S&Man
Encyclopedia
S&Man is a 2006 pseudo-documentary film
that examines the underground subculture of horror film
s. It combines real interviews with indie horror film makers and a scripted plot that does not immediately come into focus until the second half of the film. The film compares the aspects of filmmaking
and voyeurism
.
with the director's voiceover explaining what the film was originally conceived to be. S&Man exposes the voyeuristic nature of faux snuff films and the desensitizing of modern society. Some context is added about sexual deviancy and about the role of gender in horror films. S&Man is mainly focused around Eric Rost who literally stalks
women for weeks for his films. If the women accept his invitation to be a part of his films, they are "bound, gagged, tortured, and eventually butchered." In order to show the motivations of people involved with these types of films, he shows gory clips that Nick Schager of The Village Voice
described as "repulsive" and "absorbing". The film has a fictional subplot where Erik Marcisak acts as if he is Eric Rost in a role that tries to raise the question on whether or not Eric Rost's films are really snuff films. Opinions from experts in the field say that horror films are both sadistic and masochistic while discussing paraphilia
s and saying that most voyeurs may seem creepy, but are not dangerous. Carol Clover, the author of Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in Modern Horror, is featured providing facts about horror filmmaking. Eric Rost is shown saying, "I don't shoot movies to make art; I shoot movies so perverts will give me money.
and works with his fiancée on voyeuristic films. Eric Rost is the main featured person in the film who directs the S&MAN video series. The actress Debbie D who stars in low-budget fetish exploitation films is interviewed along with a sexologist and her husband, a forensic psychologist. The author Carol Clover is also interviewed. Johnny Butane of Dread Central said that he thinks that J. T. Petty should have picked a bigger variety of subjects.
towards "the peeper" who recorded 191 videotapes of the neighborhood. The indictment implied the footage should be viewed in court, but the people in the neighborhood opposed this for privacy violation concerns. J. T. Petty said of the 191 videotapes, "I admired the peeping tom; he had made movies that were frightening and titillating and real." The film was already financed by a company, but he was left without a subject since the recorder wanted nothing to do with it. The man that taped the videos is still at the same house. Petty ended up focusing his film on three directors. These directors did not direct films in the common sense of the word; they directed simulated snuff film
s that involve murder
and sexual violation
. The "snuff" directors are Fred Vogel, Bill Zebub
, and Eric Rost. The director went to the Chiller Convention, a convention for fans of simulated snuff films, where he first meant the three other directors that would later become subjects of his documentary. J. T. Petty argues that horror films that most people consider mainstream "are rooted in the same voyeuristic leanings which sell such freakish fetish videos". The film's title comes from Eric Rost's S&MAN video series.
, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
, Kill the Scream Queen, and the Crucifier.
and Blu-ray Disc
release includes two commentary tracks; one with a conversation between J. T Petty and Erik Marcisak
and the other one with Bill ZeBub. There is also deleted scenes, extended scenes, The Complete S&Man – Episode 11 in its entirety, a clip from the underground horror film August Underground's Mordum
, and film trailers.
's "Midnight Madness", South by Southwest
, and UnionDocs, a film festival in Brooklyn
. The film's release at the Toronto International Film Festival caused controversy including online.
reviewed the film calling it "a queasy glimpse into bargain-basement sleaze." Adam Tyner of DVD Talk
said that he was indifferent about the film while he was watching it, but he ended up thinking that the film is "pretty brilliant". Gordon Sullivan of DVD Verdict
said that the film is ambitious and offers "interesting insights into the modern consumption of horror." Joe Leydon of Variety
described the film as an "uncomfortably close look at underground horror", but continued saying that it may some day have a cult following. David Harley of Bloody Disgusting
said that the film is a "must-watch" for anyone that has been scared while watching a horror film without being able to describe why. Johnny Butane of Dread Central said that the film's ending "will fuck you up, plain and simple" with a positive meaning.
