Director J.T. Petty is a big enough horror movie fan to worry about what it means to embrace such a grisly genre.
That inquisitive bent beget “S&Man,” the 2006 faux documentary that found him digging into the underground horror movie scene. It isn’t pretty and, frankly, neither is the film.
Like other pseudo docs, the film can’t fully stand on its own as entertainment. Once it’s clear the documentary is more “I’m Still Here” than “Inside Job,” much of the excitement whooshes out of the concept.
“S&Man,” out on DVD for the first time Oct. 12 from Magnolia Home Entertainment, mixes what could be actual interviews with the disturbing tale of a movie maker whose horror work may involve actual bloodletting. Petty says his documentary originally took shape as a look at a notorious peeping tom in the D.C.-area neighborhood where he grew up. When that case led to a dead end, he shifted gears and decided to focus on his own horror instincts – and the voyeurism inherent in the fan base.
It’s one thing to admire a good slasher film, but what about that subset of horror hounds who groove on amateur videos where niceties like plot, characterization and budget fly out the window? Petty interviews several underground filmmakers, an odd bunch who still seem more composed – and emotionally stable – than either their fan base or the nubile women who star in their features.
One exception is Debby D, a lovely scream queen who specializes in getting the business end of the nearest sharp object. She’s both a good sport and a savvy observer of the genre.
Petty, the sharp filmmaker behind “The Burrowers” and “Soft for Digging,” tries to tease out the connection between the genre and voyeurism.
“S&man” employs only three talking heads to bolster the documentary feel – a lazy trope that instantly makes the film feel less than genuine. The creepiest of the horror filmmakers, played by Erik Marcisak, can’t answer direct questions regarding the quality of his work, dubbed the S&Man series. Could Erik be a snuff filmmaker using the horror genre to hide his true intentions?
Petty can’t inspire much tension with this aspect of the story. That leaves a concocted documentary that touches on hot button issues but can’t explain them to any satisfaction.
The DVD release features more than 30 minutes of bonus features, including commentary by Petty, deleted and extended scenes,
It’s hard not to pine for a genuine documentary on this topic. For now, horror fans will have to tease truth from fiction in “S&Man.”
(Photo: The 2006 documentary-style drama “S&Man” casts a curious eye on the underground horror movie scene. Magnolia Home Entertainment)
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