to say hello to me if you see me. I’ll also be at the mixer and the awards ceremony, so come say hi there as well!

Ken’s Alternate Universe is an in-kind sponsor once again and it is happy to be a part of the 12th Annual Lake Charles Film Festival!

The Crucifixion (2017)

Be Careful What You Pray For….

Something that I’ve picked up on about the twin brothers of terror, Chad and Carey W. Hayes, is that their horror writing almost always falls into one of two categories: 1) dull but watchable and 2) downright chilling. The duo penned the remake of House Of Wax (2005), The Turning (2020), and The Reaping (2007), all of which were dull films, but watchable nonetheless. They also wrote The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016) which were downright chilling. Unfortunately for their 2017 effort, The Crucifixion, that film falls into the dull but watchable category.

The film is loosely based upon the real Tanacu Monastery exorcism of Maricica Irina Cornici that took place in 2005. According to officials, Cornici died as a result of an exorcism performed by Father Daniel Petre Corogeanu and four Orthodox nuns. In the film, a young nun, this one named Sister Adelina, is murdered during an attempted exorcism by Father Dimitru and a group of nuns as well, and a pesky, atheistic young reporter, Nicole, heads out to determine if the nun was murdered by a madman (Father Dimitru) or actually killed by a demonic force. She seeks out the help of a local priest, Father Anton, who resists her at first, but ultimately forms a strong friendship with her. As Nicole digs deeper into the story, she begins to have weird experiences and explicit dreams about Father Anton. Nicole continues to look for answers into the case of Sister Adelina, and the demon that possessed her now turns its interests toward Nicole. Who really killed Adelina? Will Father Anton give in to the flirtations of Nicole? Will Nicole have her faith restored? Watch The Crucifixion to find out!

Like I already mentioned, this film is dull but watchable. The story is decent and flows along nicely thanks to solid direction from Xavier Gens. Sophie Cookson stars as Nicole and she delivers a good performance. I also enjoyed Corneliu Ulici as Father Anton. Brittany Ashworth gave a grand performance as Sister Vaduva, Adelina’s roommate and close friend. The film also starred Ivan Gonzalez, Ozana Oancea, Florian Voicu, and Catalin Babluic, among others. Keep an eye open for Javier Botet as well. He appears in the film as “Faceless Man,” but he’s terrified you in a ton of other films including the recent The Last Voyage Of The Demeter.

If, like me, you haven’t been able to get out to the theaters to see The Nun 2, why not give The Crucifixion a look? It’s not part of The Conjuring universe, but it is penned by the hand of two of that universe’s best writers. It’s a chilly little flick that won’t necessarily scare you, but it will hold your attention.

Thanks for checking out my post. See you soon!

The Flash (2023)

“Don’t let your tragedy define you.”

2011’s Flashpoint story, which played out across multiple DC titles, provides the backbone….and not much else, for 2023’s The Flash. If you’re familiar with Geoff Johns’ story, you know that in it, Barry Allen upsets the timeline by traveling back to the point where his mother dies and preventing her death. What follows is absolute chaos, with the Amazons battling the Atlanteans in a worldwide conflict, Barry doesn’t have his powers, Superman is apparently non-existent, and Batman isn’t Bruce Wayne, but his father, Thomas. It’s an excellent story that was adapted into a brilliant animated film in 2013 and it probably would have been a great live-action flick (perfect to reset the DCEU) had Christina Hodson (screenplay), and John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, and Joby Harold (story) kept most of the book’s elements intact. Instead, we get a somewhat jumbled action yarn with a lot of potential and not a lot of payoff.

