What is a Snuff Film?
Various film genres are exhibited in the film industry. But none are as hard to consider watching as a snuff film. The term “snuff film” is used to reference films that are illicit in most countries and should generally not be enjoyed. But what is a snuff film? And why are they illegal in so many time zones?
The snuff film genre is one which claims to show scenes of a murder taking place or scenes of simulated murder. Promotion of snuff films generally draws in the audience purporting to deliver a form of jaded entertainment. In which someone commits murder or suicide for the camera.
History of Snuff Films
Historically, the first use of the term “snuff film” was in a book that was authored by Ed Sanders in 1971. And it was called The Family: The Story of Charles Manson’s Dune Buggy Attack Battalion.
Within the book, it is alleged that Charles Manson and his family were involved in the production of these films. Which represented a means of how they would record the California murders that took place.
People Behind the History
The term “Snuff film” was used to describe the killing of someone on film. Snuff meaning to burn out or cut off by extension to extinguish.
Prior to the term “Snuff film” being used in the book, Professor of Film Studies Boaz Hagin claims that snuff films were conceptualized as early as 1907.
In 1907, Polish-French writer, Guillaume Apollinaire, would publish a short story that was titled A Good Film and which would mention public staging of a murder.
In which the scene was filmed for the purpose of entertainment due to public fascination with killing. However, it was later found that the scene was faked and that a true murder has not actually occurred.
Do Snuff Films Exist?
So, if many instances of the exploitation of murder in snuff films have actually been fake, the question ensues! Do snuff films actually exist or not? The truth is, snuff films are real and although they may not be commercially distributed, they do happen.
In fact, snuff films have been live feed distributed on social media when teens and adults have gone through will committing suicide on camera.
Actual examples of snuff films, that truly depict murder or suicide, are not legal and should certainly not draw interest of the public! While there are records of filming executions, death, suicide, and murder in war and similar situations.
The filming of snuff films for financial gain or entertainment is illegal in the United States. And will draw investigations from the FBI should someone be found in possession of a snuff film.
In Summary
So what is a snuff film? It’s a filmed murder or suicide that is produced for capital gain. Which is highly illegal in the United States. And certainly not worth killing someone over!