Scrapbook

Plot synopsis:
Scrapbook begins with opening credits rolling while a kidnapped woman has a frantic discussion in the dark with an incoherent female voice. As the credits conclude, the door to the van opens and the woman discovers, to her horror, that the incoherent voice belonged to a disemboweled woman. A man reaches in and removes the disemboweled woman.
We then see a flashback about a child named Leonard. He looks in on his sister, who is half-naked and apparently aroused. She notices him, and takes him into her room, where she proceeds to molest him. A young man enters the room, and is disgusted with Leonard. He angrily pulls him downstairs, where he proceeds to rape the boy.
The film then cuts to the present, where Leonard has grown up into a young man and kidnapper of the females from the introduction. Clara is his latest victim. Leonard has her tied to a chair in a large, unkempt trailer home in the middle of nowhere. The walls and furniture are adorned with photos and body parts of his past victims. He reveals his scrapbook to Clara, in which he forced his past victims to document their horrific experiences at his hands. He then tells her that he plans for her to be his "last chapter", before he tries to have the book published, which he believes will lead to fame and fortune. Leonard then drags Clara into a room with the words "I'm winning" scrawled on the wall, presumably in blood. He then violently beats and rapes her, and then urinates on her.
Clara is beaten, raped, and abused in various ways throughout the movie, as she tries to find a way to escape. Finally Clara comes to realize that in order to survive she must manipulate him through what he writes in the Scrapbook. Slowly Leonard starts to give her food and clothes. Clara pretends that she wants to make love to Leonard and uses duct tape to tie his arms and legs to the cot. Thereafter, she stabs Leonard on the bottom of his feet with a knife and takes pictures of him in pain. She puts those pictures in the Scrapbook and the film ends with her walking away from the house.

Tags: violence, sadist, flashback

Review:
It's true: this movie is disturbing and will shock you with some scenes of depravity and torture that you've never seen before, but despite all that it's still just not very good.
Among my main complaints: - Some people extol the fact that the production quality was very low, giving it a grim "snuff" film look to the movie.
But seriously, I thought it just made every scene look that much worse because of the image quality, shaky camera movements, and muffled sounds.The acting, though pretty good at times (the female lead whose name I forget must've gone through hell to make this movie) is still suspect throughout much of the movie.
I know a movie with such a small budget can't be expected to have Hollywoood quality special effects, but seriously, a lot of the corpses and body parts looked like discarded parts from Halloween costumes.The premise of the movie was great but the execution was just bad.
Tommy Biondo, who "wrote" the "script", plays a serial killer who keeps a scrapbook of all the women he tortures and kills.
As a matter of fact, the only thing that's clear from this stupid movie is the filmmakers' desire to "make something really disturbing"; their miserable failure comes from the fact that without subtext, scenes of violence and torture are simply demoralizing, not to mention boring.
I'm not ordinarily the type to watch a movie and say, "If I were there, I'd do this...", but in this case we're talking about a dumb weepy girl who isn't even tied half the time, and through all the rape and debasement, never once a raised hand, never a kick, not even a cross word!
The only thought it provoked in me was "What an idiot I was for spending $25 on this horse-s__t." If you want to see a truly disturbing and thought-provoking horror film that has a point beyond the lovingly-detailed (and poorly rendered) torture of a severely stupid young woman, watch IN A GLASS CAGE, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE, or LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (that's right, even LAST HOUSE wasn't this bad).
Nor was I acquainted with the low-budget horror team headed by director Eric Stanze and the volume of straight-to-video films they've produced.
This movie is not below the level of an Ed Wood film like Shatter Dead, Nikos the Impaler or countless other backyard horror videos but it's also no where near the classic that the independent horror websites would have you believe..
The stream of digital-video vomit (it is a bit ungainly isn't it?) has a plot: a chunky little broad with a buzz-cut is kidnapped by a lunatic and imprisoned in his isolated house; the lunatic proceeds to torture the girl not only physically but, more importantly, mentally by subjecting her to his incoherent ramblings about his sad existence as a sexually-dysfunctional serial-killer.
