Part of Critical-Film's 2009 September Screams

This'll be short. I promise. As short as Scrapbook should have been.

Scrapbook is a disgusting film, really that's it. Completely devoid of any sort of redeeming quality, it dares the viewer to sit through the entire film. Somehow it manages to never even suggest that there might be something to this plot, yet for some reason I watched on, hoping something would actually happen. It doesn't, unless watching a woman be repeatedly raped and beaten is your idea of 'something'.

The 'plot', though I would be hard pressed to actually call it that, concerns a woman who's been kidnapped and taken to a serial killer's isolated farmhouse where she is repeatedly beaten and raped as she tries to escape. The killer keeps a scrapbook documenting his victims and has had them write their thoughts and experiences in it; hence the title.

Apparently this is based on a true story that writer/star Tommy Biondo researched for years. Well that might be true, but it could just as well be a work of fiction. There's very little in this film that would suggest actual events as the characters are both singularly-dimensional; no information is ever given to make them seem like they could have been real people. The killer, Leonard, is given a slight back-story in the film's prologue, but it's so cliché that even it lends no weight to the events.

Scrapbook is extremely explicit, with graphic acts of sexuality, including an uncensored oral sex scene, and scenes of some sickening violence. It pretty much plays out like this... sorry to spoil it for you: Woman is kidnapped, woman is raped, woman is urinated on, woman is locked in a room, woman is beaten, woman is raped again, etc... It's disgusting, but I didn't find it nearly as emotionally affecting as a film like I Spit on Your Grave . - This goes on for 95 minutes.

Nearly the entire film was improvised, as everyone involved worked from a very limited script in order to maintain realism. The violence, while not actually inflicted, was real, as both leads were bruised and beaten at the end of a days shoot. The oral sex was real, and actor Tommy Biondo actually urinated on actress Emily Haack. It was a high priority to make the film as real as possible. I ask this, however, where do we draw the line between fiction and reality? It should never be a requirement for an actress to be urinated on while making a movie. It's incredibly demeaning to both the actors and the audience, as we are expected to watch this, and if not enjoy it, at least appreciate it. There is nothing to appreciate here. Scrapbook is a disgusting film that I suggest everyone avoid.

One last note, as part of me wishes I could give this a higher rating. The reason being that this was an important project to Tommy Biondo for years up to its filming. Unfortunately Biondo died days after shooting and never saw the finished film. As this will be the project forever associated with him, I wish I could find something positive to say, but I can't. It should be noted that Scrapbook was named the #1 independent film of the year by Rue Morgue magazine in 2001. Tommy Biondo also won best actor and best writer at the Syracuse "B-Movie" Film Festival in 2001, as well as the film taking best picture. So, I guess there are people that appreciate Scrapbook for what it is. I guess I'm just not one of those people.