Do ‘snuff’ movies actually exist or are they merely an urban legend? I use the term ‘snuff’ movie in its traditionally accepted sense i.e. an act of murder which is committed to film or videotape and then replayed in order to provide some warped sexual gratification for the viewer.
I have been prompted to raise this question by a showing of the film “8mm” on British terrestrial television this evening. According to the makes of the film, snuff movies do exist but you have to go to considerable trouble (and expense) to obtain them.
I have never seen a snuff movie but even if I had been shown such a movie how could I know for sure that the ‘grisly murder’ I was witnessing was not, in fact, a very convincing simulation? After all, realistic and gory murders are simulated in mainstream movies all the time so the expertise clearly exists.
Another thing that occurs to me is the problem of marketing such a thing. How (and to whom) do the producers sell their snuff videos when they can hardly be advertised even in the most questionable publications? Furthermore, I am not aware of any criminal convictions (in the UK at any rate) in respect of the making or distribution of snuff movies.
On the other hand, contract killing certainly does exist and if one can pay to have someone murdered surely one can pay a bit extra to have the execution filmed. In the “8mm” film, the snuff movie is made to order at the behest of an extremely wealthy magnate. If they do exist, then perhaps that’s how it works.
I am no nearer to an answer but I am not sure I want to be. I never want to see a snuff movie and I’d like to think they they are, indeed, nothing more than exotic urban fairytales. But sometimes, the world can be a very ugly place.
snopes says urban legend
Well, there is *one* well-known and widely seen snuff video: the Daniel Pearl video.
Snopes says they don’t exist:
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/snuff.htm
Yes, I have long suspected that the existance of underground ‘snuff’ movies, which suggesting there is an underground market for them, is a complete load of old bollocks. In this era of Internet and MPEGs, they WOULD be downloadable by now and it is hardly credible to think that would pass uncommented on!
I dearly hope that they are an urban legend, but I quite liked the film, even with its unsavory subject matter.
I thought it was one of Nicholas Cage’s and Joachim Phoenix’s better performances, not to mention the cameo of James Gondolfini playing another bad guy.
A classic article from the Skeptical Inquirer
Jennie,
I share your hope that snuff films do not actually exist but, of course, it is a weird and wicked world sometimes.
I find the economic arguments against rather persuasive. Since it is a very high risk activity, the reward would have to be very high to compensate. As it is not a product which can be marketed or distributed in any way, how on earth would these people actually make any money from the enterprise?
I forgot to mention that I recommend the movie. Excellent late-night viewing.
The marketing problems faced by snauff movies would be much the same as those of child porn – which continues to flourish. And making it would be a low risk activity by comparison; faking a murder is far easier than faking age, and making a fake snuff movie is not illegal.
I would guess that the punishment for first degree murder would be higher than for child porn. If they do exist, then they’re one of the best guarded secrets in the world. A secret like that would be kind of hard to guard!
I also enjoyed the movie, if only for the scenes of fine detective work by Cage, and the depiction of the disgusting porn underworld. Creepy, fun stuff.
I loved 8mm, the scenes really turned me on. If anyone will sell a snuff movie to me i’m willing.
check out the “brutal” section of downloads at http://www.ogrish.com .
there is a short film of a blonde 30is yr old woman being shot in the face point blank,excellent quality,very compelling.
if anyone can understand what she says at the start i would be interestsed to know
She says: “snuff films do not excist”
She says: “snuff films do not excist”
I have not yet decided myself whether snuff movie are real or not, but in our society today i would not be suprised if a rape murder, was filmed and turned into a movie. You hear of murders in the papers everyweek, whos to say they have not been filmed? It a very disterbing subject. :S
There in no “c” in “exist.” As for snuff films, with this world full of people who do unstomachable things to human beings every day, how is it possible that there are NOT snuff films? And if so, they haven’t been found because they are so carefully guarded and hidden–from family, from friends…