Civil War is an extremely powerful, effective movie that thrusts you into the middle of an American civil war seen through the eyes of a war photographer. It’s brutal. It’s extraordinarily violent. The sound design is bordering on abusive. And if you watch it in IMAX you can reasonably expect to leave the theater with more than a little motion sickness. It is, however, excellent, with great performances from Kirsten Dunst as the older, jaded photographer and Cailee Spaeny as the reckless youngster new to the game. So see it. But we’d be very surprised if you decide to rush back for a second viewing.
Here’s our celebration of the wonderful, must-see movies where once is quite enough, thank you very much.
Hereditary
To no one’s surprise, Ari Aster’s harrowing debut immediately makes the top of this list. You might think the early, shocking...
Here’s our celebration of the wonderful, must-see movies where once is quite enough, thank you very much.
Hereditary
To no one’s surprise, Ari Aster’s harrowing debut immediately makes the top of this list. You might think the early, shocking...
- 4/15/2024
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Despite what popular perception might be, a lot of horror fans watch scary movies to get away from life’s harsh realities. So in a way, basing a horror on something that actually happened defeats the point. But the fact is it’s all in the telling. We’ve been quite strict about not including things that were just loosely inspired by a real event, with the majority of the story a fiction. So no Psycho or Texas Chain Saw Massacre (both inspired by Ed Gein) and no The Exorcist (the book was inspired by a real boy) etc.
Without further ado, here are our favourite horrors based on real events.
Dead Ringers (1988)
Arguably the last flat-out masterpiece of David Cronenberg’s exceptional mid-1970s/late-1980s run of films, Dead Ringers also marked a transitional moment for the filmmaker as he ventured beyond the visceral body horror he was...
Without further ado, here are our favourite horrors based on real events.
Dead Ringers (1988)
Arguably the last flat-out masterpiece of David Cronenberg’s exceptional mid-1970s/late-1980s run of films, Dead Ringers also marked a transitional moment for the filmmaker as he ventured beyond the visceral body horror he was...
- 10/25/2022
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
As the Cannes Film Festival draws near to a close, Justin Kurzel sat down to field a series of questions about his Palme d’Or contender Nitram, a deeply disturbing retelling of the events leading up to the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre in Tasmania, Australia. Kurzel was joined by the film’s star Caleb Landry Jones, writer Shaun Grant and producer Nick Batzias where they discussed how they handled portraying one of the darkest memories in Australia’s history, which caused 35 deaths and injured another 23. The mass killing horrified the country and prompted swift gun reform in the country.
For Kurzel, who lives with his family in Tasmania and vividly remembers the moment this event happened, the subject matter was one that he and his team approached incredibly delicately.
“When Shaun sent me the script, I took a very, very deep breath,” Kurzel said. “But I saw something in the script...
For Kurzel, who lives with his family in Tasmania and vividly remembers the moment this event happened, the subject matter was one that he and his team approached incredibly delicately.
“When Shaun sent me the script, I took a very, very deep breath,” Kurzel said. “But I saw something in the script...
- 7/17/2021
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Australia... it's a vast, beautiful, welcoming country. It's also full to bursting with things that can kill you, if the big screen is to be believed. Inspired by Mia Wasikowska's plucky 1,700-mile trek across the Outback in Tracks, we flag up the traps and tropes she should watch out for.
(Un)Natural Phenomena
Exotic wildlife proliferates Down Under, most of it deceptively lethal. Witness the baby stolen by a dingo in horrifying Meryl Streep-starrer A Cry In The Dark (1988). The same – real – tragedy loosely inspired Razorback, a mullet-tastic 1984 horror about a giant marauding pig, directed by Highlander's Russell Mulcahy (mooted tagline: 'There Can Only Be Oink'). The less said about the ballet-dancing were-roos of The Marsupials: The Howling III (1987), the better.
Much more convincing is the giant CG crocodile munching Radha Mitchell's boat tour group (ex-Neighbours actors constitute an Outback peril all of their own) in 2007's Rogue,...
(Un)Natural Phenomena
Exotic wildlife proliferates Down Under, most of it deceptively lethal. Witness the baby stolen by a dingo in horrifying Meryl Streep-starrer A Cry In The Dark (1988). The same – real – tragedy loosely inspired Razorback, a mullet-tastic 1984 horror about a giant marauding pig, directed by Highlander's Russell Mulcahy (mooted tagline: 'There Can Only Be Oink'). The less said about the ballet-dancing were-roos of The Marsupials: The Howling III (1987), the better.
Much more convincing is the giant CG crocodile munching Radha Mitchell's boat tour group (ex-Neighbours actors constitute an Outback peril all of their own) in 2007's Rogue,...
- 4/26/2014
- Digital Spy
Snowtown (The Snowtown Murders)
Written by Shaun Grant
Directed by Justin Kurzel
Australia, 2011
When does using a trope devalue a film? That’s a question that far too often horror filmmakers aren’t willing to ask of themselves. Snowtown is yet another example of a film dragged down by its dogmatic adherence to a common horror trope. Dogs are innocent, in all walks of life this is pretty much an accepted fact. Showing a character killing a dog in a horror movie instantaneously pegs them as evil. That is also a fact in just about all facets of film life. When Snowtown felt the need to resort to such manipulation it seriously damaged the film. The act itself is sure to offend the sensibilities of animal lovers, but that’s the point and not the problem. It’s the cheap way that the trope establishes character that is the problem.
Written by Shaun Grant
Directed by Justin Kurzel
Australia, 2011
When does using a trope devalue a film? That’s a question that far too often horror filmmakers aren’t willing to ask of themselves. Snowtown is yet another example of a film dragged down by its dogmatic adherence to a common horror trope. Dogs are innocent, in all walks of life this is pretty much an accepted fact. Showing a character killing a dog in a horror movie instantaneously pegs them as evil. That is also a fact in just about all facets of film life. When Snowtown felt the need to resort to such manipulation it seriously damaged the film. The act itself is sure to offend the sensibilities of animal lovers, but that’s the point and not the problem. It’s the cheap way that the trope establishes character that is the problem.
- 5/1/2013
- by Bill Thompson
- SoundOnSight
If you listened to the podcast last Friday you heard how I ended up missing a screening of Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing, but I can't say it has irked me to any great extent. Adaptations of Shakespeare's work that stick strictly to Shakespeare's language tend to irk me, recent examples being Julie Taymor's The Tempest and Ralph Fiennes' Coriolanus. Around the corner, along with Whedon's Nothing, we have Carlo Carlei's Romeo and Juliet and the adaptations are sure to continue from there as yet another has been set up in the last few days. Like the adaptations I mentioned above, Justin Kurzel's take on Shakespeare's Macbeth will be filmed in the play's original language with Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender in the leading roles. Kurzel previously brought us the primal story of Australia's serial killer John Bunting in Snowtown (read my review here...