Scrapbook's serial-killer is one of cult-horror-moviedom's silliest, a snaggle-toothed drunken loner who got beaten a lot as a child, and can now only become sexually aroused by doing unspeakable things to women who bear a physical resemblance to the tart who used to play with his winkie when he was a boy.
You don't watch a movie like Scrapbook, you fend it off until it's over, then go take a shower..
That review describes the film as "ferocious and highly accomplished", praises the actors' "impassioned, uncomfortably convincing performances", and claims that "Scrapbook is hardly your standard exercise in prurient sadism".As such, it is at odds with most of the reviews here, and I fear that on this occasion it's the contributors to IMDb who have got it right.
The existence of that eponymous scrapbook is irrelevant; she could have devised that strategy even without it, in addition to which I tend to agree with the reviewer here who points out that Ms Haack looks physically well able to take care of a neurotic clumsy beanpole like her captor at much earlier stages in the film.Other dramatic or psychological opportunities are missed or bungled.
Nothing good can be said of his writing, because there just doesn't seem to be any writing beyond "in this movie I get to rape a girl." There is some rubbish about the titular scrapbook, which just ends up a half-forgotten plot device for most of the film.Nothing good can be said of Biondo's acting, either; he delivers middle-school-level improv lines (which I'm sure he thinks are super-scary serial-killer lines) with all the menace of a rubber ducky.The so-called "violence" is at a Three Stooges level of laughability, with none of the charm.
He lightly pats his victims on the face, and despite said victim acting dutifully like they've been slapped by a bodybuilder, it is about as believable as third-rate WWE fights.The very fact that a slim, squeaky, bandy-armed man with the physical intimidation factor of a stalk of celery is supposed to be able to kidnap, beat up, and rape a woman who looks about three times as strong as him, and later beat a big strong farmer twice his size to death, defies any attempt at suspension of disbelief.
This man couldn't physically kidnap a sandwich.The poor actress suffers though badly-done rape scene after badly-done rape scene, a scene of non-simulated fellatio, and a scene of actually being urinated on, by a bad actor and worse writer who seems to be on a sad wish-fulfillment trip that has no business calling itself a horror film, or even any kind of film.If you're into horror, get another horror movie.
Its a little hard to write a review of a film like Scrapbook.
Tommy Biondo is somewhat less successful as Leonard, he nails the brutal and pathetic jerk sense of the character, but is generally too over the top to be much of a figure of fear or especially convincing as a killer, moreover the film itself does little to develop his character.
Lack of development is the greatest general problem with the film actually, there isn't anything going on outside of the situation at hand but neither character has any real depth and the most potentially interesting aspect of the film (that would be Leonard's penchant for keeping records via a scrapbook of his victims last thoughts and a few taped in souvenirs) is brought up and more or less let down, becoming important only in the climax.
The film does somewhat overcome the mentioned problems through sheer force of meanness though, Clara really goes through hell with humiliating nudity, some rough simulated rape shenanigans and a standout scene performed for real.
After having seen some of these particular tapes and also being a devout (and long-time) crime scene photo, video- and audio recording aficionado, I can tell you that Scrapbook is simply an embarrassingly-amateurish attempt at something the director/writer apparently thinks he understands but clearly does not.
Cold, brutal and unflinching this is a chilling look into the mind and life of a psychopath.Much like HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER this film is a study of a diseased mind.
At every turn this film makes a point of showing the true haneous nature of these acts and the kind of mind that perpetrates them.
The final act of violence in the movie should have been a lot more brutal also.If there had of been a decent budget, and a decent amount of time, this film would have been in the league of irreversible.
