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Snowtown

  • 2011
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 59m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
22K
YOUR RATING
Daniel Henshall and Lucas Pittaway in Snowtown (2011)
Based on true events, 16 year-old Jamie falls in with his mother's new boyfriend and his crowd of self-appointed neighborhood watchmen, a relationship that leads to a spree of torture and murder.
Play trailer2:15
7 Videos
95 Photos
Serial KillerTrue CrimeBiographyCrimeDramaMystery

Based on true events, 16-year-old Jamie falls in with his mother's new boyfriend and his crowd of self-appointed neighborhood watchmen, a relationship that leads to a spree of torture and mu... Read allBased on true events, 16-year-old Jamie falls in with his mother's new boyfriend and his crowd of self-appointed neighborhood watchmen, a relationship that leads to a spree of torture and murder.Based on true events, 16-year-old Jamie falls in with his mother's new boyfriend and his crowd of self-appointed neighborhood watchmen, a relationship that leads to a spree of torture and murder.

  • Director
    • Justin Kurzel
  • Writers
    • Shaun Grant
    • Justin Kurzel
    • Debi Marshall
  • Stars
    • Lucas Pittaway
    • Daniel Henshall
    • Louise Harris
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    22K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Justin Kurzel
    • Writers
      • Shaun Grant
      • Justin Kurzel
      • Debi Marshall
    • Stars
      • Lucas Pittaway
      • Daniel Henshall
      • Louise Harris
    • 172User reviews
    • 140Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 23 wins & 23 nominations total

    Videos7

    U.S. Version
    Trailer 2:15
    U.S. Version
    Snowtown
    Trailer 2:08
    Snowtown
    Snowtown
    Trailer 2:08
    Snowtown
    Snowtown: Dance
    Clip 1:29
    Snowtown: Dance
    Snowtown: What Have You Done
    Clip 1:37
    Snowtown: What Have You Done
    Snowtown: Tape
    Clip 1:02
    Snowtown: Tape
    Snowtown: Breakfast
    Clip 1:18
    Snowtown: Breakfast

    Photos95

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    + 89
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    Top cast30

    Edit
    Lucas Pittaway
    Lucas Pittaway
    • Jamie Vlassakis
    Daniel Henshall
    Daniel Henshall
    • John Bunting
    Louise Harris
    • Elizabeth Harvey
    Bob Adriaens
    • Gavin
    Frank Cwiertniak
    • Jeffrey
    Matthew Howard
    • Nicholas
    Marcus Howard
    • Alex
    Anthony Groves
    • Troy
    Richard Green
    Richard Green
    • Barry
    Aaron Viergever
    • Robert
    Denis Davey
    • Guitar Player
    Allan Chapple
    • Prayer Reader
    Beau Gosling
    • David
    Brendan Rock
    Brendan Rock
    • Marcus
    Bryan Sellars
    • Minister
    David Walker
    • Mark Haydon
    Aasta Brown
    • Verna
    Nigel Howard
    • Man at Dinner
    • Director
      • Justin Kurzel
    • Writers
      • Shaun Grant
      • Justin Kurzel
      • Debi Marshall
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews172

    6.621.9K
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    Featured reviews

    7Loader1976

    Disturbing and affecting.

    It is quite a well crafted film and the concepts it presents are quite disturbing. It shows the killers to be very cold, calculating and generally indifferent in the way the murders unfold.

    I don't think it will be a very accessible film for most cinema goers, as the style and tone are very depressing. It is a very simple plot on the surface but the way it presents the characters is sometimes quite confusing, and i found it quite hard to follow who all the characters were and how they were related. It is appropriately photographed, the production design is correctly sparse and bleak and the soundtrack is very effective.
    8rad81

    Suspenseful, authentic and confronting.

    Brilliant in it's authenticity and simplicity. The attention to detail, costume and set design deserve recognition and credit. As the viewer you actually feel like your in the 90s, from the Nike Air sneakers to the Sega Master System etc. There is no clear distinction between characters at the beginning of the film, who are complex to say the least.This may leave some audience members confused, but also add to the intended emotions of the film. The actual murders were committed amongst the seemingly mundane and relatively normal lower class suburbs of Adelaide. The director Justin Kurzel, does a fine job at recreating that image. I loved this film because I am some what a crime buff and have a profound interest in Australian criminal history. This movie captures the very essence that is Snowtown. Crime buffs especially will enjoy this movie. The director doesn't necessarily rely on graphic imagery to the extent some people may think. More the psychological game of fear and suspense is applied through out the feature with impeccable brilliance. My heart was racing for a majority of the time, even the quieter moments don't allow you time to relax as the suspense builds. Snowtown is definitely not for the faint hearted or squeamish, but it is for those who can appreciate gritty Aussie crime flicks.
    9pat_deayts

    You don't enjoy it; you experience it.