In the movie, Barry goes back in time to save his mother from being murdered by dropping a can of tomato sauce in her shopping cart. This sets off a whole chain of events. Barry returns to what he believes is his timeline and reunites with his father (who is no longer in prison) and his mother, alive and well and making supper. Then he meets himself, but this version of Barry is powerless and has been coddled by his mother for his entire life. Barry realizes that he has arrived on the day that he is supposed to gain his powers. He helps the new Barry gain his powers, but loses his own at the same time. Then General Zod shows up and plans to terraform the planet. Desperate to stop Zod, Barry quizzes his doppelganger on the Justice League. There’s no Wonder Woman, no Aquaman, no Superman, and Cyborg hasn’t received his powers yet. The only hero that happens to be around is……Michael Keaton. Um, ur, it’s the Michael Keaton version of Batman from the 1989 film, but a lot older and just a tad bit nuts. The trio join forces to locate Superman. Instead of finding Kal-El, however, they discover Kara Zor-El, Superman‘s cousin, best known to viewers as Supergirl. Having been tortured and hidden deep inside Earth by the Russian government, Supergirl isn’t very keen on saving humanity. She ultimately does agree to help Barry, Barry, and Michael Kea—uh, Batman, but can this fierce foursome stop Zod and save the multiverse? You’ll have to watch The Flash to find out.

This film could have been so much better than it was. It wasn’t terrible, mind you, it just wasn’t what I was hoping for in a film based upon the Flashpoint story. There’s plenty of humor, some solid performances from the cast, and a nice dose of nostalgia seeing Michael Keaton back under the cowl, but the film was just a shadow of the awesome story originally written by Geoff Johns. Also, the CGI was horrible. Director Andy Muschietti has been quoted as saying that the wonky effects were intentional. They were supposed to show us what Barry saw while he was tapping into the Speed Force, but if that was the case, why was Barry #2’s face just as horribly executed in “normal time” as were all of the faces we see inside of the Speed Force????? It’s all poorly done and the plot isn’t strong enough to make the bad CGI forgivable.

Ezra Miller does a fine job as Barry #1 and Barry #2, although he did get a tad annoying at times. Michael Keaton did a great job with what he had to work with in the film, but I believe that he would have worked even better as Thomas Wayne in the film. The real standout for me was Sasha Calle as Supergirl. She was amazing. I’d love to see her return to this role in another film. There are also a ton of cameos in this film, most of which are executed with the terrible CGI that’s supposed to be Barry’s view of the Speed Force. Those cameos are nothing more than fan service as are a few surprise cameos in other parts of the film. One cameo in particular was fan disservice in my opinion. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that Christian Bale would have been a better choice for the cameo that I’m referencing.

So, if you haven’t seen The Flash yet and happen to be a DC Comics fan, do yourself a favor and check it out. It’s a dull version of the Flashpoint story, but Sasha Calle and Michael Keaton make it worth sitting through at least one time. This is just one more example of how Warner Brothers already has an amazing story laid out in front of them and they squander it for reasons beyond me.

Thanks for checking out my post. I have a few more ready to release this week.

Thirty-One Days O’Horror: Revenge Of The Slashers!!!

The Mayhem Is One Month Away!!!

That’s right, kids! We are one month away from the 2023 edition of Thirty-One Days O’Horror! This year’s theme is Revenge Of The Slashers! I’m currently compiling my list of bad boys and bad girls that you’ll get to check out beginning October 1st. I have a few days left to fill with fearsome fellows and females, so if there are any specific slashers that you’d like to see covered next month, let me know!

While there will be a few obvious big guns in this year’s list, I’ve also thrown in a few lesser known slashers that I hope that you’ll enjoy reading about. I dug up a few gems that are sure to please your murderous desires!

So, be sure to join me in October for a month full of slicing, dicing, stabbing, grabbing, drilling, and killing as we celebrate another Thirty-One Days O’Horror!

Throwback Thursday: Debbie Gibson and Tiffany (1980s-90s)

“I think we’re alone now, so let me get lost in your eyes!”

Okay, I’ll admit that my heading is a tad lame, but I wanted to find a way in which to combine two of the biggest songs for two of the biggest stars of the late 1980s/early 1990s without showing any favoritism. Tiffany Darwish, better known simply as Tiffany, and Deborah Gibson, best known as Debbie Gibson, shot to stardom in the late 1980s as teen idols. Tiffany was known for her red hair and amazing covers of I Think We’re Alone Now (which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts) and I Saw Him Standing There. Debbie Gibson wrote her own songs at the tender age of sixteen and hit number one with Foolish Beat and would go on to release a number of Top Five and Top Ten hits including another number one, Lost In Your Eyes.