I'm into extreme cinema,but "Scrapbook" totally shocked me.It's so disturbing and hard to watch that sometimes I really had the urge to stop the tape.However I managed to watch the entire movie and this is not an easy thing to do.The plot isn't complicated:a young woman,Clara(Emily Haack)is abducted by Leonard(Tommy Biondo,who sadly died after the film was completed),a brutal serial killer who forces his victims to write about their ordeals in his scrapbook.After her abduction Clara is repeatedly raped,beaten and tortured-the violence seen in the movie is extremely brutal and disturbing.Some scenes like a really graphic bottle rape sequence are truly sickening.The acting is excellent-Tommy Biondo and Emily Haack are extremely convincing here.Very talented director Eric Stanze("Savage Harvest","Ice from the Sun")creates a totally overwhelming atmosphere of dread and fear.This guy is,along with Jim Van Bebber,one of the bravest American horror directors ever.Check out this ugly masterpiece,if you dare.All I can say is that if you want to see an extreme piece of gut wrenching horror and are not easily offended,"Scrapbook" is truly unforgettable.8 out of 10..
SCRAPBOOK is an over-the-top, viciously violent and twisted film about a girl named Clara who is kidnapped, raped, beaten, tortured, humiliated, etc..etc...
by Leonard - an obviously disturbed serial killer who makes his victims record their experiences and feelings in a - you guessed it - scrapbook.
The only reason SCRAPBOOK really succeeds at all is because of the vicious, mean-spirited nature of the production as a whole - It seems that Stanze has chosen to substitute shock value for substance, which works in some films (a lot of the "extreme" Asian horror films have been doing this successfully for years...)but SCRAPBOOK seems to take itself to seriously for me to excuse what I consider very weak performances.
I'm not a huge fan of any of the stuff that Stanze does that I've seen so far - I admire the guy for pushing the limits and doing low-budget, "extreme" underground films - I just don't feel he really pulls them off that well.
Check out ICE FROM THE SUN if you like SCRAPBOOK - another STANZE film that has plenty of faults, but plenty of gore as well.
It's easy to see why this case (assuming it did actually happen) was made into a film, as the potential for a harrowing tale is certainly there - and mostly that comes from the idea of a 'scrapbook' in which the killer forces his victims to write about their experiences in his 'care'.
Scrapbook appears to be one of the first of a 'new wave' of mostly direct to video nasty horror flicks, a sub-genre that has gone on to inspire such films as August Underground and Murder Set-Pieces.
But that doesn't stop her becoming the victim of several bouts of rape and torture.I've seen a lot of this sort of stuff, and I have to say that in comparison to a lot of similar films; Scrapbook isn't really all that nasty.
The sex scenes are vicious and sometimes hard to watch, and the film really gets going in the last fifteen minutes with a series of excruciating sequences.
The only other thing I have seen Emily Haack in was "I Spit On Your Corpse, I Piss On Your Grave"(which quite frankly sucked, and so does 9/10 of all the other I Spit On Your Grave rehashes), and though the material in this film was similar (extremely graphic violence and rape scenes), it was EXTREMELY well done.
Like I said, this isn't the usual kind of horror film that most people are prone to see.
This film has atmosphere in spades.My only complaint was that the early video footage of the sister had (deliberately?) poor sound quality and the penny didn't drop with me until after I'd finished watching the movie.The version I watched was the new 2005 US release and its extras include a short documentary on the making of "Scrapbook".
Okay...you are going to hate this film and here is why...there is a very low body count...there is no real chase scene or exciting action...it is obviously shot on video with no budget...But then again from most of the independent review I've been reading...you're probably missing the point...Here's why.
The Movie is brutal in that you have to get into the mind set of the victim...the problem with modern horror is that we have lost that..thank you House of 1000 Corpses...now people only want to be able to relate to the killers and cheer for them...Scrapbook is not about that...you might also have to be a little educated on the idea of Stockholm Syndrome...to understand the victims emphasizing with the killer and how the ending of the film comes about...it's not mention but it is assumed that most people have heard of Patty Hearst or have taken Pysch 101..but this too is a problem with independent horror is that it might expect too much from it's audience.
Scrap book is not your traditional horror film...it is also not an over the top Gore feast like the August underground Films...what it is is a Psychological investigation into a killer and his last victim...it's not bad...maybe over ambitious...and the being shot on video actually adds to this film as it makes the experience more real and takes away the fantastic element that the film quality adds...that can be unnerving for some people...and I think that is in part...a factor of Stanze's decision to go that way..
