As snuff films became more widely known in the 1970s and onward, it was really no big surprise when they showed up in movies. Depictions of people killing other people on video are now quite common in the horror genre—this curation is sheer proof of that.
So while there are way more movies about snuff films than first realized, not every one of them can be featured here. Even still, just these ten make for a good starter pack. They’re all worth watching, not to mention relevant, after seeing the new Faces of Death.
Peeping Tom (1960)
Michael Powell‘s Peeping Tom is a beautiful-looking film about something very, very ugly. And after being eclipsed by Alfred Hitchcock’s more successful Psycho, also released in 1960, this movie has since found more fans. Here, Carl Boehm‘s character sorts through childhood trauma by murdering women and filming their deaths with his camera. Made before the term “snuff film” even entered public vocabulary, Peeping Tom is a stunning work of art that was ahead of its time.
Effects (1979)
Dusty Nelson‘s Effects features a small Day of the Dead reunion. Joseph Pilato, John Harrison, and Tom Savini all star in this story of a horror director making sudden changes to his script and production. No longer is death just an idea being faked on screen. More artsy than not, Effects eventually gets a bit lost in the plot (or lack thereof), but in the end, everything comes together for a pretty strong finish.
Videodrome (1983)
The king of body horror, David Cronenberg, tackled snuff films in his own unique way. The iconic Videodrome saw James Woods becoming fascinated with the movie’s namesake: a mysterious TV show full of torture and murder. From there, the story transforms into a rabbit-hole search for answers about the broadcast’s origins, as well as the whereabouts of Deborah Harry‘s missing character.
Special Effects (1984)
As said earlier, the late ’70s and early ’80s were when snuff films became more known, or at least the idea of them had become so. They were also intriguing to filmmakers. The always-thoughtful Larry Cohen added his two cents to the convo with Special Effects, a movie that’s situated more on the psychological side of the horror genre. Cohen’s self-reflexive story follows the director (Eric Bogosian) who first kills a woman, then casts a look-a-like (Zoë Lund) in his own film about said murder.
Evil Dead Trap (1988)
Acting like some kind of meeting between slashers, gialli, and pink films, Evil Dead Trap is a provocative piece of Japanese horror. Toshiharu Ikeda‘s cult movie begins with the investigation of a mysterious snuff film, one sent to a TV show host (Miyuki Ono), before then switching to a killer (and sleazy) game of chase. Inside one very grungy, abandoned building, the characters all suffer at the hands of a bizarre killer whose identity reveal must be seen to be believed.
Benny’s Video (1992)
Movies such as 8mm, Red Rooms, and Benny’s Video ride the fine line between horror and thriller. The latter is especially an oddball here, seeing as how that movie doesn’t go for traditional scares. Instead, the Funny Games director unleashed a disquieting story about a young cameraphile (Arno Frisch) and the murder he puts on video. You may never jump out of your seat or cover your eyes, but Michael Haneke‘s movie is sure to sicken you.
Mute Witness (1995)
Marina Zudina‘s character in Mute Witness, a makeup artist with mutism, catches a snuff film in progress. In Anthony Waller‘s debut, the protagonist is trapped on set after hours when she spies a porn shoot in progress. Things go terribly wrong, and a woman dies, but of course, no one believes the accuser until it’s too late. Mute Witness is a twisted and suspenseful hidden gem from the ’90s that more folks should seek out.
Thesis (1996)
A university student’s shocking discovery is at the heart of Alejandro Amenábar‘s debut. Ana Torrent plays the poor soul whose thesis about audiovisual violence takes a turn once she comes upon what looks to be real footage of a murder. And not just any murder, either—the protagonist recognizes the victim as a fellow student who went missing. Thesis is not an easy watch, but it is rewarding for fans of movies about subversive subjects.
August Underground (2001)
Headaches and revulsion are to be expected while viewing this lo-fi obscurity about killers with a camera. Not comparable to anything else here, Fred Vogel‘s August Underground is designed to repulse, even if your upset stems more from the camerawork and video style than the actual content itself. That said, this movie is an endurance test that most folks will fail. But for those who do make it all the way through, and still want more, two sequels are waiting in the wings.
The Den (2013)
In something of a spiritual companion to Thesis, Zachary Donohue‘s The Den also places an unaware student (Melanie Papalia) on the receiving end of menace after she discovers incriminating footage. This time, though, the murder is happening online. The Den also taps into the dark web, albeit exaggeratedly, for its thrill-a-minute story that requires the audience to suspend their disbelief. Otherwise, it’s an enjoyable splatter film that showcases how snuff has evolved with technology.