- 5/1/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
A great year in film means a great year in acting. We've celebrated our Top Ten Films of 2012, and now it's time to give thanks for some of the performances that moved us this year. From Jessica Chastain's high-profile performance as the woman who tracked down Osama bin Laden in Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty" to Emilie Dequenne's little talked about turn in Joachim Lafosse's heart-wrenching "Our Children" (which is also Film Comment's #1 Undistributed film), it was a year of dynamic, strong women, as well as those that have been broken. Daniel Day-Lewis' masterful performance in "Lincoln" will not be soon forgotten, nor will Joaquin Phoenix's woebegone stray Freddie Quell in Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master." One of the most vividly disturbing performances comes from Australia's "The Snowtown Murders"; Daniel Henshall's portrait of real-life murderer John Bunting is...
- 12/25/2012
- by Sophia Savage
- Thompson on Hollywood
I don’t’ share the popular opinion that 2012 has been a terrible year in film. It hasn’t been as strong as previous years but 2012 gave us such gems as Holy Motors, The Master, Berberian Sound Studio, Tabu, Skyfall and Moonrise Kingdom, to name a few. As with every year, I thought it appropriate to highlight some of the year’s most memorable individual moments, scenes, and sequences, from movies that may or may not have made our individual year-end lists. Which is no small feat considering just how insane the release calendar has become.
We are keeping out credit sequences since we feel it is an art form in itself.
Honourable Mentions:
The Deep Blue Sea – The underground flashback.
Oslo, August 31st – The cafe scene.
Miss Bala – The extended take during the shoot out .
Universal Solider 4 – The opening shotgun sequence.
Universal Solider 4 – The fight in the sport retail store.
We are keeping out credit sequences since we feel it is an art form in itself.
Honourable Mentions:
The Deep Blue Sea – The underground flashback.
Oslo, August 31st – The cafe scene.
Miss Bala – The extended take during the shoot out .
Universal Solider 4 – The opening shotgun sequence.
Universal Solider 4 – The fight in the sport retail store.
- 12/18/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
It’s no big secret I love horror films, but 2012 hasn’t been a great year. In my top ten, three films carry over from 2011, two won’t be released until 2013, two are animated and another isn’t much of a horror film. With that said, 2012 gave us Berberian Sound Studio and Cabin In The Woods, and for that, I am forever grateful. Here is a list of the 21 horror films from 2012 I liked best.
****
#1: Berberian Sound Studio
Directed by Peter Strickland
Written by Peter Strickland
UK, 2012
Berberian Sound Studio reminds us of the power of sound over the visual image, and can surely join the ranks of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation and Brian DePalma’s Blow Out as an absorbing appreciation of sound design. But both thematically and visually, Berberian is more of a descendant of the school of David Lynch and Roman Polanski. As things get increasingly,...
****
#1: Berberian Sound Studio
Directed by Peter Strickland
Written by Peter Strickland
UK, 2012
Berberian Sound Studio reminds us of the power of sound over the visual image, and can surely join the ranks of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation and Brian DePalma’s Blow Out as an absorbing appreciation of sound design. But both thematically and visually, Berberian is more of a descendant of the school of David Lynch and Roman Polanski. As things get increasingly,...
- 12/9/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
After breaking out big time with his terrifying turn as real life serial killer John Bunting in last year's Snowtown, Dan Henshall is very much on the fast track to fame and glory. Already this year he's had a pivotal supporting role in acclaimed miniseries Devil's Dust, has shot elevated horror movie The Babadook, and now we have our first look at his role as party boy Freddy in apocalyptic thriller These Final Hours.Directed by Zak Hilditch, These Final Hours is about a self-obsessed young man (played by Nathan Phillips) determined to make his way to the party to end all parties on the last day on Earth. However he ends up saving the life of a little girl searching for her father, and she...
- 11/18/2012
- Screen Anarchy
Throughout the month of October, Editor-in-Chief and resident Horror expert Ricky D, will be posting a list of his favorite Horror films of all time. The list will be posted in six parts. Click here to see every entry.
As with all lists, this is personal and nobody will agree with every choice – and if you do, that would be incredibly disturbing. It was almost impossible for me to rank them in order, but I tried and eventually gave up.
****
Special Mention: Gremlins
Directed by Joe Dante
Written by Chris Columbus
1984, USA
Gremlins gets a special mention because I’ve always considered it more of a comedy and a wholesome Christmas flick than an actual horror film. This tribute the 1950s matinee genre stands the test of time from a time when parents would take their children to family films that pushed the boundaries of the MPAA. Joe Dante is...
As with all lists, this is personal and nobody will agree with every choice – and if you do, that would be incredibly disturbing. It was almost impossible for me to rank them in order, but I tried and eventually gave up.
****
Special Mention: Gremlins
Directed by Joe Dante
Written by Chris Columbus
1984, USA
Gremlins gets a special mention because I’ve always considered it more of a comedy and a wholesome Christmas flick than an actual horror film. This tribute the 1950s matinee genre stands the test of time from a time when parents would take their children to family films that pushed the boundaries of the MPAA. Joe Dante is...
- 10/15/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
The searing Australian period serial killer flick Snowtown was one of last year’s cinematic surprises, receiving much buzz on the festival circuit before making a huge critical splash on its release in the UK last November.
Last week, HeyUGuys engaged in a special tweet-along to mark the film’s release on DVD and Blu-ray at distribution headquarters Revolver. In attendance was director Justin Kurzel who we managed to grab some time with to discuss the film before the screening.
HeyUGuys: Justin, thanks for taking time to chat with HeyUGuys. Could you quickly tell us a little about the film for the uninitiated?
Justin Kurzel: It’s probably one of the darkest chapters in Australia history and our worse ever recorded number of serial killings, which were also known as the Snowtown murders. It happened in the nineties over a period of about six years where 12 people were murdered.
Last week, HeyUGuys engaged in a special tweet-along to mark the film’s release on DVD and Blu-ray at distribution headquarters Revolver. In attendance was director Justin Kurzel who we managed to grab some time with to discuss the film before the screening.
HeyUGuys: Justin, thanks for taking time to chat with HeyUGuys. Could you quickly tell us a little about the film for the uninitiated?
Justin Kurzel: It’s probably one of the darkest chapters in Australia history and our worse ever recorded number of serial killings, which were also known as the Snowtown murders. It happened in the nineties over a period of about six years where 12 people were murdered.
