Murder Set Pieces

This film, if it can be called that, had had its share of controversy and then some. From being rejected by at least three film processing companies (including Technicolor) to Lionsgate heavily censored mainstream release. I actually ended up renting the Lionsgate release from Blockbuster with no knowledge of the film whatsoever. I admit; I was fooled by a semi-gruesome front cover and the words “most controversial movie of all time”. I couldn’t have been more disappointed.

The film follows a serial killer, played by a hilarious (probably not intentionally) Sven Garrett, who murders women of any age (though never very old ones) in Las Vegas. His motives? The film is very unclear about this in either version. It could be any one or a combination of the following: he was abused as a child, he is very proud of his Nazi heritage, he gets sexually aroused by murder, and/or he needs blood because he has an iron deficiency. In the end, who cares?

Nick Palumbo, directing his first “major film”, doesn’t even pretend to care about plot. The film is all about the killer (who remains nameless) picking up women, taking photographs of some, and then violently murdering them. Usually they are fully nude. If all you’re in the mood for is a bloody violent horror film, than that’s not so bad. However, the Lionsgate release has literally cut out almost every scene of violence in the film. In essence, making one of the gorier movies ever released into a very tame R rated movie. Why, since in the US Murder Set Pieces was being released straight to DVD, would they shoot for an R rating? I have no idea. Surely the company behind the SAW and HOSTEL series couldn’t have been scared away from a little, make that a lot (88 gallons according to Mr. Palumbo), of blood? Apparently so. The Lionsgate version goes likes this; killer meets girl, brings them back to his place, and then the film cuts away. And to add insult to injury, in the climax you see a room of dead bodies, not of which you saw murdered in the film. It’s like editing out the action scenes in a James Bond film.

However, the extremely hard to find unrated version (I unfortunately had to download, but hey, I paid for the censored rental), does deliver the goods. It is what can be described as a smorgasbord of murder. And there is a ridiculous amount of hot naked women throughout; though sometimes there’s so much blood on them you can’t even make out skin color. The movie still has no plot, like the Lionsgate version, but this time there is almost non-stop bloody kills. Its not the sickest movie ever made, or even the most controversial. But there is torture, child murder, violent rape/rape of corpse, a touch of cannibalism, and a well done chainsaw to head scene. It stands out as one of the more violent movies you will see. However, I don’t think it would be as controversial if more of the women were wearing clothes (like it really matters when you’re getting a nail pounded through your arm).

In the end I like this film as silly gory entertainment. I call the film silly even though it never cracks a joke mostly because of the terrible, if comical, acting. The main lead acts like such an ignorant, personality-less, jock that you can never be scared of him. In many grisly scenes, it’s hard not to laugh at his outrageous German accent or the falseness of his rage. The only other “real” character in the film is a young girl whose sister is dating the killer. Her acting is terrible in a way that detracts from the film, unlike the lead. But she’s only a kid. With so many terrible horror movies out today pretending to be good, I like a movie that’s not only willing to admit its trash but revels in it too. Right down to totally pointless and tasteless footage from 911. This director was simply out to offend, and if that’s what your in the mood for, you won’t be disappointed. Just don’t expect anything close to “most controversy of all time”, and seriously, don’t really expect a “good film”. And at all costs, stay away from the Lionsgate version.

Release date: April 2008
Lionsgate R rated release: F
Unrated version: B-