Based on horrifying crimes discovered in Snowtown, Australia in 1999, THE SNOWTOWN MURDERS is a stark journey into a brutal subculture of suspicion, addiction and violence. Hoping for much-needed stability and security in their lives, embattled mother Elizabeth (Louise Harris) and her three sons take up with John, the self-appointed moral compass of a vigilante neighborhood watch group. John’s charismatic nature causes 16-year-old Jamie (Lucas Pittaway) to view the older man as a role model, and the two quickly strike up a bond. But when John introduces Jamie to his disturbing ideas of administering justice, the impressionable youth is confronted with a father figure who may be the most vicious predator he’s encountered yet. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes’ Critics Week, Justin Kurzel’s directorial debut is an uncompromising look at the alarming circumstances that led to the notorious crimes.
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Video Quality
The Snowtown Murders debuts on Blu-Ray domestically with a strong 1080p presentation that represents the Super 16 source quite well. This is a very dark film, both aesthetically and narratively, but the transfer pulls forth the most detail out of every scene. The natural film grain can get pretty gritty in certain challenging lighting situations, but it never appears unnatural. The frame provides notable depth to the rural town as the brewing vigilantism explodes into horrific violence.
The production design and clothing fabrics provide clear textural details. The unsettling makeup effects are likely to make you wince at how realistic it appears. Black levels are fairly deep and detailed with no unacceptable digital noise and only subtly raised blacks. The image is free of damage with the reserved color palette saturating the screen. The film deploys occasional splashes of colors within the production design and lighting. The flesh tones are natural with a stellar amount of detail in close-ups. This Blu-Ray is a fine representation of the movie.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a consistent DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that conjures the narrative through nuanced sound design. Dialogue is one of the primary elements of the film, and it always comes through clearly in terms of accuracy to the source, yet you may need to turn on the optional English SDH subtitles to decipher some of the thicker accents on display. None of the exchanges are overshadowed by any competing sounds.
There is not much in the way of action-packed moments, but the moments of torture pierce the surround speakers in a haunting way. Ambient details flesh out the setting during various necessary moments. The hypnotic and haunting score emanates with rich fidelity on this disc. Sound effects such as a roaring motorcycle engine engage the low end of the track in a way that provides vital texture to the proceedings. The audio track brings this to life very well.
Special Features
- Audio Commentaries: Two commentary tracks offer different perspectives on this film. The archival track with the filmmaker was recorded in coordination with the film’s initial release, so there is more of a focus on the development and production of the film. The new commentary track from the film critic allows for some creative analysis and historical context. Both are well worth a listen.
- Audio Commentary #1 (New): Film Critic Simon Abrams
- Audio Commentary #2 (Archival): Director Justin Kurzel
- Murderers Among Us – A Video Essay by Samm Deighan: A nearly 13-minute visual essay by Samm Deighan that explores the history of serial killers on film, how the genre has been treated over the years, how The Snowtown Murders subverts the status quo, the thematic explorations, and more.
- The Boy From Gawler – An Interview with Director Justin Kurzel: A great 35-minute interview with the filmmaker in which he discusses how he became attached to this film, wanting to keep the story focused on the community, the casting process, the shooting locations, and more.
- Deleted Scenes: An 18-minute collection of unused footage is provided here with optional audio commentary from director Justin Kurzel.
- Original Casting Footage: A nine-minute selection of casting footage is provided.
- The Snowtown Crimes Featurette: A five-minute text rundown of the real-life crimes depicted in the film.
- Archival Interviews: An array of brief interviews are provided in which the creatives get to discuss their experiences making the film.
- Producer Anna McLeish (5:24)
- Producer Sarah Shaw (4:08)
- Director Justin Kurzel (10:20)
- Actor Daniel Henshall (2:22)
- Actor Lucas Pittaway (1:26)
- Actress Louise Harris (2:59)
- Original Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.
- Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring the essay “All The Little Devils Are Proud of Hell” by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas is provided that offers a deeper analysis and history behind the film that is very valuable.
Final Thoughts
The Snowtown Murders is a truly disturbing and unsettling debut from Justin Kurzel. Films about real-life serial killers are not an uncommon occurrence, but the way in which Kurzel shrinks the story to focus only on these broken and unwell individuals is unrelenting. There is no reprieve with the dogged detective who is going to crack the case – this is purely about the perpetrators and vigilante justice corrupted further into something even more toxic. The film lands every punch and is directed to perfection by Kurzel, but you will not walk away from it feeling particularly well. It very well may be a movie you cannot choose to emotionally go through again in the future, but there is no denying it is a true knockout. IFC Films has released a great Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a good selection of supplemental features. If you are a fan of true crime films, this is worth a view. Recommended
The Snowtown Murders is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: IFC Films and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