- 3/27/2012
- by Adam Lowes
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
On Thursday night, Revolver Entertainment marked the release of Snowtown with a screening of the film, a live Tweet-along and a Q&A with its director Justin Kurzel. Snowtown is a depiction of the real life murders that happened in the nineties in the town close to Adelaide. The film is told from the point of view of Jamie (Lucas Pittaway), an abused teen that becomes embroiled into the world of John Bunting (Daniel Henshall), an outwardly personable man who also happens to be a sadistic murderer.
The film is relentlessly tense (aided by Jed Kurzel’s outstanding score) and oppressively bleak. It is at times almost impressionistic and its use of oversaturated imagery adds to the near-dreamlike quality of the film. Whilst much of the violence is left unseen, what we do witness is so gut-wrenchingly inhumane it’s physically difficult to watch. I had to duck out for...
The film is relentlessly tense (aided by Jed Kurzel’s outstanding score) and oppressively bleak. It is at times almost impressionistic and its use of oversaturated imagery adds to the near-dreamlike quality of the film. Whilst much of the violence is left unseen, what we do witness is so gut-wrenchingly inhumane it’s physically difficult to watch. I had to duck out for...
- 3/25/2012
- by Jack Kirby
- Nerdly
Director Justin Kurzel is to host an interactive screening of Snowtown, his critically acclaimed film telling the true story of Australia's most notorious serial killer, John Bunting.
Snowtown is this week out on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download from Revolver Entertainment.
The production, which is Kurzel's first feature film, stars newcomers Lucas Pittaway (who plays 16-year-old Jamie) and Daniel Henshall (as John Bunting).
In what sounds like an incredibly cool idea, Kurzel will celebrate the Blu-ray/DVD release with an exclusive interactive tweet-a-long screening of the film at Revolver HQ in London this Thursday, March 22.
In addition to the audience - those at the screening and those joining in at home via the Blu-ray/DVD or iTunes/LoveFilm download - being able to tweet their comments as the film plays, Justin himself will be tweeting background information about the filming process, on-set stories, and his thoughts on specific scenes as they crop up.
Snowtown is this week out on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download from Revolver Entertainment.
The production, which is Kurzel's first feature film, stars newcomers Lucas Pittaway (who plays 16-year-old Jamie) and Daniel Henshall (as John Bunting).
In what sounds like an incredibly cool idea, Kurzel will celebrate the Blu-ray/DVD release with an exclusive interactive tweet-a-long screening of the film at Revolver HQ in London this Thursday, March 22.
In addition to the audience - those at the screening and those joining in at home via the Blu-ray/DVD or iTunes/LoveFilm download - being able to tweet their comments as the film plays, Justin himself will be tweeting background information about the filming process, on-set stories, and his thoughts on specific scenes as they crop up.
- 3/21/2012
- by David Bentley
- The Geek Files
Snowtown, the brutal Australian crime thriller that shell-shocked audiences in Cannes last year, hits Blu-ray and DVD today, and to give you a taste of what to expect, you can watch a scene below. The film, based on true events, follows 16-year-old Jamie (Lucas Pittaway), as he slowly gets drawn under the wing of charismatic killer John Bunting (Daniel Henshall). Snowtown avoids genre clichés in favour of dusty, filmed-on-location realism gut-shredding suspense, as evidenced in the mesmerising, intense footage below. Watch the clip...
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- 3/19/2012
- by Total Film
- TotalFilm
Dreams of a Life; Moneyball; Snowtown; Weekend; The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn; Resistance; Wreckers
While many mawkish middle-of-the-road melodramas are lazily referred to as "heartbreaking", few films are as genuinely deserving of that epithet as Carol Morley's Dreams of a Life (2011, Dogwoof, E). An insightful account of the life and death of Joyce Vincent, a vibrant young woman who lay undiscovered in her flat for years after slipping through the cracks in an increasingly alienated, isolated society, this sobering cocktail of drama and documentary is at once engaging and enraging, enthralling and appalling.
Interweaving soul-searching contributions from Vincent's friends and lovers with hauntingly dreamy reconstruction footage, Morley paints a fable-like picture of a fractured personality, seen in tantalising glimpses through the memories of those who (never really?) knew her. Audiotape recordings of Vincent's voice (she was a promising singer) prompt uncanny reactions from the interviewees,...
While many mawkish middle-of-the-road melodramas are lazily referred to as "heartbreaking", few films are as genuinely deserving of that epithet as Carol Morley's Dreams of a Life (2011, Dogwoof, E). An insightful account of the life and death of Joyce Vincent, a vibrant young woman who lay undiscovered in her flat for years after slipping through the cracks in an increasingly alienated, isolated society, this sobering cocktail of drama and documentary is at once engaging and enraging, enthralling and appalling.
Interweaving soul-searching contributions from Vincent's friends and lovers with hauntingly dreamy reconstruction footage, Morley paints a fable-like picture of a fractured personality, seen in tantalising glimpses through the memories of those who (never really?) knew her. Audiotape recordings of Vincent's voice (she was a promising singer) prompt uncanny reactions from the interviewees,...
- 3/19/2012
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
To mark the release of Snowtown on DVD and Blu-ray 19th March, Revolver Entertainment have given us three copies of the movie to give away on Blu-ray.
Revolver Entertainment is pleased to announce the Monday 19th March UK Blu-ray & DVD release of Snowtown – one of the most gripping, harrowing and disturbing films ever to come out of Australia.
From first-time director Justin Kurzel, Snowtown marks the arrival of a major new filmmaking talent. A nail-biting, emotionally compelling and a psychologically devastating account of real-life murders, Snowtown documents the true-story of John Bunting – Australia’s most notorious serial killer.
Set in Adelaide, Southern Australia during the late 1990s, Bunting rallies against a nonchalant police force where paedophiles and drug addicts are free to roam the streets. Bunting takes on the role as an unsolicited vigilante for the under-classes by taking the law into his own hands and sets off on a killing spree.
Revolver Entertainment is pleased to announce the Monday 19th March UK Blu-ray & DVD release of Snowtown – one of the most gripping, harrowing and disturbing films ever to come out of Australia.
From first-time director Justin Kurzel, Snowtown marks the arrival of a major new filmmaking talent. A nail-biting, emotionally compelling and a psychologically devastating account of real-life murders, Snowtown documents the true-story of John Bunting – Australia’s most notorious serial killer.
Set in Adelaide, Southern Australia during the late 1990s, Bunting rallies against a nonchalant police force where paedophiles and drug addicts are free to roam the streets. Bunting takes on the role as an unsolicited vigilante for the under-classes by taking the law into his own hands and sets off on a killing spree.
- 3/12/2012
- by Competitons
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
2012 promises to be a fantastic year in cinema. Not too long ago, we posted a list of thirty of our most anticipated films of 2012, and so I decided I would keep track of my favourite films released each month. Here are my five favourite films released in February.