Both of these young ladies hit the charts during my formative years. Two beautiful pop starlets, one singing her way across America on a mall tour and the other, a thoughtful, heart-tugging songwriter with pop sensibilities, captured my pre-teen/young teen heart. Of the two, I have to admit that I developed a massive crush on Debbie Gibson. She was cute, intelligent, and made awesome pop tunes. I purchased her first two albums, Out Of The Blue and Electric Youth, when they were released, and heaven only knows how many issues of Bop and Big Bopper that I begged my parents to buy for me so that I could hang Debbie Gibson posters on my wall. I had a few Tiffany posters as well, but I was a Debbie Gibson man.

Gibson managed to maintain a steady career after her pop stardom began to fade. She appeared in numerous Broadway productions, made countless guest appearances on television shows, competed on The Celebrity Apprentice, and continues to tour to this day. While her crowds have aged over the years, they still give her their full support.

Tiffany’s self-titled debut was a massive hit, but her second album, Hold An Old Friend’s Hand, despite strong sales, failed to meet expectations. She continued releasing new albums, but didn’t seem to be able to maintain a steady fanbase like Gibson. Like Gibson, Tiffany began appearing in guest roles on television. She also appeared in a number of reality shows as well. She has been in a number of films over the years including Jetsons: The Movie.

In 2002, Tiffany made the dreams of a lot of young men (and probably a few women) a reality when she appeared nude in Playboy magazine. She was also the cover model for her issue. Not to be outdone, Debbie Gibson also appeared in Playboy in 2005. She has stated that the pictorial was done to promote her new single, Naked, and to change her public image.

Both women have appeared in a number of B-movies over the years and, cashing in on their supposed (but absolutely fabricated by the media) feud with one another, Gibson and Tiffany appeared together in the Syfy Channel film Mega Python Vs. Gatoroid (2011).

Tiffany released a remake of I Think We’re Alone Now in 2019. Debbie Gibson performed in the New Kids On The Block song Boys In The Band in that same year. Both women continue touring to this day and pull in large crowds. If the music gods will allow it, I hope to see both of them in the near future.

As I stated earlier, I owned original copies (on CD) of Gibson’s first two albums. I lost both of them and many other CDs in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. I hope to repurchase both albums in the near future.

So, who was your favorite teen queen? Was it the lovely Tiffany or the beautiful Debbie Gibson? No matter who you choose, both of them are wonderful in my book! I mean, yeah, I’m a total sucker for Debbie, but I’d happily accept a hug from Tiffany any day!

Thanks for checking out my post. See you again real soon!

Classic Cinema: Three Ages (1923)

“…..the only thing that has not changed since the world began is LOVE.”

The first feature length film that Buster Keaton wrote, directed, produced, and starred in, 1923’s Three Ages tells us a timeless tale of love. It is the same story told across three different time periods: stereotypical caveman times, Ancient Rome, and the modern era (in this case, the 1920s). In each story, all of which are laced together and play out in divided segments, the Boy (Keaton) falls for the Girl (Margaret Leahy), who is also being heavily courted by the Villain (Wallace Beery). The Villain also happens to be the choice of the Girl’s parents (Joe Roberts and Lillian Lawrence). The Boy attempts to best the Villain in a number of hilarious sequences.

Buster Keaton and Margaret Leahy.

The Boy challenges the Villain to hand-to-hand combat in the caveman era, a chariot race in Ancient Rome, and a game of football in the modern era. He also uses jealousy to try and draw the Girl away from the Villain. In one of my favorite moments in the film, the Boy pretends to fall for the Amazon (the uncredited Blanche Payson, who towers over Keaton at 6’4″ tall), and ends up in trouble with the imposing lady. Other excellent moments include Keaton’s brilliant maneuvering in order to score a touchdown and the complete destruction of his car as he races to beat the Villain to the Girl’s home.

Buster Keaton and Blanche Payson.

The most iconic moment in the film takes place during a police chase through the modern city. The Boy attempts to jump from one building to another and fails, falling through awnings and eventually landing in a firehouse. While performing the stunt, Keaton was supposed to make it to the other building but crashed into the side of the building instead. He fell down into a net and was injured, missing three days of work. When he returned to the set after recovering, he loved the look of the failed pratfall so much that he expanded upon it. It has become the most referenced moment from Three Ages.