    Snowtown follows the experience of young Jamie Vlassakis as he partakes in the infamous 'bodies in the barrels' murders. Director Justin Kurzel has created a film that gradually pulls away the illusion of justified vigilantism to reveal the sadistic and evil core of John Bunting and his co-accused. The rare scenes of violence have such a profound impact that they are difficult to witness, the imagery of the Australian welfare suburb is captured with such florescent realism that you can almost taste the atmosphere. While at times fragmented, Snowtown is a rare and expertly crafted biopic that will tear at your senses and stun you into submission
    8gill_hathaway

    Eye opening, shocking and brilliant... it made "This Is England" look like a Disney film.

    This is not like any other film I've seen before, I think that it would be an understatement to say that this film was chilling and eye opening. This film terrified me, and amazed me in it's brilliance.

    I don't know where to begin, but when I think back to this film I remember how I'd felt while watching it, which is also something I can't even begin to describe. I never write reviews but for this one I felt I should just because I believe that a lot of people pass on watching films that don't have a rating above 7/10. But this film, definitely deserves to be watched.

    At the time when I watched the film, I only found out afterwards that it was a true story. And you won't believe how little difference that made to how I already felt, because it was that powerful already. I felt terrified, and I'm not the one to be 'scared' easily, but you should've seen what it did to people who do get scared. This film like many other brilliant films has left me with something to think about afterwards, but unlike any other movie I've ever seen before, Snowtown gave me a slap across the face to open my eyes to an obvious truth. And it felt harsh to realize it, as it probably did for anyone who's seen Snowtown. It's that murderers exist, and yes it's no surprise, but this film showed me just how desensitized we all are to murders, serial killers. That's why watching this film felt like I'd experienced something. It's like that same exciting feeling you get when you watch Avatar and you're 'experiencing' the 3-D aspects, but for this you're exhilarated and experiencing something so f"cked up and real. It made "This Is England" look like a Disney film. This is actually a quote that seemed to best summarize what we all felt as me and about 8 other people discussed the film outside the cinema. And we could still hear a hint of fear in our laughter then.

    It wasn't just another film. I've been inspired by how realistic the scenes are, I can't imagine that it was just scripted scenes, it truly felt all real. The actor that played the killer was the most terrifying character or man I've ever seen on film. You must watch this, a lot of people have become obsessed with this film, and it definitely deserves a higher rating.
    7jay880088

    Brutal

    Still makes me shudder when I think of it. One of the most intensely distressing movies I have ever seen. Seriously raw stuff. Chilling in its depiction of the Snowtown murders. Recommended viewing, but not for the squeamish.

    The acting is so credible that I feel like I am really in the home of these working class Australians that I have known in my childhood in the 1990s. This is a dark, dark film, but so it should be. It sticks in my mind when I think of the deepest, most nihilistic chasms of this world, and whatever we do in life, that place is always there. The crimes begin with a grain of righteous intent and spiral down into that deepest sea trench. Recommended if you can face it.

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    Related interests

    Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman in Se7en (1995)
    Serial Killer
    Lee Norris and Ciara Moriarty in Zodiac (2007)
    True Crime
    Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, and Geraldine James in Gandhi (1982)
    Biography
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Justin Kurzel told Lucas Pittaway not to talk much to any of the actors on set, to help the emotional state of his character.
    • Quotes

      John Bunting: Do you like bein' fucked? Do you like bein' fucked? So why not do somethin' about it? 'Cause all I ever see you do is sook, mate. No? What didjah do about Jeffrey? Fuckin' nothin'. You see me and Robert mopin' about? Hmm? No you don't because you do that they fuck you forever. You don't want that, do you? When are you gonna grow some balls, mate?

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Cannes Film Festival 2011 (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Happy Birthday To You
      Traditional

      Written by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill (as Paty Hill)

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    FAQ20

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 19, 2011 (Australia)
    • Country of origin
      • Australia
    • Official sites
      • Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund (Australia)
      • Carver Films
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Los asesinos de Snowtown
    • Filming locations
      • Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
    • Production companies
      • Carver Films
      • Screen Australia
      • The South Australian Film Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,452
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,273
      • Mar 4, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,349,387
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 59m(119 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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