Snuff Blu-ray Review
Score: 46
from 2 reviewers
Review Date:
'Snuff' is an incoherent curiosity from a bygone era, best appreciated by enthusiasts of controversial cinema, featuring an impressive video presentation and decent extras.
Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 60
The Blu-ray presentation of 'Snuff' boasts a surprisingly decent AVC encoded 1080p HD transfer in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio. Despite some print damage and softness, the refreshed color timing, vibrant hues, and managed grain offer a filmic look that successfully highlights textures, maintaining a clean, balanced grindhouse quality.
Audio: 25
The DTS-HD mono 1.0 audio track for 'Snuff' delivers clear music and dialogue but lacks depth and range, sounding shrill and muted with clunky, unsynchronized dubbing. While it preserves violent screams and mild atmospherics, it remains a blunt instrument focused on intelligibility over dimension.
Extra: 61
Extras on the Blu-ray of "Snuff" provide a multifaceted exploration of its controversial legacy, featuring filmmaker Carter Stevens' humorous behind-the-scenes recount ("Shooting Snuff"), Nicolas Winding Refn's candid reflections on exploitation cinema ("Up To Snuff"), and former FBI Agent Bill Kelly's insights on snuff film myths ("Porn Buster"), supplemented by extensive galleries and trailers.
Movie: 36
"Snuff," while a historical exploitation film with legendary controversy, is an incoherent and amateurish production marked by poor dubbing, random scenes of violence and nudity, and a final "murder" scene that fails to mask its crude effects. Despite its infamous marketing success, the film itself remains a tedious and hollow viewing experience.
Video: 60
The Blu-ray debut of "Snuff" features an AVC encoded image with an aspect ratio of 1.67:1. While the transfer hasn't undergone exhaustive restoration, the result is surprisingly commendable. The color timing has been refreshed, presenting powerful hues—especially reds, which effectively emphasize the film's violent content. Although the print shows signs of age, such as fading and common damage like speckling, the grain management is commendable, offering a welcomed filmic look. Crush issues solidify shadowed elements within the frame, and overly bright white levels are noted. Fine detail survives in close-ups, where facial and fabric textures can be discerned, offering clarity to the most scrutinized parts.
In terms of detail, the newly remastered 1080p HD transfer presented in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio provides substantial improvements over previous releases. Close-ups expose fine textures clearly, and wide shots exhibit enhanced clarity. Typical for grindhouse films, some image softness alongside dirt and scratches remains, but these imperfections are minor and do not detract significantly from the viewing experience. Blue Underground has succeeded in balancing and saturating colors effectively—the hues pop, and skin tones look natural with decent black levels. Despite retaining its 1970s aesthetic, this film now exudes a level of visual fidelity that gives it newfound life on Blu-ray.
Audio: 25
The audio presentation of the Blu-ray release of "Snuff" comes with a DTS-HD mono 1.0 track. This sound mix maintains clarity in dubbing, allowing for a full appreciation of the dialogue, despite it being rather clunky at times. However, the track's overall performance leaves much to be desired, with sharp highs and almost no depth, resulting in a shrill listening experience. The music does provide supportive enhancement with its lively rock elements, yet it fails to challenge the listener or bring any additional dimension to the audio experience.
Supporting elements like sound effects and the musical score somewhat elevate the mix but still fall short of expectations. Dialogue intelligibility remains a priority in this mix, although synchronization issues and the overall muted quality of the audio diminish its effectiveness. While there are no notable issues such as pops, cracks, or hissing, the lack of range and vague sound make it clear that this audio mix is merely serviceable. In sum, the DTS-HD mono 1.0 track does its job but only just barely, preserving basic intelligibility while offering limited auditory depth and richness.
Extras: 61
The Blu-ray extras for "Snuff" provide an engaging and insightful exploration of the film's controversial history and production. Nicolas Winding Refn's introduction sets a passionate tone, although it feels somewhat scripted. The feature on Carter Stevens, "Shooting Snuff," is a standout, presenting a humorous yet informative look into the making of the film. Refn returns for "Up to Snuff," delving deeper into his appreciation for the concept of the film, though his enthusiasm fades when discussing Shackleton's footage. "Porn Buster" offers a fascinating glimpse into the cultural impact of snuff films through the eyes of retired F.B.I. Agent Bill Kelly. The galleries and essays further contextualize the film within its notorious legacy.
Extras included in this disc:
- Intro: Nicolas Winding Refn welcomes viewers with enthusiasm.
- Shooting Snuff: Carter Stevens humorously recounts the film’s creation.
- Up To Snuff: Refn discusses his mixed feelings about the film.
- Porn Buster: Retired FBI Agent Bill Kelly on the snuff film myth.
- Poster & Still Gallery: 51 images capturing promotional and behind-the-scenes moments.
- Controversy Gallery: 24 images of protesting coverage.
- Snuff: The Seventies and Beyond: Alexandra Heller-Nicholas' exploitation essay.
- U.S. & German Trailers: Promotion footage from different regions.
Movie: 36
Initially released as "Slaughter," "Snuff" leverages grisly urban legends to manufacture intrigue around its sordid content. Directed by Roberta and Michael Findlay with a meager budget, the film attempts to depict the violent escapades of a cult leader reminiscent of Charles Manson, operating with poorly dubbed dialogue and disjointed scenes. The plot, which involves a cult’s obsessive desire to extract an unborn child from an American actress in Chile, is rendered incoherent by sloppy editing and haphazard direction. The movie meanders through scenes of excessive violence and nudity, failing to establish any narrative coherence or genuine suspense.
