The Eighth Night-- And As A Candle, The Light Goes Out

Warning: This post is about a questionable topic and may not be something you would want to read about... if you DO, don't think oddly of me...

Well, today's post was intended to be on narrative structure, however, I need to ponder that one a bit more I think... so instead, today's post is going to take a more... morbid turn (don't judge me).  While doing some research, I came upon the topic of "snuff" film.  This is a very disturbing and unsettling topic and something I'd generally shy away from but the myth intrigues me and I've been reading a lot about horror from Chris Jones' blog (http://musingsofamoviedouche.blogspot.com/) and thought why not? (I'm not trying to compete though haha).

If you are not aware what the genre of "snuff film" is, it's the visual depiction of a person's actual death with out visual effects for the intent of profit (more or less horrible).  Generally this type of film is a myth (seeing as how it's illegal and morally appalling... but you already know that).  There ARE, however, filmed documentation of murders and executions in existence.  They are NOT sold though and if you can find one anywhere, it somehow just got out without the intention of monetary gain.  At times a documentary film crew will catch an execution or accidental death (great example is the JFK assassination).  There is even a documentary called Executions that include people who have been sentenced to death.  Sometimes a death will be caught by accident, like the suicides of Ricardo Cerna or Bud Dwyer (who killed himself on a news broadcast).  At times, serial killers will tape their murders (it was rumored that The Manson Family was doing this)... however, NONE of these are considered snuff films due to the fact that the act was not performed for the intent of sale.

In this idea though, there have been actual motion picture who have dealt with the subject, such as the 1976 film Snuff, which was actually portrayed as a real snuff film.  It started as an average slasher/splatter film that was taken by a producer and (without permission) was changed to include a new ending that was done to look like an actual murder.  After this film was released, many other films tried to cash in on the myth, like The Brave, 8mm, Snuff-Movie, and Vacancy.

There have been many controversial films made that were close to depicting actual snuff films.  One of these was the Japanese Guinea Pig film series.  The first two films of this series The Devil's Experiment and Flowers of Flesh and Blood were done to appear to be low budget and home recordings of actual snuff films.  They so closely resembled snuff films that the creators got investigated by the FBI and repeatedly taken to court and interrogated.  Another film that is very close to an actual snuff film is the Italian film Cannibal Holocaust.  In the film, six animals were actually slaughtered and it very graphically depicted sexual violence and was thought to have shown actual murders (in fact the director was arrested in charged with making a snuff film almost immediately, he eventually had the charges dropped).

This film myth is so jarring because, while actual film of real murders does exist, it is usually kept locked away, only occasionally being leaked.  The idea that a commercial film could include a real death for money is a bit unsettling... and what's more disturbing or frightening than your murder being taped and sold to everyone?  It's a very disgusting concept and myth that, apparently, makes for good fringe, gore film plots.

Well, now that THAT disturbing topic is over, I can bid you all adieu.  I'm sorry for yet another short post.