VIDEO VIOLENCE
By Jimmy Squarejaw
*WARNING*
All movies reviewed for SUNDAY SNUFF contain graphic
depictions that may include rape, live animals being murdered, and extreme
gore. None of the writers condone such acts we just watch this
shit.
This week we’ll step it
back a bit and review a movie about snuff filmmaking, rather than a flat out
nightmare movie! This week is
1987’s shot-on-video classic VIDEO VIOLENCE, written and directed by former
video store employee Gary Cohen.
One of my favorite
scenarios in horror movies is “the town where everyone is in on it.” Classics like RIDE WITH THE DEVIL,
STUFF, and HALLOWEEN 3 have helped instill an unhealthy fear of “regular folk”
and VIDEO VIOLENCE is another great example that has added to my neurosis. The
plot revolves around Steven, a video store owner, who is trying to figure out
who and why mysterious VHS tapes keep showing up in his return slots containing
gruesome video of two shitkickin’ locals torturing and killing people. Of course the police shrug it off as
some newcomer from a big city trying to cause a problem but we slowly realize
everyone in the town is in on it.
The Steven’s wife starts to believe him when a tape gets slipped into
her purse while she was ordering some bologna at a Mom and Pop grocery
store. With tensions mounting the
couple soon chat up a patron in their video store who is in town just visiting
her aunt and uncle. She too finds
the town very unnerving and brings up that everyone is obsessed with violence
on film, even saying she has seen a film at a party that seemed very real. But of course on her way out of the
video store she is kidnapped. Will
Steven and his wife be able to rescue the lady and flee the town or is it all
an elaborate plot to lure them to their own deaths caught on film?
Needless to say I loved
this movie. It held my interest
the whole way through and the ending totally delivered the goods! For a no-budget release the effects
were great! There is lots of gore
and mayhem that when coupled with the grit look of “shot-on-video” it gives the
movie a really creepy sheen. Even
the acting was great and
believable. The store owner plays
being freaked and burnt out fantastically and the shit kicker snuff film makers
and all of the locals seem like they really lived the parts, which might be the
case the more backwoods these people get!
Basically…….get this movie.
It’s off of the Retro 80’s Horror Collection series with other classics
like CANNIBAL COOKOUT and GHOUL SCHOOL and I think my copy, that includes the
sequel, was eight dollars!
On a side note, if
there is anyone out there that has seen this and loved it, try and track down
THE DEAD HATE THEIR LATE FEES.
It’s a no-budget movie made by a guy named Andrew Murga in 2005. He shot it in the video store he worked
at in McMinnville, Oregon and it RULES!!!!
Blake and Jimmy’s Extreme-O-Gauge!
Realistic Gore: 3 out of 5, it was better than the end scene of Titanic!
Rape: 1 out of 5, no actual penetration but there is some creeper scenes with tied up women.
Animal Death: 0 out of 0, since they’re considered to be locals they’re safe.
Necrophilia: 0 out of 0, rednecks have limits dammit!
Torture: 3 out of 5, there is a good amount of video footage of people getting tortured and killed.
Rape: 1 out of 5, no actual penetration but there is some creeper scenes with tied up women.
Animal Death: 0 out of 0, since they’re considered to be locals they’re safe.
Necrophilia: 0 out of 0, rednecks have limits dammit!
Torture: 3 out of 5, there is a good amount of video footage of people getting tortured and killed.
Overall Movie: 5 out of 5, I loved this movie! Some might like it, I bet a lot won't like it but go fuck yourself!