1- The Turin Horse
Directed by Bela Tarr
Bela Tarr is known as the Hungarian master of minimalist cinema and one of the greatest moviemakers of all time. At age 56, he sadly announced his retirement and The Turin Horse to be his final film. What better way to retire than with a starkly beautiful and exceedingly demanding meditation on the human condition. Here Tarr co-directs with his wife, Ágnes Hranitzky, and shares writing credit with novelist László Krasznahorkai, with whom he adapted one of his classic works, 1994′s Sátántangó, among others. The Turin Horse is an dubious story of Nietzsche, when in...
1- The Turin Horse
Directed by Bela Tarr
Bela Tarr is known as the Hungarian master of minimalist cinema and one of the greatest moviemakers of all time. At age 56, he sadly announced his retirement and The Turin Horse to be his final film. What better way to retire than with a starkly beautiful and exceedingly demanding meditation on the human condition. Here Tarr co-directs with his wife, Ágnes Hranitzky, and shares writing credit with novelist László Krasznahorkai, with whom he adapted one of his classic works, 1994′s Sátántangó, among others. The Turin Horse is an dubious story of Nietzsche, when in...
- 3/4/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
At the end of each month, the Sound On Sight staff will band together to write an article about their favourite scenes in films released. Here are our favourite scenes from the month of February.
Click here to see January’s releases.
A Separation – Opening scene
A Separation opens with a simple but wonderful stationary shot that quickly sets everything up. The scene features a couple speaking to a divorce councilor about their troubled relationship. In practically breaking the fourth wall the sequence prepares us for the mess of selfish bad decisions wrapped around good indentations that follows; these choices eventually leading to the cause for everything spiraling out of control.
- Ricky D
Chronicle - Space Needle
Chronicle will never be mistaken for an artistic breakthrough, but it is unquestionably endowed with the best special effects this low-budget shaky-cam movie could afford. The effects here (handled by Simon Hansen,...
Click here to see January’s releases.
A Separation – Opening scene
A Separation opens with a simple but wonderful stationary shot that quickly sets everything up. The scene features a couple speaking to a divorce councilor about their troubled relationship. In practically breaking the fourth wall the sequence prepares us for the mess of selfish bad decisions wrapped around good indentations that follows; these choices eventually leading to the cause for everything spiraling out of control.
- Ricky D
Chronicle - Space Needle
Chronicle will never be mistaken for an artistic breakthrough, but it is unquestionably endowed with the best special effects this low-budget shaky-cam movie could afford. The effects here (handled by Simon Hansen,...
- 3/3/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Despite taking a short film called “Blue Tongue” to Cannes Critic’s Week in 2005, Australian director Justin Kurzel isn’t a member of the Aussie collective Blue Tongue Films, which includes “Animal Kingdom” writer/director David Michôd and star Joel Edgerton (also of acclaimed Mma drama “Warrior”). Comparisons will be inevitable, however, in that like “Animal Kingdom,” Kurzel’s debut feature is an uncommonly accomplished crime drama about a naive teen corrupted by the poisonous, sociopathic tutelage of a deranged father figure. The two films also share cinematographer Adam Arkapaw who spent time behind the camera for both productions.
If there’s a key difference, though, between Kurzel’s film, “The Snowtown Murders,” and Michôd’s "Animal Kingdom," it’s that the former is based on a horrific true story. Specifically, “Snowtown” dramatizes the events of Australia’s notorious Snowtown murders (also called the “Bodies in Barrels murders”), perpetrated by...
If there’s a key difference, though, between Kurzel’s film, “The Snowtown Murders,” and Michôd’s "Animal Kingdom," it’s that the former is based on a horrific true story. Specifically, “Snowtown” dramatizes the events of Australia’s notorious Snowtown murders (also called the “Bodies in Barrels murders”), perpetrated by...
- 3/2/2012
- by Julian Carrington
- The Playlist
The Snowtown Murders (Snowtown), Justin Kurzel's harrowing and brutal thriller, arrives in limited theaters Friday, March 2 from IFC Films. This film really drew me in, and even though the experience wasn't always pleasant (nor is it intended to be) - I knew I was in the hands of a truly gifted filmmaker. Needless to say I was eager to hop on the phone with Kurzel earlier this week to discuss his approach. The true-crime story of The Snowtown Murders concerns "a teenager who finds his world threatened by both his loyalty for, and fear of, his newfound friend, John Bunting, Australia's most notorious serial killer...
- 3/2/2012
- bloody-disgusting.com
For his harrowing debut feature, Australian director Justin Kurzel (Blue Tongue) took on a sensationalistic serial-murder case that rocked the northern suburbs of Adelaide in the early aughts. Known across the country as the “bodies in barrels” case, the Snowtown murders spurred controversy and launched a lengthy investigation that resulted in the conviction of a charismatic drifter, John Bunting, along with three accomplices, including a teenage boy he had taken under his wing. Attached to the project by Warp Films Australia’s Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw, and working from a script by Shaun Grant, Kurzel brings psychological verisimilitude and a gritty naturalism to the details of this true-crime story, achieving cinematic truth alongside semi-journalistic accuracy drawn from book accounts, court transcripts, and interviews in the community. The Snowtown Murders won a Fipresci Prize at the 2011 Cannes Critics’ Week, as well as top honors at the Australian Film Institute Awards,...
- 3/2/2012
- by Damon Smith
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
‘The Snowtown Murders’, a strong directorial debut, showing great promise for a first time filmmaker
The Snowtown Murders
Directed by Justin Kurzel
Screenplay by Shaun Grant
2011, Australia
First-time director Justin Kurzel and screenwriter Shaun Grant, using pointers from the books The Snowtown Murders and Killing for Pleasure, tell the story of John Bunting, Australia’s most notorious serial killer, whose modus operandi led to his 1990s killing spree – dubbed the “bodies in the barrels” case.
Snowtown is unrelentingly grim and terrifying – a strong directorial debut, showing great promise for a first time filmmaker. Director Justin Kurzel delivers a slow, effective burn, examining how one man’s harmful beliefs spread through a community in the most horrific way possible. Kurzel for the most part avoids sensationalistic, macabre or exploitative techniques. Well past the half-way mark, Snowtown is noticeably shy on demonstrating any direct depictions of the atrocities committed by Bunting. There is very little actual onscreen violence. Instead, scenes of rape, child molestation, and animal brutality...
Directed by Justin Kurzel
Screenplay by Shaun Grant
2011, Australia
First-time director Justin Kurzel and screenwriter Shaun Grant, using pointers from the books The Snowtown Murders and Killing for Pleasure, tell the story of John Bunting, Australia’s most notorious serial killer, whose modus operandi led to his 1990s killing spree – dubbed the “bodies in the barrels” case.
