Scrapbook - 2000

Directed by Eric Stanze, Written by Tommy Biondo.

A young woman is abducted by a serial killer who records his exploits by keeping a scrapbook of his many victims. In addition to pictures, the killer forces his victims to write in the scrapbook about their time with him. The book is almost finished and she is to be the last entry. The woman is beaten and raped, locked up like an animal and forced to write in the scrapbook. She soon realizes that her only hope for survival is to manipulate the killer through her entries in his scrapbook.

This is a genuinely gruelling shot-on-video film that is never likely to curry favour with the BBFC. It features hard core sex imagery, gruelling rape scenes, urination and violence. It is definitely not for the faint hearted and definitely not one you will allow minors to get their sweaty hands on. (We only got to see it when a screener was passed untouched by customs after the first version had already disappeared mysteriously).

This film fulfils one of the main criteria for a cult Indie horror with it being set, mainly, within an isolated farm house with a minimal cast. It soon becomes a whole new animal when you realise this is an exercise in psychological terror and not a splatter fest. As it says on the poster Tagline: "True horror is simply what one human being can do to another".

It starts as a dreamlike flashback POV in the covetous eyes of the killer almost at the point of conception or metamorphosis. A sexually charged act of voyeurism becomes a rape, when the brother of the girl the killer is letching over, beats him and sodomises him. The act of voyeurism or peeping is a common psychological trait evidenced by many a serial killer/rapist. It is when the act is no longer enough that the mind turns to expressions of frustration and violence as an outlet for a powerful sexual urge. Compounded by the rape, the act of seeing without being seen and needing to exert power of others to feel powerful, quickly adds fuel to the fire.

The scrapbook itself is a means whereby the killer will be able to show himself to the world as being this powerful amazing person that people will finally notice. His exploits will be documented fully by those that he shares that 'special' fatal bond with. Hoping for major stardom he doesn't realise that it clearly demonstrates his narcissism and his main weakness.

When Clara, the victim, realises this- after he beats her for writing what she truly feels - she quickly catches on and decides to manipulate him until she takes his power.

The film is a character piece focusing on the physical, emotional and psychological relationship between the two main characters, the victim and killer, played by Emily Haack (I spit on Your Corpse, Piss on your grave) and Tommy Biondo (Ice From The Sun). It offers an unflinching look at depravity and abuse, the likes of which the Hollywood serial killer schlockbusters will never attain. This film genuinely succeeds in creating a chilling and original atmosphere of its own.

The story, based on a series of real life events is well-written and the performances for such a budget and independent film are highly convincing. The only thing that lets this film down in my eyes is the quality of video imagery. The bleached out colours and lack of widescreen really do compound the amateurish score to remind you that this is a shot on video film. They obviously went to a lot of trouble, with research and set design (N.B. the extras on the video clearly show that the set was built to show a fragmented mind, with rotting food and rubbish and bloodstains etc all over the place) it's just a shame you can't always see it as clearly as you'd like. That being said it does add to the mood, it isn't a plus by any means, but is simply a result which in future productions I hope they can overcome. The hand held shots of violence really do add to the gritty realism and I believe they were as hard to shoot for the cast and crew as they are to watch. This is a film shot by people who are not afraid to take chances and who are willing to push the envelope. They deserve a bigger budget and a better format/quality of production.

Eric Stanze is rapidly gaining a name for himself as a filmmaker who is not afraid to explore the limits of censorship to truly express his visions. I just hope the films get through British customs in some form so that others can see something a hell of a lot different that the usual Hollywood film. I will certainly be eager to view his next film.

[N.B. Tommy Biondo died shortly after completing Scrapbook at the age of 26 on Friday, August 6th, 1999. He died from injuries inflicted by an accident while on a shoot in Minnesota. He started working with Eric Stanze at the age of 15 and left behind him an impressive filmography for such a brief career].

Lee