Keaton was supposed to jump to the other building top but slammed into the wall instead.

The film as a whole didn’t fare very well with contemporary critics. Many of them found the story too expansive, especially for a Keaton film, and they believed that the comedy suffered as a result. They also criticized the performance of Leahy. Others loved the slapstick segments but believed that the plot was too convoluted. For myself, I really enjoyed this film. Keaton delivers plenty of laughs and executes some hilarious stunts.

Keaton, Leahy, and Wallace Beery.

Sadly, this would be the only feature film in Margaret Leahy’s career. She was previously cast in Within The Law (1923), but was unceremoniously fired by director Frank Lloyd, who also told her that she needed to lose ten pounds. After working on Three Ages, Leahy failed to secure more roles and would eventually become an interior decorator. She died of an apparent suicide in 1967 at the age of sixty-four.

I definitely recommend watching Three Ages. It’s a very funny film that highlights Buster Keaton’s amazing stunt and slapstick work.

Thanks for checking out my post!

Cult Classic: Mortuary (1982)

“Hey Boogeyman! Let’s boogie!”

Christie Parson loses her father in an apparent swimming accident, but she believes that he was murdered. When more people in her town go missing, she and her boyfriend, Greg, zero in on the local mortuary owner, Hank Andrews, and his bizarre son, Paul, as potential suspects. Throw in a few seances, a killer with a fondness for stabbing people with a trocar, and strange electrical issues at the Parson home and you’ve got 1982’s Mortuary.

While it certainly won’t win any awards, Mortuary is a pretty decent slasher flick. It stars Mary Beth McDonough, best known for her work on The Waltons, as Christie Parson. Greg is portrayed by David Wallace. Christopher George, a stalwart of slasher films in the 70s and early 80s, stars as Hank Andrews and his real life wife, Lynda Day George, appeared as Christie’s mother, Eve. While all of the cast do a great job, the real treat here is a young Bill Paxton as the awkward Paul Andrews. He bumbles his way through the film, crushing on Christie and working for his father at the mortuary. He also has just enough creepiness in him to immediately make him the prime suspect.

While I won’t give the film’s ending away, I will say that its climax is absolutely bonkers. The entire film plays out in an unhinged manner, but it really is a decent flick. Bill Paxton really sets the tone with his performance, and Christopher George brings the sinister vibes with his performance as well. It’s pretty obvious that McDonough was desperate to shake loose her milquetoast image as Erin Walton with this film, as she appears in some skimpy clothes in a number of scenes and engages in some very un-Walton-like sex scenes. Contrary to popular belief at the time, she does not appear nude in the film. A body double was used for those moments in the film. Sorry, John Boy!

The film is available on a number of streaming services for free at the moment. If you’re a fan of whacky slashers, I definitely recommend checking out this movie. It’s also cool to see Bill Paxton in an early role prior to his eventual success. It’s also sort of neat to witness Mary Beth McDonough’s attempt at breaking free of The Waltons.

Thanks for reading my post. The killer in this film is pretty obvious right from the start, but Mortuary is still worth giving a look.

Hosting A Convention Panel

“I have something to say…..”

Have you ever thought of presenting a panel at a pop culture, comic, or anime convention? I’ve presented panels since 2009 and have only increased the amount of panels I’ve presented at conventions as the years have passed. For the last few years, I’ve usually presented a minimum of two panels at most of the conventions that I’ve attended. I’ve also presented panels at festivals and online as well and have been invited to sit in on panels with other hosts. Attendance for my panels has varied from one person to over thirty and no matter how many people show up, I always give them my full presentation.

Photo taken by Louisiana Comic Con staff.

Most of the conventions that I have presented panels at have been in the small to mid-size level. A few examples include Louisiana Comic Con, CoastCon, Wizard World NOLA (now Fan Expo), CyPhaCon, Calcasieu SerialFest, a number of library-based conventions, and the defunct BayouCon. The largest convention that I ever presented a panel at was Wizard World NOLA.