In Scrapbook, a low budget indie horror from director Eric Stanze, serial-killer Leonard (Tommy Biondo) blends polaroids, news cuttings and handwritten journals from his victims to produce a detailed account of his career as a killer: a scrapbook twelve years in the making and a labour of love which he hopes will one day make him famous.Leonard has only one more victim to document until his project is complete: Clara (Emily Haack), a chubby bird with a very bad haircut.
But Clara plans to survive her ordeal, and plays mind games with her captor, until, one day, she turns the tables on him and wreaks revenge.Now I've watched a fair amount of 'underground' horror in my time, and witnessed all sorts of celluloid depravity, but in my opinion Stanze's Scrapbook goes just that bit further than most in an effort to shock.
Haack, an 'actress' with obviously no shame, willingly degrades herself at every opportunity; exactly what makes someone want to perform such acts on film, I shall never know.I tried to view this film as an intense study of psychotic behaviour (ala Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer), but Biondi's Leonard is so OTT, he is hard to take seriously.
Most serial killer in films take their victims behind closed doors and leave it to your imagination for these kind of scenes.
Its the best 'into the mind of a serial killer' film I've scene.
I dread to think what these people watch with their popcorn.I thought it was shocking, not just because it wasn't quite what I expected but also because you know that these things happen in real life..
To put it mildly, Scrapbook is a weak carbon copy of every rape/revenge film (guy kidnaps girl and forces her to do bad things against her will) that's ever been made only with way less talent behind it.
For a much better low budget film, give the controversial Live Feed a chance.UPDATE: Since yesterday when I posted this review Scrapbook has mysteriously gotten another 5 "10" votes.
Now you see what I mean?Shot entirely on digital (they were right, ANYONE can make a movie these days), and with bad lighting, this is certainly no pleasure to watch, and despite its extreme nature, the characters are badly written and very clichéd, like the sensitive side to the kidnapper, I laughed inside at the stupidity of it!
A serial killer abducts this poor girl, takes her to a decrepit house on a farm and subjects her to various forms of torture, all along ranting about his scrapbook full of mementos from previous victims and their descriptions of what they went through.
You must know the plot by now, killer kidnaps woman to complete his scrapbook of murder, rape and mayhem.
It's obvious most people hate this movie, but it's undeniable that having a serial killer keeping a scrapbook with his victims' photos and thoughts written inside is a good idea.
But, Scrapbook isn't an entire failure, it gives off a dirty, gritty feel that I really disliked (which is a good thing), a couple scenes of hope for the victim, and like I said above, a good idea for a serial killer movie.
I'm not saying I don't like to be shocked by disturbing images, I actually love watching disturbing movies.
My favorite scenes of the movie was when they were focusing on the whole scrapbook idea, which unfortunately came near the last half of the film and was used sporadically between scenes.
Scrapbook starts as a young woman named Clara (Emily Haack) is kidnapped by deranged loner Leonard (special effects man, production designer, executive producer & writer Tony Biondo), he takes her back to his isolated farmhouse where he keeps her locked up in a filthy room half naked.
Somehow Clara must find a way to escape Leonard or end up dead just like the others, nothing but incoherent writings in Leonard's scrapbook that he keeps to document his evil acts in order to make sense of them...Edited, executive produced & directed by Eric Stanze there are films that are so unrelentingly worthless that it makes you question just how low filmmakers can go, just how bad a film can possibly be & make you question whether you actually want to take a chance on another film ever again.
Scrapbook is a good case in point, it's a film that is so bad, so vile, so worthless & depressing to watch that I really do wonder what the makers of this crap were thinking.
I would struggle to describe Scrapbook as a film, it's a worthless 94 minutes of torture.
Emily Haack plays, Clara who is kidnapped by a serial killer Leonard (Tommy Biondo).
Scrapbook is most certainly a top notch serial killer flick, 7/10 (And the only reason it did not get a full 10 is because of the vile rape scenes) Unrated: Contains very strong sexual violence and Strong Language.
// From the very beginning of the film it's obvious it's a low budget movie.