Allan Dart's review for Fangoria
was mixed. While he described the film as "thought-provoking", he did not like the focus on whether Eric Rost's films are actual snuff or not. Despite Casey Broadwater of Blu-ray.com having a problem with the fictional account of Eric Rost, the reviewer said that "S&Man delivers an occasionally insightful dialectic about the psychological nature of horror.
Meg Hewings of Hour Community described the film as "a doc that flails in a dark, nihilistic pool" and went on to call people that like this type of film "geeky", "twisted", "unstable", or "delusional". "A TMZ
article stated that S&Man "impolitely asked horror genre aficionados to question just why they so enjoy watching human suffering so much."
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
that examines the underground subculture of horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
s. It combines real interviews with indie horror film makers and a scripted plot that does not immediately come into focus until the second half of the film. The film compares the aspects of filmmaking
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
and voyeurism
Voyeurism
In clinical psychology, voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other activity usually considered to be of a private nature....
.
Plot
The film starts with a murder scene from the once notorious film Peeping TomPeeping Tom (film)
Peeping Tom is a 1960 British psychological thriller directed by Michael Powell and written by the World War II cryptographer and polymath Leo Marks. The title derives from the slang expression 'peeping Tom' describing a voyeur...
with the director's voiceover explaining what the film was originally conceived to be. S&Man exposes the voyeuristic nature of faux snuff films and the desensitizing of modern society. Some context is added about sexual deviancy and about the role of gender in horror films. S&Man is mainly focused around Eric Rost who literally stalks
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
women for weeks for his films. If the women accept his invitation to be a part of his films, they are "bound, gagged, tortured, and eventually butchered." In order to show the motivations of people involved with these types of films, he shows gory clips that Nick Schager of The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
described as "repulsive" and "absorbing". The film has a fictional subplot where Erik Marcisak acts as if he is Eric Rost in a role that tries to raise the question on whether or not Eric Rost's films are really snuff films. Opinions from experts in the field say that horror films are both sadistic and masochistic while discussing paraphilia
Paraphilia
Paraphilia is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her...
s and saying that most voyeurs may seem creepy, but are not dangerous. Carol Clover, the author of Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in Modern Horror, is featured providing facts about horror filmmaking. Eric Rost is shown saying, "I don't shoot movies to make art; I shoot movies so perverts will give me money.
Featured cast
Bill Zebub is the director of low-budget fetish exploitation films such as Jesus Christ: Serial Rapist. Fred Vogel is the head of Toetag PicturesToetag Pictures
Toetag Pictures is an independent horror movie studio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is known for its use of copious violence and gore that far exceeds that of more mainstream films.-Pre TTP :...
and works with his fiancée on voyeuristic films. Eric Rost is the main featured person in the film who directs the S&MAN video series. The actress Debbie D who stars in low-budget fetish exploitation films is interviewed along with a sexologist and her husband, a forensic psychologist. The author Carol Clover is also interviewed. Johnny Butane of Dread Central said that he thinks that J. T. Petty should have picked a bigger variety of subjects.
Production
The director J. T. Petty originally intended for this film to focus on a man that spied on his neighborhood and lived close to the house that he occupied as a child. Finding a camera taping his neighbor's house for hours fascinated him so much that he thought that he should direct a film about it. The footage led to an indictmentIndictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
towards "the peeper" who recorded 191 videotapes of the neighborhood. The indictment implied the footage should be viewed in court, but the people in the neighborhood opposed this for privacy violation concerns. J. T. Petty said of the 191 videotapes, "I admired the peeping tom; he had made movies that were frightening and titillating and real." The film was already financed by a company, but he was left without a subject since the recorder wanted nothing to do with it. The man that taped the videos is still at the same house. Petty ended up focusing his film on three directors. These directors did not direct films in the common sense of the word; they directed simulated snuff film
Snuff film
A snuff film is a motion picture genre that depicts the actual death or murder of a person or people, without the aid of special effects, for the express purpose of distribution and entertainment or financial exploitation. For-profit snuff films are generally regarded as an urban legend, whose...
s that involve murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
and sexual violation
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
. The "snuff" directors are Fred Vogel, Bill Zebub
Bill Zebub
Bill Zebub is the manager of Bill Zebub Productions. His production company publishes a quarterly magazine entitled The Grimoire of Exalted Deeds, mainly about death metal music and independent movies. He has made an array of low-budget films, and also is the host of a radio show on WMFU 91.1 in...