So, after saying all of that, I thought that it might be cool to give folks a few tips on how to present and/or host a panel at a convention. I hope that these steps will help you on your way to becoming a regular panelist at events. Let me know if you’re ever giving a presentation and if I’m at the event, I’ll do my best to attend your panel!

  • Pick your topic: This is the most important step in the process. There are a ton of ways to approach picking a topic to talk about in your panel. You can choose to talk about something that you love, research a topic that you are unfamiliar with and want to know more about, take the “dangerous” route of discussing a topic that involves politics or religion, or create a simple and fun trivia panel to entertain your audience.
  • Decide on your presentation form: In most cases, panels will either be one person discussing a topic (similar to a lecture) or a panel of multiple people discussing a topic with a host guiding the conversation. You can also have a basic Q&A panel where you or a guest answer questions from the audience. Once you’ve decided on your form, the fun begins!
  • Research, research, research: Research your panel topic. Cover all of your bases. Have references handy if needed (I’ve never used them, but I always have them). When presenting a panel, you may run across gatekeepers for whatever topic that you are discussing. Some of them may attempt to trip you up. It’s rare, but it does happen. The good thing is that if someone like this attends your panel, other audience members will usually come to your aid if you run into a roadblock. You want the information that you give to be factual unless your panel is opinion-based or just for fun.
  • Set your time frame: Most conventions will request that you keep your panel under an hour in duration. Shoot for forty-five minutes and you should be fine.
  • Summarize: Once you’ve got your panel drawn up, make sure to write a brief, one paragraph summary of your panel. Why? Because when you submit panel requests to conventions, they will most likely ask for a brief description of your panel to determine if it is a good fit for their programming and so that they can use the description in the schedule if they select panel.
  • Submit your panel: The easiest way to submit panels is to go to the convention website and locate the panel request form. Of course, this varies by convention, but most of them follow a simple form that includes your name, your organization’s name, your panel title, a brief description of the panel, and the times that you will be available for the convention. Even if you are the best friend of the convention’s director of programming, you will need to fill out the official panel submission form. Sure, you might email the director (if you know them) and let them know that you’ve submitted your panel, but it’s best to just fill out the form and wait for a response.
  • Wait for panel approval or denial: It may take a few weeks before you get a response from some conventions about the status of your panel submission. Don’t bug the convention for a response. Just wait a few weeks and, if you hear nothing, try emailing the programming director about the status of your panel. If your panel is denied, simply accept the denial and move on to the next convention.
  • Make needed preparations for your panel: This step is crucial and probably the most involved. Make sure to secure a hotel room and/or transportation if you’re traveling for a convention. Don’t wait until the last minute to book a room. Be sure to have any supplies that you need for your panel at least a week ahead of time. If other people will be assisting you in your panel, make sure that they also have a hotel room and/or transportation, and, like Batman, have a contingency plan if anybody skips out on your panel.
  • Get your pass for the event: Almost all of the conventions that I have presented panels at offer you a free single-day pass for the event if you provide programming for them. It’s their way of saying “Thank you” for providing them with content for their event. In one case, a convention required me to purchase a pass for their event. I managed to get around this by acquiring a press pass. I’ve also attended this particular event as a member of a fan group. In most cases, fan groups are given two passes to an event and other passes can be purchased for a discounted fee. I’ll be blunt and say that I am not a fan of having to pay admission to provide content for an event. The way that I see it, if I’m presenting panels at an event, I should at least be given a day pass since I’m providing content. That twenty, thirty, forty, or more dollars that I have to pay for a pass could go to a deserving artist, vendor, concessions, or a celebrity autograph or photo op.
  • Advertise: Tell people about your upcoming panel. Create an event on social media. Engage your followers on social media and ask them to attend your panel. If you have the means or manage to get a sponsor, have a giveaway at your panel. Advertise the giveaway to increase the size of your audience! Be sure to bring stickers and business cards as well, as you will want folks to seek out your social media accounts and your website if you have one.
  • Present your panel: When the big time finally arrives, do your best while presenting your panel. If the crowd loves you, you may be asked to provide more panels at the event in the future. If a convention gives you a day pass for the event, show them how much you appreciate it by putting on an excellent panel. Support vendors, artists, photographers, celebrity guests, and more by mentioning them in your panel and buy something from them yourself.

