Category: (DVD)
19 new, starting at $5.08
7 used, starting at $3.94
The term "snuff film" first originated in the early 1970’s. Also known as "white heat" and "the real thing." In 1975, the FBI investigated rumors of snuff in America. For the past 30 years, thousands of people have claimed that they’ve seen an actual snuff film. To this day it remains an "urban legend." Amateur Porn Star Killer follows a Ted Bundy-like serial killer, Brandon, and his next victim, Stacy, who is about to become an unwilling participant in Brandon's movie.
A failure at everything it attempts.Reviewed by Robert P. Beveridge, 2009-03-30
Amateur Porn Star Killer (Shane Ryan, 2007)
The best thing about Amateur Porn Star Killer is watching its
director and "star", Shane Ryan, absolutely destroying his career.
Not that you can call guest appearances on such deathless TV shows
as That's So Raven (possibly the worst show on television),
Arrested Development, and The O.C. a "career". But it is what it
is. Or was, until Amateur Porn Star Killer, made on an estimated
budget (according to IMDB) of forty-five dollars(!) and seemingly
successful enough that Ryan has helmed three(!) sequels in the
intervening two years. Why is this? I have no idea.
Plot: a guy (Ryan) picks up a girl (Ryan regular Michiko Jimenez)
and takes her back to his hotel room. This occurs after some
unrelated scenes and a couple of title cards about snuff films, so
you can guess that the outcome of this tete-a-tete will not be a
happy one. What you don't expect is how intensely, incredibly,
awe-inspiringly boring this supposed snuff film is going to be. The
opening scenes and the description give us the idea that we're
dealing with a serial killer, but this isn't a slasher film; this
is, in real time, everything that happens between Brandon (the
killer) and Stacey (the victim). Given two actors capable of
handling the material, which is actually delivered in what might
have been a surprisingly effective script (co-written by Ryan and
Jimenez), this would have been riveting stuff. Two-person movies,
done right, are wonderful--Closetland, My Dinner with Andre, etc.
This is not one of them. Jimenez does have some real potential, as
she manages to infuse Stacey with a healthy dose of nervousness. We
always get a sense that Stacey is real. (I liked Jimenez so much in
this, or would have had I liked the movie, I made the mistake of
watching Ryan's short The Cold Heat, also included on the disc, to
see more of Jimenez.) We never get that sense about Brandon, and
there's no real reason to think that Stacey would have been taken
in by this guy, about whom we never get even a hint of likability.
(Ironically, the movie's tagline is "but he looked like a really
nice guy." oops.) With the original plot point of the movie so
flawed, it can only really go downwards from there, which is
exactly what it does.
Warning: while, as I said before, you can pretty much tell what's
coming from the first five minutes, the remainder of this review
could be considered to contain spoilers, so if you're the kind of
person who's surprised by the end of a Jodi Picoult novel, stop
reading now.
The movie is seventy-one minutes long. Aside from the first five
minutes or so, which consist of the stuff I talked about earlier,
and the final fifteen, which consist of Brandon raping and
murdering Stacey (and, again, this sort of thing can be absolutely
gripping; witness Flower of Flesh and Blood), there's a long
conversation. This might well have worked were there any chemistry
between these characters, or were they able to achieve dramatic
tension between them. As I said before, I had no problem with
Jimenez' character in the first regard. Stacey is entirely
believable. Brandon is the problem here. As for the second part,
the fact that Brandon is so hard to believe in this movie makes it
kind of a moot point, no matter how good Stacey may be. Since,
however, neither aspect of the bulk of the movie works, the bulk of
the movie doesn't work.
I'd love to see a remake of this with actors who could pull it off.
Unfortunately, given the depravity of the subject matter, the
chances of that happening are slim and none, especially in a
culture where the PG-13 horror movie seems to be making a
resurgence in popularity. So you're stuck with the finished
product, which could have been so much better than it is. Worth
renting on the cheap to catch what I hope is a rising star in
Jimenez, but otherwise, don't waste your time. (half)
fake hype fake movie fake everythingReviewed by anthony, 2008-08-24
ok so those other reviews of this movie are fake most likey writen by the director since he does have a lot of time on his hands.. maybe trying to find a different actress to have sexual contact with on camara and sell it to idiot's!! seriously how the hell can someone like this but hate a movie like DOOM GENERATION>?? are you smoking crack!!! how does anyone say this is orignal??? Movies like this make me want to shot people who give it a 5? your not so post to like this... its so post to be distrubing? I DON"T BUY THAT there is plenty of movies out there that YOur sopost to hate the killers. that are plenty distrubing.... someone please for the love of god give the people that gave this movie a 5 and give them a copy of NOWHERE or DOOM GENERATION !!!!
ZERO stars for this complete failure at everything it tries to
be...Reviewed by Capt. Freaky, 2008-08-14
I know some are calling this film a masterpiece....I would say its
a piece alright...a piece of crap!
This is one of the biggest losers I have ever purchased! And the
Capt. has bought some serious losers my friends. Not one thing
promised was delivered. No one gets raped. Raped? The girl
willingly gets into the car with this creep and willingly takes off
her clothes in the motel...etc. There is "no forced sex"
whatsoever. Also...the murder of her is completely off camera, so
no one can get their jolly's off seeing that happen either. She is
chubby and unattractive to look at...the film is shot in horrible
quality black and white...the acting is often lame and over the top
by the girl. I was never convinced she was scared or in any
danger...
Finally....Capt. Freaky hates it when the photo of the girl on the
cover of the package is not who is in the film! I mean come on
folks...the oldest trick in the book to get you to buy a sex
flick...show a hot chick and then substitute her with some
unattractive actress?
I recommend you never even rent this total piece of trash. Save
your $3 bucks and buy a good hamburger....
The only thing that is penetrated by this movie is the garbage can
the DVD is going to be tossed in when I'm done writing this review!
garbageReviewed by M. Gay, 2008-05-27
A directors impression of what a homemade snuff film might look like with a bit of what the director thinks is artistic but just causes a headache. Save your money do not buy this movie it is horrible.
Wow Wow Wow!!! Amazing!Reviewed by J. W., 2008-01-29
Hey Shane, great job buddy! Can't say this film is an enjoyable experience but holly crap man! It's surely an amazing one and one for the books! How the hell do you do it? It feels so real I feel I should be calling the cops. Even though it presents itself as a film with character names, music, etc., that doesn't matter, it's so realistic I don't believe it's just a movie. I do like the added effects though, they make it a nice blend of art and realism. Can't wait for Part 2!