Snowtown is unrelentingly grim and terrifying – a strong directorial debut, showing great promise for a first time filmmaker. Director Justin Kurzel delivers a slow, effective burn, examining how one man’s harmful beliefs spread through a community in the most horrific way possible. Kurzel for the most part avoids sensationalistic, macabre or exploitative techniques. Well past the half-way mark, Snowtown is noticeably shy on demonstrating any direct depictions of the atrocities committed by Bunting. There is very little actual onscreen violence. Instead, scenes of rape, child molestation, and animal brutality...
- 3/2/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Interview With Justin Kurzel On The Snowtown Murders
Films based on real-life, heinous murders are often believed by the public to solely exploit the gruesome violence that the killers used on their victims. But the new crime drama thriller The Snowtown Murders, which is based on the 11 murders notorious Australian serial killer John Bunting committed in the 1990s, instead focuses on the humanity that was revealed during a corruption of innocence. Helmer Justin Kurzel, who is making his feature film directorial debut with the movie and grew up not far from Snowtown, uniquely chose to focus on the emotional motivations of the killers, and how they could become so complicit in such crimes.
Thanks for reading We Got This Covered...
Films based on real-life, heinous murders are often believed by the public to solely exploit the gruesome violence that the killers used on their victims. But the new crime drama thriller The Snowtown Murders, which is based on the 11 murders notorious Australian serial killer John Bunting committed in the 1990s, instead focuses on the humanity that was revealed during a corruption of innocence. Helmer Justin Kurzel, who is making his feature film directorial debut with the movie and grew up not far from Snowtown, uniquely chose to focus on the emotional motivations of the killers, and how they could become so complicit in such crimes.
Thanks for reading We Got This Covered...
- 3/2/2012
- by Karen Benardello
- We Got This Covered
As I was putting together my list of films to be sure to see in Cannes this year an Australian crime drama called Snowtown, from first time feature director Justin Kurzel, jumped out at me. Comparisons to last year's Oscar-nominated film Animal Kingdom, also an Australian production, are quite easy to make as a teen finds himself in the center of some disturbing criminal activity. Snowtown makes serial killing a "family" affair as it focuses on John Bunting, Australia's most notorious serial killer, and how he manipulated a 16-year-old boy into collaborating on a heinous series of crimes.
Beginning in 1998, Snowtown's opening moments introduce us to 16-year-old Jaimie Vlassakis (Lucas Pittaway), his two brothers and their mother, Elizabeth (Louise Harris). In addition to living in the dilapidated community of Snowtown, South Australia, trouble begins early for Elizabeth and her three boys as a neighbor uses a request to look...
Beginning in 1998, Snowtown's opening moments introduce us to 16-year-old Jaimie Vlassakis (Lucas Pittaway), his two brothers and their mother, Elizabeth (Louise Harris). In addition to living in the dilapidated community of Snowtown, South Australia, trouble begins early for Elizabeth and her three boys as a neighbor uses a request to look...
- 3/1/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Why He's On Our Radar: Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel didn't hold back with his feature directorial debut "The Snowtown Murders," a grisly true account of one of the worst serial killer cases in the country's history. Kurzel's no-holds-barred approach paid off. The film opens this Friday via IFC Films after winning the Special Jury Prize at last year's Cannes' Critics Week, and picking up a slew of awards at the Australia Film Awards. "The Snowtown Murders" (previously titled "Snowtown" on the festival circuit) follows Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris), a mother raising three boys in South Australia's Snowtown. After discovering that her boyfriend has pedophilic tendencies, she takes in a new man, John Bunting (a terrifying Daniel Henshall), who turns out to be even more vicious that the last. It isn't long before John gets close with Elizabeth's son Jamie (newcomer Lucas Pittaway), a soft-spoken...
- 3/1/2012
- by Nigel M Smith
- Indiewire
Was that a real kangaroo? I kept wondering that as John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) hacks off the paws and head of the dead creature as his girlfriend’s 16-year-old son Jamie Vlassakis (Lucas Pittaway) looks on. He will join John in dumping the bloody, butchered remains on the front porch of a known pedophile. Later, John watches smugly as the man moves away.
Director Justin Kurzel’s debut feature The Snowtown Murders (winner of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize) observes the grim lives of these Australians, who live in what can only politely be called a slum. Based on true events, Snowtown’s minimalist, no-frills, “documentary”-style approach perfectly captures their nowhere lives and inevitable tragedy as Jamie and his family join Bunting in his self-styled neighborhood watch endeavors; what follows is a series of vicious murders punctuated by horrific torture.
The film is based on events which occurred...
Director Justin Kurzel’s debut feature The Snowtown Murders (winner of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize) observes the grim lives of these Australians, who live in what can only politely be called a slum. Based on true events, Snowtown’s minimalist, no-frills, “documentary”-style approach perfectly captures their nowhere lives and inevitable tragedy as Jamie and his family join Bunting in his self-styled neighborhood watch endeavors; what follows is a series of vicious murders punctuated by horrific torture.
The film is based on events which occurred...
- 3/1/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
The following is a reprint of our review from Cannes where it played under its original title "Snowtown."
Both naturally thrilling and grotesquely over-the-top, the feature length debut by Justin Kurzel is certainly unforgettable and at times unnervingly mesmerizing. Based on the true story of Australia's "Body In Barrels" murders, "Snowtown" is structured much like "Animal Kingdom," using an adolescent teenager as a gateway into a world and family (of sorts) that is profoundly disturbing.
When we first meet Jamie Vlassakis (newcomer Lucas Pittaway who looks a lot like James Franco) he and his two brothers have already been through one trauma, surviving (with a strange emotionless stoicism) the sexual abuse by their neighbor. Their mother Elizabeth (Louise Harris) turns to her boyfriend John (a terrifying Daniel Henshall) to do something about it but little does she know what lurks between his warm smile and easy (and sometimes unnerving) demeanor.
Both naturally thrilling and grotesquely over-the-top, the feature length debut by Justin Kurzel is certainly unforgettable and at times unnervingly mesmerizing. Based on the true story of Australia's "Body In Barrels" murders, "Snowtown" is structured much like "Animal Kingdom," using an adolescent teenager as a gateway into a world and family (of sorts) that is profoundly disturbing.
When we first meet Jamie Vlassakis (newcomer Lucas Pittaway who looks a lot like James Franco) he and his two brothers have already been through one trauma, surviving (with a strange emotionless stoicism) the sexual abuse by their neighbor. Their mother Elizabeth (Louise Harris) turns to her boyfriend John (a terrifying Daniel Henshall) to do something about it but little does she know what lurks between his warm smile and easy (and sometimes unnerving) demeanor.
- 2/29/2012
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Properties immortalised on the big screen which then crop up on the housing market for real are undoubtedly an appealing prospect for potential buyers who are keen to indulge their cinematic fantasies (or at the very least, interesting in impressing any future houseguests).