When it’s all over, be sure to thank your audience and the convention staff for allowing you to present your panel!!!!!

I hope that this post proves to be helpful to anyone that is interested in presenting a panel. If you have any questions, send me a DM or hit me up on social media.

Thanks for checking out my post!

Cult Classic: Pieces (1982)

“I guess I’m so used to the bodies….dead ones.”

A villain modeled after the classic pulp hero called The Shadow, the guy who played Bluto in the live action Popeye (1980) movie, tons of blood and almost as much nudity, and a really messed up, puzzle-loving kid come together in 1982’s Pieces. The film, directed by Juan Piquer Simon, is a Spanish-American slasher film that borrows elements from giallo cinema to give viewers an exploitation film that has turned many stomachs over the years.

The film begins with a mother discovering her son putting together a puzzle of a nude woman. Disgusted and enraged, she makes the boy go get a bag for her to collect the puzzle and any other pornography that he might be hiding in his room. Ranting and raving, the mother tears through the boy’s toy box, uncovering nudie magazines and other items. When the little boy returns, however, he has an axe with him. He proceeds to hack his mother to death and then continues piecing together his puzzle. When police arrive on the scene, the boy hides in the closet and then rushes out to the safe arms of the police and his aunt, claiming that someone murdered his mother. His mom’s head is discovered in a closet.

Many years later, young women are savagely murdered by an unknown assailant at a Boston university. The killer cuts the women into pieces with a chainsaw. Specific body parts are missing at each crime scene. Arms are removed from one woman, another girl’s torso is gone, a head is missing from one young lady’s body, etc. A detective attempts to build up a case and uncover the murderer with the help of the lover of one of the victims, Kendall. Kendall tags along with an undercover agent, Mary, a former pro tennis player acting as the new tennis coach. Suspects begin to pop up all over the place include the local groundskeeper and a popular professor. Can Kendall, Mary, and the detectives uncover the real killer? Why is the killer collecting body parts? Watch Pieces to find out!

The film stars Christopher George as Lt. Bracken, his wife, Lynda Day George, as Mary Riggs, Ian Sera as Kendall, Paul L. Smith as Willard the groundskeeper, Edmund Purdom as the Dean, Jack Taylor as Professor Brown, and numerous young women in various states of undress as the victims of the killer. The acting is…..okay. The film dubbing is worse.

The kills in this film are brutal and surprisingly realistic at times. A few of them are obviously fake, but the aftermath may be hard to stomach for some viewers. From being stabbed to death in a water bed to being sawed into multiple pieces via chainsaw, this movie leaves little to the imagination. The gore is excessive. There’s also a ton of nudity in this film. There would have been more nudity, but one of the actresses in the film, Carmen Aguado, a real-life aerobics instructor who appears in the movie, refused to have her aerobics class perform in the nude. She said that classes aren’t held in the nude. Director Simon was upset with this, but when almost all of the women that were in the scene refused to appear in the nude, he relented. Leticia Marfil was given a role in the film when her mother, a member of the film’s makeup department, told Simon that she wanted to be an actress. Simon took one look at the young, beautiful woman and immediately increased the amount of nudity in her scenes. Marfil was upset by the situation but wanted the job, so she agreed to appear fully nude in the film. Her career would be cut short when she walked away from acting after only receiving roles that required nudity. Oh, and ladies, Simon didn’t leave you out of the equation, as Ian Sera has a full frontal male nude scene in the film.

After reading about how Simon insisted on nudity in the film, he comes off as a pervy old creep in my opinion. While some nudity is no surprise in slasher films, the excessive amount of it in this film, both female and male, is almost more upsetting than the excessive gore. The film is very twisted, from plot to direction, and I’m really not a fan of it as a whole because of what I’ve learned about Simon and how he intentionally added nudity to parts of the film. What a creep.

If you’re a fan of slasher films or of giallo, it’s worth watching Pieces one time. Despite the creep vibes from Simon, the film is a decently executed slasher flick. Will I watch it again? Probably not, but it’s mainly because of how sleazy Simon came off in my research for my review.

As always, thanks for checking out this cult classic with me. See you soon!