Slasher

Excellent documentary dealing with a almost likable used car pitchman, his sidekick Mud, a glum disk jockey, and a host of car salesmen. I refuse to buy a car from a lot just because of the phony "smiling faces" which were represented here in abundance. These salesmen all were adept at saying one thing while plotting how to run a game on the buyer. A game in which the dice were loaded heavily in favor of the dealership, of course. The Slasher claimed he never lies to a buyer, yet in reality the entire shell game he is running is based on a layer cake of sweet sounding half truths, deceptive number crunching, and a sham facade of glib friendliness hiding a hideous mask of evil greed. It was sad to see easily swayed folks wanting to believe they were getting a good car for $88, but what may have been even more grievous was the toll on the Slasher himself; not to mention his cronies. One simply cannot build a fruitful life leading into a pleasant future while deceiving not only his customers but himself with shady business practices. I feel that goes doubly for the "dollar is God" money men who hired this hyperactive, miserably unhappy 'whore' to do the dirty work they were unable to do themselves.

I used to live 50 miles north of Memphis so I know where their dealership is. Having gone through a six-month stint as a car salesmen (while between jobs) a long time ago I know a few things about the games the sales-people AND the customers play. Yes, salesmen lie through their teeth ("I have to talk to the sales manager"; "we're not making a thing on this deal"; "we're giving you {fill in the blanks} for your car which is more than it's worth", etc.).

But customers also lie (I'll be back),and I've seen many who will come in just to jack a salesmen around. Real time-killers.

But on to the movie. The "Slasher" is the typical used car salesman with the hyped up attitude and proclaiming to cut prices to the bone. It was still interesting and worth everyone's time to watch.

I thought the gals hired to bring in the customers was a typical tactic and it probably worked, esp. with the blond.

Good movie, is it worth the price to buy it? No, but it is worth it to watch it. It shows the car biz as it really is, the last of the horse traders." The Slasher" himself is one of the most intense persons that you will ever see on a screen and by the end if you do not feel somewhat sorry for him you must have lost your soul somewhere. The rest of the cast of this Docurama is interchangeable with any car lot in the USA.Production values were good, great use of jump cuts but not up to what I expected from the director of the blues brothers though.. Would love to see a John Landis comedy movie made on this subject. This is the way it is for car salesman everyday, they want to make money and you want to pay cost. I hope it never ends.

I too saw this movie on IFC recently and was drawn in immediately, mostly because I've recently moved to Memphis. The "Slasher" is definitely the type of character you love to hate. A 24/7 drunk who's real high stems from his ego. Completely self-absorbed and so full of his own crap that he doesn't see the obvious disdain others have for him (dealership manager, his own DJ, etc). The fast-talking sleazeball versus the economically-challenged (and uneducated) masses. However there is no clear winner in my view because the masses are duped yet again and the lemon-pusher doesn't exactly get away with all the money. No Hollywoodized tragedy here, just the reality of the way things are in the used...ehem, "preowned"...car business. Buyer beware!

This is an unpleasant film to watch. It is about a "Slasher", a guy who goes in and stages huge sales at used car lots where they clear out all their backed-up inventory at slightly lower prices. The slasher brings in a DJ and his own sales force and the lot is extravagantly decorated with balloons and streamers and beautiful girls are hired to act as models for the weekend. It's kind of like a party.

In this case, director John Landis and his documentary crew follow Southern California Slasher Michael Bennett (and his crew) to a used car lot in Memphis, TN where they ready the lot for the sale and get pumped up to try and sell at least 50 cars so they can win their bonus. In between, they spend a lot of time drinking beer, smoking, hanging out at strip clubs and looking generally unhappy.

It's sad and gut-wrenching. You can't help but feel for Michael Bennett. You certainly feel how much he cares for his family but it's also clear what a skin-scraping profession he is locked into. You also feel the horrible tension between him and his DJ, especially in an argument they have at the end (about the best way to get to the airport!!) that nearly erupts into a fist fight. Bennett drinks almost constantly and you can see the wear and tear on him.

What's doubly horrific is watching the Slasher rip off honest people who have come in to try and buy a car and then are bullied into a buying a total lemon. You come away feeling awful for everyone in the entire movie. Also, the pacing (lots of jump cuts and lively Memphis soul) doesn't really reflect the gravitas and misery that's captured on the screen. I think it was assembled in kind of a slap-dash fashion. Maybe the director thought he was filming something more fun than he actually was.

The one oasis of sanity in the whole affair turns out to be "Mud", Slasher's mercenary closer. A towering, militaristic figure, Mud at first comes off as unsympathetic but is ultimately revealed to be a shrewd thinker and devoted family man. He also gives the film its one true moment of levity as he describes (with great humor) how it was only after his wife "kicked his ass" did he realize she was the one he was going to marry.