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Weekend Watch: Would you buy a used car from this man?
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Weekend Watch: Would you buy a used car from this man?

The fascinating 'Slasher' sets a new standard for sleazy salesmen.

“All I need is people. It never fails if I got people,” says itinerant used car salesman Michael Bennett early in “Slasher,” John Landis' 2004 documentary about him.

By “it,” Bennett means his hyper, highly practiced, ethically dubious sales techniques, for which struggling car lots will pay him $4,000 a day in a desperate attempt to move their unmovable products.

Landis' movie follows Bennett to the seamier side of Memphis, where, wearing a cheap tuxedo and fueled by beer, cigarettes, and visits to local strip clubs, he holds court over a days-long “slasher sale,” reeling in customers with outrageous discounts (one car sells for $88) and obnoxious stunts.

Along the way he entertainingly confirms every stereotype you may have about used car salesmen, while possibly inventing some new ones.

In a way, Bennett's sweaty brazenness makes him a breath of fresh air compared to the entitled hucksters currently hustling us for our votes. But don't take my word for it: The Internet Archive has made the entire movie available (100% legally) at a price so low you can't afford not to watch it.

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Matt Himes

Matt Himes

Managing Editor, Align

Matt Himes is the managing editor for Align.
@matthimes →