The Snowtown Murders (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.

Director:

Justin Kurzel

Writers:

Shaun Grant, Shaun Grant (story)

Stars:

Lucas Pittaway, Daniel Henshall, Louise Harris

23 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lucas Pittaway	...	Jamie Vlassakis
Bob Adriaens	...	Gavin
Louise Harris	...	Elizabeth Harvey
Frank Cwiertniak	...	Jeffrey
Matthew Howard	...	Nicholas
Marcus Howard	...	Alex
Anthony Groves	...	Troy
Richard Green	...	Barry
Aaron Viergever	...	Robert
Denis Davey	...	Guitar Player
Allan Chapple	...	Prayer Reader
Beau Gosling	...	David
Brendan Rock	...	Marcus
Bryan Sellars	...	Minister
Daniel Henshall	...	John Bunting

Storyline

Sixteen-year-old Jamie lives with his mother, Elizabeth, and two younger brothers, Alex and Nicholas, in a housing trust home in Adelaide's northern suburbs. Their home is but one of many sun-starved houses crammed together to cater for a disenfranchised society. Jamie longs for an escape from the violence and hopelessness that surrounds him and his salvation arrives in the form of John, a charismatic man who unexpectedly comes to his aid. As John spends more and more time with Jamie's family, Elizabeth and her boys begin to experience a stability and sense of family that they have never known. John moves from the role of Jamie's protector to that of a mentor, indoctrinating Jamie into his world, a world brimming with bigotry, righteousness and malice. Like a son mimicking his father, Jamie soon begins to take on some of John's traits and beliefs as he spends more and more time with him and his select group of friends. The protection and guidance that John presents to Jamie is ...

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Plot Keywords:

gang | emotionally unstable protagonist | mentally unstable protagonist | tortured to death | sociopathy | 

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Taglines:

Based on the shocking true story

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

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

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Quotes

John Bunting: It's not fuckin' mean if you kick the shit out of some diseased prick. He fuckin' deserves it. It's an Australian fuckin' tradition, anyway. Eh?
[chuckles]

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Connections

Referenced in The Snowtown Crimes (2011)

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Soundtracks

What a Friend We Have in Jesus
(uncredited)
Music by Charles Crozat Converse
Lyrics by Joseph M. Scriven
Performed by Church Congregation

User Reviews

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.

Details

Official Sites:

Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund [Australia] Carver Films

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 May 2011 (Australia)

Also Known As:

The Snowtown Murders

Filming Locations:

Smithfield Plains, South Australia, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,273, 4 March 2012

Gross USA:

$8,452

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,349,387

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carver Films, Screen Australia, The South Australian Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1