Film producer Allan Shackleton later transformed "Slaughter" into "Snuff" by incorporating a controversial, purportedly real murder scene to capitalize on the snuff film panic of the 1970s. This calculated move involved crafting a film-within-a-film ending where the crew seems to murder an actress on camera. Despite its notorious reputation, this added footage does little to elevate the film, marred by amateurish special effects, poor acting, and crude production values. Far from evoking genuine horror, the climactic scene is more laughable than terrifying, eroding any credibility Shackleton aimed to establish.
"Snuff" remains an infamous artifact in exploitation cinema, driven more by provocative marketing than any cinematic merit. While ranked as a curiosity piece due to its controversial background, it's a dismal viewing experience plagued by nonsensical plot points and technical shortcomings. The film's mythology persists chiefly because of its ingenious yet unethical marketing, demonstrating that allure can often trump content in the annals of film history.
Total: 46
The Blu-ray release of "Snuff" delivers a paradoxical experience. On the one hand, the film itself is an incoherent mess, notorious more for its controversy than any cinematic merit. Originally marketed as an authentic snuff film, it is neither convincing in its horror nor skillful in its execution. The narrative lacks coherence, bogged down by subpar acting and threadbare plotlines. Despite this, the historical context and infamy surrounding the film add a layer of curiosity-value that some niche audiences may find compelling.
From a technical perspective, this Blu-ray release excels. The video presentation is meticulously restored, presenting the film in its best possible state. This enhanced visual detail brings a new dimension to the viewing experience, although it does not elevate the film past its foundational flaws. The inclusion of extras enriches the historical understanding and controversial legacy of "Snuff", providing a comprehensive package for collectors and enthusiasts of extreme cinema.
In conclusion, the story of "Snuff" and the firestorm of controversy accompanying its release is far more entertaining than the actual film. Once stripped of its boogeyman power, the movie is revealed to be nothing more than an incoherent lump, missing any genuine cinematic achievements or cheap exploitation thrills. Snuff remains a hoax, a curiosity from a different time, when audiences could be fooled by the idea of evil, despite its hilariously shoddy representation on screen.
Blu-ray.com review by Brian OrndorfRead review here
Video: 70
Perhaps working with limited resources, "Snuff" arrives with refreshed color timing that pushes primaries with success, making hues powerful, with a concentration on red that emphasizes the violence....
Audio: 60
It's a shrill track, with sharp highs and almost no depth, yet clarity of the dubbing remains, allowing a full appreciation of what passes here for dialogue....
Extras: 70
"Porn Buster" (4:57, SD) is a brief interview with retired F.B.I. Agent Bill Kelly, who was one of the first to come into contact with the snuff movie myth and its rapid escalation into pop culture terror,...
Movie: 20
There's a "Born to the Wild" sound-alike grinding away on the soundtrack, a flashback sequence that's dutifully drained of color but doesn't actually convey any history, and a parade of skin that submits...
Total: 60
"Snuff" remains a hoax, a curiosity from a different time, when audiences could be fooled by the idea of evil, despite its hilariously shoddy representation on screen....
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 80
That said, the image is still soft, with some dirt and scratches, but hey, that's grindhouse filmmaking....
Audio: 20
Dialogue is clunky and not always clear, as the dubbed voices and audio has seen better days....
Extras: 60
Interesting extra. 'Snuff': The Seventies and Beyond -Here is a text essay by Alexander Heller Nicholas, who discusses actual deaths and murders that happened during movies and other forms of the entertainment...
Movie: 60
As the original film was a terrible mess, the producer of the movie decided to shelve it for years, but when news reports started trickling through the press of actual Snuff films being made, the producer...
Total: 60
I love owning highly controversial films like this, and with its amazing video presentation and decent extras, I'm going to have to recommend this Blu-ray to fans of the film....
Director: Michael Findlay, Horacio Fredriksson, Simon Nuchtern
Actors: Margarita Amuchástegui, Tina Austin, Ana Carro
PlotA group of young women living in Argentina becomes entangled with a cult led by the enigmatic and sadistic Satan, who orchestrates a series of brutal and shocking events. The cult's influence ensnares all who come into contact with it, leading to chaos and fear. Terry, an affluent American film producer, arrives in Argentina with his girlfriend Angel, unknowingly stepping into this web of terror. As they navigate their burgeoning relationship amidst exotic locales, they inadvertently attract the attention of Satan and his followers.
Terry's involvement in the local culture and curiosity about the cult draws him deeper into a nightmarish scenario. As sinister rituals and violent acts unfold around them, the lines between reality and horror begin to blur. With the shocking nature of the cult's activities intensifying, the sense of dread escalates, all leading toward a harrowing climax that leaves a lasting psychological impact on all those involved. The story captures an atmosphere of dread and unease, weaving a narrative that crescendos to a powerful conclusion.
Writers: Michael Findlay, Walter E. Sear
Release Date: 19 Jun 1976
Runtime: 80 min
Rating: X
Country: United States, Canada, Argentina
Language: English