Quite why anyone would be drawn to this piece of Australian real estate is anyone’s guess though, as alongside Roman Polanski’s infamous 60’s Hollywood residence which played host to the Manson crew’s murderous escapades, it offers a particularly ghoulish and unsavoury film-related Usp.
With a starting price of 200,000 Australian dollars, you can bid on the actual bank used in the notorious Snowtown murders (the basis for last year’s hard-hitting suburban Aussie shocker of the same name) on eBay. Initially removed from the site, who deemed the listing “inappropriate or insensitive to victims of disasters or tragedies”, the four-bedroom solid brick home (and ex-bank vault) has now been reinserted.
Quite why anyone would be drawn to this piece of Australian real estate is anyone’s guess though, as alongside Roman Polanski’s infamous 60’s Hollywood residence which played host to the Manson crew’s murderous escapades, it offers a particularly ghoulish and unsavoury film-related Usp.
With a starting price of 200,000 Australian dollars, you can bid on the actual bank used in the notorious Snowtown murders (the basis for last year’s hard-hitting suburban Aussie shocker of the same name) on eBay. Initially removed from the site, who deemed the listing “inappropriate or insensitive to victims of disasters or tragedies”, the four-bedroom solid brick home (and ex-bank vault) has now been reinserted.
- 2/28/2012
- by Adam Lowes
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
ComingSoon.net is giving away 6 pairs of tickets to a New York screening of The Snowtown Murders , Justin Kurzel's Grand Jury Prize winner at Cannes last year, on February 29 at the IFC Center. Based on horrifying crimes discovered in Snowtown, Australia in 1999, The Snowtown Murders is Kurzel's directorial debut, a stark journey into a brutal subculture of suspicion, addiction and violence. The film follows Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris), a mother raising her three boys in a poor suburb. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home. John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is the moral compass of a self-appointed neighborhood watch who, fueled by cigarettes...
- 2/22/2012
- Comingsoon.net
Snowtown has been awing audiences around the globe in its film festival travels, amassing awards along the way, including (twelve, to be precise). IFC has picked up the indie darling, and has announced a March 2 Us release date for the Australian-lensed shocker, changed the name to The Snowtown Murders, and has just released a powerful trailer to get the point across.
The Snowtown Murders is from director Justin Kurzel, and stars Lucas Pittaway, Bob Adraens, Louise Harris, Frank Cwiertniak, Matthew Howard, Marcus Howard, and Anthony Groves. The story is an adaptation of the book by Andrew McGarry.
Synopsis (courtesy IFC):
“When 16 year-old Jamie is introduced to a charismatic man, a friendship begins. As the relationship grows so does Jamie’s suspicions, until he finds his world threatened by both his loyalty for, and fear of his newfound father figure, John Bunting: Australia’s most notorious serial killer.”...
The Snowtown Murders is from director Justin Kurzel, and stars Lucas Pittaway, Bob Adraens, Louise Harris, Frank Cwiertniak, Matthew Howard, Marcus Howard, and Anthony Groves. The story is an adaptation of the book by Andrew McGarry.
Synopsis (courtesy IFC):
“When 16 year-old Jamie is introduced to a charismatic man, a friendship begins. As the relationship grows so does Jamie’s suspicions, until he finds his world threatened by both his loyalty for, and fear of his newfound father figure, John Bunting: Australia’s most notorious serial killer.”...
- 2/17/2012
- by Justin
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Australia might seem like a pretty laidback and pleasant place to live, but if you've seen the movies Chopper or Animal Kingdom, you know that it's also home to some pretty twisted criminals (as is every other country in the world). Now here is another Aussie true crime classic in the making, The Snowtown Murders (previously released as Snowtown), the directorial debut of Justin Kurzel. Jay included this one on his Top 10 Movies of 2011, and it will finally be getting a theatrical release in North America next month. The movie is based on the true story of John Bunting, Australia's most notorious serial killer, who was convicted of killing 11 people in South Australia. He had a following of disillusioned young people whom he used to carry out many of these crimes, including James Vlassakis, the son of his girlfriend. The movie has been called "uncompromising" and "profoundly disturbing", and is...
- 2/16/2012
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Formerly titled simply Snowtown, director Justin Kurzel's chilling debut The Snowtown Murders investigates the true story of a rash of killings that occurred around Snowtown, South Australia. The sickening killings spree was uncovered in 1999, when barrels filled with human remains were found in the formerly unknown town. From their contents, 11 victims were eventually identified. The Snowtown Murders explores the strange bond that formed between two of the perpetrators of this horrendous crime, and how it inspired so much bloodshed. Surrounded by the poverty and the omnipresent threat of violence, Snowtown resident Jamie Harvey (Lucas Pittaway) is a 16-year-old boy in desperate need of a male role model. His mother (Louise Harris) offers him one in the form of John Bunting (Daniel Henshall), her latest beau, a charismatic man with a stern sense of right and wrong. Before long, John and Jamie are inseparable, and Jamie begins to accompany John...
- 2/16/2012
- cinemablend.com
Catch the trailer for Snowtown, also known as The Snow Town Murders, starring Daniel Henshall and Lucas Pittaway. IFC Midnight distributes the thriller which opens March 2nd in limited areas, and includes Craig Coyne, Louise Harris, Frank Cwiertniak, Matthew Howard, Marcus Howard and Anthony Groves. Justin Kurzel directs the winner of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival's Fipresci Prize (Special Mention) from the script by Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw. Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris) is raising her three boys in Adelaide's poor northern suburbs. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead winds up welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home. John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is the moral compass among a circle of friends who hold self-appointed neighborhood watch meetings at the kitchen table. Fueled by cigarettes and beer they cast judgments on those living around them. Bunting enlists...
- 2/16/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Snowtown movie trailer
Catch the trailer for Snowtown, also known as The Snow Town Murders, starring Daniel Henshall and Lucas Pittaway. IFC Midnight distributes the thriller which opens March 2nd in limited areas, and includes Craig Coyne, Louise Harris, Frank Cwiertniak, Matthew Howard, Marcus Howard and Anthony Groves. Justin Kurzel directs the winner of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival's Fipresci Prize (Special Mention) from the script by Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw. Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris) is raising her three boys in Adelaide's poor northern suburbs. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead winds up welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home. John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is the moral compass among a circle of friends who hold self-appointed neighborhood watch meetings at the kitchen table. Fueled by cigarettes and beer they cast judgments on those living around them. Bunting enlists...
