Fitz of Horror Review of Joe Stauffer’s PIECES OF TALENT

To simply say that Pieces of Talent is just a great independent horror film would be a gross understatement. Joe Stauffer’s Pieces of Talent is a top notch horror film that will stand the test of time and be talked about in the same breath as other great horror films of our era for years to come.

For those unfamiliar with the premise:

This story centers around Charlotte, a struggling young actress who can’t catch a break. In an effort to support herself and her hopeless mother, Charlotte holds a job as a cocktail waitress at a seedy, local strip club and hates every minute of it. During a cigarette break late one evening she witnesses an altercation between an overzealous bouncer and an unfortunate passerby, David. David makes movies and given Charlotte’s career interests a friendship quickly develops. Soon enough, David mentions a project he has in the works that she would be perfect for and an excited Charlotte agrees to take part. She has no idea what she has signed up for.

 

 

Believe it or not, this is Joe Stauffer’s directorial film debut, but you wouldn’t know it by watching it. His story telling, character development and cinematography are on point and would best most of the “big budget” Hollywood stuff that is getting churned out nowadays.

It seems to me that in his first effort, Joe has essentially made a near perfect horror movie. Everything from start to finish including casting, music, set location, editing, shot selection and  cinematography seemed to be the product of a horror savant at work.

Pieces of Talent’s main character, David Long, is a very charismatic and haunting figure.We are first introduced to him as he is getting beat up and tossed out of a strip club by a bouncer. Charlotte intervenes and takes this seemingly pathetic soul in to her care. As we begin to see that David isn’t at all what he seems to be, there is still something that won’t let us hate him. Is it his charming smile? His flowing blond locks? His witty personality? or is it that even though he is a cold blooded serial killer, he kills with a misguided sense of purpose and the people he chooses to dispatch of are people we all secretly wish would disappear?

I think it’s safe to say that the planets aligned when when Joe Stauffer wrote the script for this character and an actor like David Long (yes that his real name and the character’s name) was able to take control of the role.

While Joe has a directing style all his own, I couldn’t help noticing some similarities to other directing styles, mainly Lucky McKee (MAY, The Woman) and John McNaughton (Henry:Portrait of a Serial Killer). Joe uses laid back music to lull you into a false sense of security, like McKee and hits you with realistic and visceral violence that jars you and worms its way into the deepest parts of your psyche, like McNaughton with Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.

 

Given the subject matter and the fact that this is a director’s first feature film, when the final credits role you can’t help but feel that you have watched something truly unique, sadistic and beautiful. I can’t wait to see what he will do for a follow up film.

For those of you that feel that Hollywood does nothing but remake classics and seemingly can’t come up with anything original, do yourself a favor and buy a copy of this independent horror masterpiece, you owe it to your collection.

Full Pieces of Talent trailer:

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http://piecesoftalent.com

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