, and Eric Rost. The director went to the Chiller Convention, a convention for fans of simulated snuff films, where he first meant the three other directors that would later become subjects of his documentary. J. T. Petty argues that horror films that most people consider mainstream "are rooted in the same voyeuristic leanings which sell such freakish fetish videos". The film's title comes from Eric Rost's S&MAN video series.
Film references
The film references other films, including Peeping Tom, The Texas Chain Saw MassacreThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a 1986 crime horror film directed and co-written by John McNaughton about the random crime spree of a serial killer who seemingly operates with impunity. It stars Michael Rooker as the nomadic killer Henry, Tom Towles as Otis, a prison buddy with whom Henry is...
, Kill the Scream Queen, and the Crucifier.
Home video
The DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
release includes two commentary tracks; one with a conversation between J. T Petty and Erik Marcisak
Erik Marcisak
Erik Marcisak was born on March 17, 1978 in Queens, NY. He is an American writer, sketch comedy producer, actor and VIP customer of David Gagnon taxi, based in Charlottetown, PEI...
and the other one with Bill ZeBub. There is also deleted scenes, extended scenes, The Complete S&Man – Episode 11 in its entirety, a clip from the underground horror film August Underground's Mordum
August Underground's Mordum
August Underground's Mordum is an independent exploitation film released by the Pittsburgh-based film production/special effects/design company Toetag Pictures in 2003...
, and film trailers.
Film festivals
S&Man was shown at Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
's "Midnight Madness", South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
, and UnionDocs, a film festival in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. The film's release at the Toronto International Film Festival caused controversy including online.
Reception
Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reviewed the film calling it "a queasy glimpse into bargain-basement sleaze." Adam Tyner of DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
said that he was indifferent about the film while he was watching it, but he ended up thinking that the film is "pretty brilliant". Gordon Sullivan of DVD Verdict
DVD Verdict
DVD Verdict is a judicial themed website for DVD reviews. The site was founded in 1999. Current editor in chief is Michael Stailey, who also reviews for Rotten Tomatoes...
said that the film is ambitious and offers "interesting insights into the modern consumption of horror." Joe Leydon of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
described the film as an "uncomfortably close look at underground horror", but continued saying that it may some day have a cult following. David Harley of Bloody Disgusting
Bloody Disgusting
Bloody Disgusting is a website that covers horror movies with reviews, interviews and news. It is currently run by Brad Miska, and Tom Owen. According to one source, the site has 1.5 million unique visitors and 20 million page views each month. It is widely considered to be the "world's most...
said that the film is a "must-watch" for anyone that has been scared while watching a horror film without being able to describe why. Johnny Butane of Dread Central said that the film's ending "will fuck you up, plain and simple" with a positive meaning.
Allan Dart's review for Fangoria
Fangoria
Fangoria is an American magazine devoted to horror and exploitation films, which has a number of associated brands:* Fangoria Comics* Fangoria Films* Fangoria RadioFangoria may also refer to:* Fangoria , a Spanish electro pop band...
was mixed. While he described the film as "thought-provoking", he did not like the focus on whether Eric Rost's films are actual snuff or not. Despite Casey Broadwater of Blu-ray.com having a problem with the fictional account of Eric Rost, the reviewer said that "S&Man delivers an occasionally insightful dialectic about the psychological nature of horror.
Meg Hewings of Hour Community described the film as "a doc that flails in a dark, nihilistic pool" and went on to call people that like this type of film "geeky", "twisted", "unstable", or "delusional". "A TMZ
TMZ.com
TMZ.com is a celebrity news website that debuted on November 8, 2005. It was a collaboration between America Online and Telepictures Productions, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. However, it is still affiliated with AOL News and has the AOL News logo affixed in...
article stated that S&Man "impolitely asked horror genre aficionados to question just why they so enjoy watching human suffering so much."