- 2/16/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Catch the trailer for Snowtown, also known as The Snow Town Murders, starring Daniel Henshall and Lucas Pittaway. IFC Midnight distributes the thriller which opens March 2nd in limited areas, and includes Craig Coyne, Louise Harris, Frank Cwiertniak, Matthew Howard, Marcus Howard and Anthony Groves. Justin Kurzel directs the winner of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival's Fipresci Prize (Special Mention) from the script by Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw. Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris) is raising her three boys in Adelaide's poor northern suburbs. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead winds up welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home. John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is the moral compass among a circle of friends who hold self-appointed neighborhood watch meetings at the kitchen table. Fueled by cigarettes and beer they cast judgments on those living around them. Bunting enlists...
- 2/16/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Hence to be known on our shores as The Snowtown Murders Justin Kurzel's directorial debut is an incredibly savage film about "the relationship between a vulnerable teenager and a father figure who is revealed to be the worst kind of bully". Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris) is raising her three boys in Adelaide's poor northern suburbs. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead winds up welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home.John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is the moral compass among a circle of friends who hold self-appointed neighborhood watch meetings at the kitchen table. Fueled by cigarettes and beer they cast judgments on those living around them. Bunting enlists his crew in acts...
- 2/16/2012
- Screen Anarchy
A new trailer for IFC's disturbing little film The Snowtown Murders (formerly Snowtown) has come across our desks, and we have it all bundled up and warm for you right here. Dig it!
Directed by Justin Kurzel, The Snowtown Murders stars Daniel Henshall, Lucas Pittaway, Craig Coyne, and Louise Harris. Look for it in select theaters on March 2nd.
Synopsis
Based on horrifying crimes discovered in Snowtown, Australia in 1999, The Snowtown Murders is Justin Kurzel's directorial debut, a stark journey into a brutal subculture of suspicion, addiction and violence. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes' Critics Week, the film follows Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris), a mother raising her three boys in a poor suburb. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home. John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is...
Directed by Justin Kurzel, The Snowtown Murders stars Daniel Henshall, Lucas Pittaway, Craig Coyne, and Louise Harris. Look for it in select theaters on March 2nd.
Synopsis
Based on horrifying crimes discovered in Snowtown, Australia in 1999, The Snowtown Murders is Justin Kurzel's directorial debut, a stark journey into a brutal subculture of suspicion, addiction and violence. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes' Critics Week, the film follows Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris), a mother raising her three boys in a poor suburb. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home. John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is...
- 2/16/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Justin Kurzel's The Snowtown Murders is kicking off a theatrical run in New York City on March 3rd, courtesy of IFC, and we have a trailer to share with you.
Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris) is raising her three boys in Adelaide's poor northern suburbs. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead winds up welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home.
John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is the moral compass among a circle of friends who hold self-appointed neighborhood watch meetings at the kitchen table. Fueled by cigarettes and beer they cast judgments on those living around them. Bunting enlists his crew in acts of sadistic vigilantism on those he considers deviants takes Elizabeth's son Jamie (Lucas Pittaway) under his wing. In a mix of misdirected hero worship and terror, Jamie becomes an accomplice to a spree of torture and murder.
Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris) is raising her three boys in Adelaide's poor northern suburbs. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead winds up welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home.
John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is the moral compass among a circle of friends who hold self-appointed neighborhood watch meetings at the kitchen table. Fueled by cigarettes and beer they cast judgments on those living around them. Bunting enlists his crew in acts of sadistic vigilantism on those he considers deviants takes Elizabeth's son Jamie (Lucas Pittaway) under his wing. In a mix of misdirected hero worship and terror, Jamie becomes an accomplice to a spree of torture and murder.
- 2/15/2012
- by ryanrotten@shocktillyoudrop.com (Ryan Turek)
- shocktillyoudrop.com
If you’re wondering, describing Justin Kurzel’s directorial debut “The Snowtown Murders” (the film’s new U.S. title, previously “Snowtown”) as “depressing” and “gritty” is definitely not a bad thing. IFC Midnight has acquired the film for Stateside release fresh off the movie winning the Jury Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. And oh yeah, it’s all based on a true story. Check out the film’s U.S. trailer below. It’s similar to the Aussie trailer released last year, with some changes here and there. Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris) is raising her three boys in Adelaide’s poor northern suburbs. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead winds up welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home. John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is the moral compass among a circle of friends who hold...
- 2/15/2012
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
Now going by The Snowtown Murders (Snowtown), Justin Kurzel's chilling thriller arrives in limited theaters March 2 from IFC Films. The company has released the official theatrical trailer for the true-crime story about a teenager who finds his world threatened by both his loyalty for, and fear of, his newfound friend, John Bunting, Australia's most notorious serial killer. "the film follows Elizabeth Harvey (Louise Harris), a mother raising her three boys in a poor suburb. After her latest boyfriend displays pedophilic tendencies, she takes up with a new man, hoping for security but instead welcoming an even more vicious predator into her home. John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) is the moral compass of a self-appointed neighborhood watch who, fueled by cigarettes and beer, cast judgments on those living around them. Bunting enlists his crew in acts of sadistic vigilantism on those he considers deviants..."...
- 2/15/2012
- bloody-disgusting.com
Some horror movies shock with a larger-than-life villain; some shock with brains-on-the-wall gore. And then there are others, like "The Snowtown Murders," whose subtle evil hits so close to home that you'll be lucky if you can get a good night's sleep after seeing it.
The Australian film, which won the Critics' Week Special Jury Prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival, depicts, in quietly haunting detail, the life of John Bunting, an Australian serial killer who murdered men he suspected to be homosexuals or pedophiles from 1992-99 with the help of his stepson.
The Justin Kurzel-directed movie, based on the real events surrounding Bunting's 11 murders in and around South Australia's Snowtown community, stars Daniel Henshall as Bunting and newcomer Lucas Pittaway as Jamie Vlassakis, Bunting's stepson and accomplice.
The trailer's feel is similar in tone to some darker indies, most notably sharing some of the unnerving ickiness brought...
The Australian film, which won the Critics' Week Special Jury Prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival, depicts, in quietly haunting detail, the life of John Bunting, an Australian serial killer who murdered men he suspected to be homosexuals or pedophiles from 1992-99 with the help of his stepson.
The Justin Kurzel-directed movie, based on the real events surrounding Bunting's 11 murders in and around South Australia's Snowtown community, stars Daniel Henshall as Bunting and newcomer Lucas Pittaway as Jamie Vlassakis, Bunting's stepson and accomplice.
The trailer's feel is similar in tone to some darker indies, most notably sharing some of the unnerving ickiness brought...
- 2/15/2012
- by Sarah Crow
- NextMovie
Last year at the Cannes Film Festival I saw a film out of Australia called Snowtown, which centered on the true story of John Bunting (Daniel Henshall), Australia's most notorious serial killer, and how he manipulated a 16-year-old boy (Lucas Pittaway) into collaborating on a heinous series of crimes. There has been a trailer for the film ever since it was picked up by IFC Midnight for domestic distribution, but now we have the first official domestic trailer to watch and it appears they decided to go with The Snowtown Murders here in the States. Beyond the film's quality, the most notable talking point out of Cannes last year was the number of walkouts that tended to take place at each screening. This is the reason you see IFC releasing it through their Midnight label. The walkouts were largely due to the graphic violence, but as I noted in my...
- 2/15/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
In an effort to make a dark pedophile/serial killer foreign drama reach as wide a net as possible here in the states, IFC Films has retitled Justin Kurzel’s Snowtown to the obvious The Snowtown Murders. Nonetheless, the film based on the 1999 Australian murder spree is one of the best year and made the top spot on our must-see movies of the month.
We’ve got the Us trailer here via Apple and it doesn’t shy away from the disturbing nature of this thing. It is a tough watch but I was glued to my chair the entire time. Animal Kingdom comparisons will be tossed around, but this is a more accomplished look at lost innocence. I highly recommend checking it out in limited release and one can see the trailer below for the film starring Daniel Henshall, Lucas Pittaway and Louise Harris.
Synopsis:
Based on horrifying crimes discovered in Snowtown,...
We’ve got the Us trailer here via Apple and it doesn’t shy away from the disturbing nature of this thing. It is a tough watch but I was glued to my chair the entire time. Animal Kingdom comparisons will be tossed around, but this is a more accomplished look at lost innocence. I highly recommend checking it out in limited release and one can see the trailer below for the film starring Daniel Henshall, Lucas Pittaway and Louise Harris.
Synopsis:
Based on horrifying crimes discovered in Snowtown,...
- 2/14/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
It seems controversy leads to awards. The two big winners at last night.s inaugural Aacta Awards were thriller feature film Snowtown and TV drama series The Slap. Both renowned for their controversial nature, the film and TV series netted four and five gongs respectively.
Snowtown, about Australian serial killer John Bunting who befriends a 16-year-old, was honoured in the Best Direction (Justin Kurzel), Best Adapted Screenplay (Shaun Grant), Best Actor (Daniel Henshall) and Best Supporting Actress (Louise Harris) categories.
The last two awards were particularly impressive as neither actor had appeared in a feature film before. While Henshall had previously acted in such shows as Out of the Blue, it was Harris. first ever acting role.
The four gongs awarded last night at the Sydney Opera House brings the film.s tally to an impressive six Aacta Awards after receiving Best Editing (Veronika Jenet Ase) and Best Sound (Frank Lipson Mpse,...
Snowtown, about Australian serial killer John Bunting who befriends a 16-year-old, was honoured in the Best Direction (Justin Kurzel), Best Adapted Screenplay (Shaun Grant), Best Actor (Daniel Henshall) and Best Supporting Actress (Louise Harris) categories.
The last two awards were particularly impressive as neither actor had appeared in a feature film before. While Henshall had previously acted in such shows as Out of the Blue, it was Harris. first ever acting role.
The four gongs awarded last night at the Sydney Opera House brings the film.s tally to an impressive six Aacta Awards after receiving Best Editing (Veronika Jenet Ase) and Best Sound (Frank Lipson Mpse,...
- 1/31/2012
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
It seems controversy leads to awards. The two big winners at last night.s inaugural Aacta Awards were thriller feature film Snowtown and TV drama series The Slap. Both renowned for their controversial nature, the film and TV series netted four and five gongs respectively. Snowtown, about Australian serial killer John Bunting who befriends a 16-year-old, was honoured in the Best Direction (Justin Kurzel), Best Adapted Screenplay (Shaun Grant), Best Actor (Daniel Henshall) and Best Supporting Actress (Louise Harris) categories. The last two awards were particularly impressive as neither actor had appeared in a feature film before. While Henshall had previously acted in such shows as Out of the Blue, it was Harris. first ever acting role. The four gongs awarded last...
- 1/31/2012
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
It seems controversy leads to awards. The two big winners at last night.s inaugural Aacta Awards were thriller feature film Snowtown and TV drama series The Slap. Both renowned for their controversial nature, the film and TV series netted four and five gongs respectively. Snowtown, about Australian serial killer John Bunting who befriends a 16-year-old, was honoured in the Best Direction (Justin Kurzel), Best Adapted Screenplay (Shaun Grant), Best Actor (Daniel Henshall) and Best Supporting Actress (Louise Harris) categories. The last two awards were particularly impressive as neither actor had appeared in a feature film before. While Henshall had previously acted in such shows as Out of the Blue, it was Harris. first ever acting role. The four gongs awarded last...
- 1/31/2012
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
Controversial thriller Snowtown has had success at the Marrakech International Film Festival, taking away the Jury Prize and Best Actor award. Held over the weekend, the South Australian flick . about.Australia.s worst serial killer, John Bunting, who.befriends 16-year-old Jamie Vlassakis . won the prestigious Jury Prize which is.led by The Help actress Jessica Chastain. Daniel Henshall also won the Best Actor gong for his scary portrayal of Bunting at the 11th annual.Morocco festival. Before the Justin Kurzel-gripping thriller, Henshall was known for TV work such as playing Adam 'Addo' O'Donnell in Southern Star's.Out of the Blue. Next year he stars in Rob Sitch comedy Any Questions for Ben? and rom-com Not Suitable For...
- 12/12/2011
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
Daniel Henshall has revealed that he is "speechless" at being nominated for a 'Best Actor' Aacta Award. The Australian actor, who made his film debut as serial killer John Bunting in Snowtown earlier this year, said that he could not believe it when he heard that he had been nominated for an 'Aussie Oscar' alongside huge stars such as Geoffrey Rush, Willem Dafoe and David Wenham. Henshall told the Herald Sun: "I'm quite speechless. It's an absolute privilege to be nominated with the likes of these guys... I have been watching them for years." The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, formerly known as the AFIs, will take place at Sydney Opera House early next year. Dafoe's thriller (more)...
- 12/1/2011
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
A vulnerable boy is drawn into the crimes of a charismatic serial killer. Based on a true story.
Australian cinema continues to throw up offbeat gems packed with impressive performances, with the likes of Animal Kingdom and The Loved Ones taking a fresh approach to some well-worn genres. Snowtown takes John McNaughton's true murder grot classic Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer as a rough template, tackling the life of Down Under's most notorious real-life serial killer John Bunting. As...
Australian cinema continues to throw up offbeat gems packed with impressive performances, with the likes of Animal Kingdom and The Loved Ones taking a fresh approach to some well-worn genres. Snowtown takes John McNaughton's true murder grot classic Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer as a rough template, tackling the life of Down Under's most notorious real-life serial killer John Bunting. As...
- 11/22/2011
- by David Graham
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
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