In the vast realm of cringe-inducing motion picture moments, more than a few scenes from this film would certainly make my top three. Easy. I wonder why I even subjected myself to this movie’s 90 minutes, as it’s surely about as torturous and labored a viewing as I have ever encountered. It’s one of those pictures which makes me question my taste in film in the first place. I needed a good dose of romantic comedy after this one…or at least a long shower to rid myself of the cinematic grime I was subjected to!

Scrapbook is the brainchild of Wicked Pixel Production’s Eric Stanze and Tommy Biondo. Conceived quietly over a number of years, the film really made a splash for the company based almost entirely on word-of-mouth. And deservedly so – it contains some incredibly graphic and realistic depictions of rape and torture, enhanced ten-fold by the disturbingly convincing acting job by the female lead, Emily Haack. The other lead is played by Biondo, who never got to see the finished product, as he died tragically in a car crash just before post-production was completed.

The plot concerns a serial killer named Leonard (Biondo) and the relationship with his new captive, Clara (Haack). It takes place entirely in and around the killer’s home, and essentially details the torture Clara endures at the hands of Leonard over a stretch of undefined time. Leonard keeps a scrapbook of his killings, of which there are many, and one day plans on releasing this chronicle to the media world in the hopes of gaining widespread fame. His greatest fear is being ignored and living a life of mediocrity and killing seems to be the only thing he is good at. Clara represents his last page of the scrapbook before setting his grand plan in motion.

While the plot seems like standard serial killer fodder, the content and presentation certainly raise this to a level most cut-and-paste crime thrillers wouldn’t go, and truly could not go in any believable manner. It’s an ultra low budget affair, and the grainy look of the film makes for a more realistic experience, even if the direction and camera work often comes off as very amateur. I was at first surprised that it was not filmed in the first person, as would befit the production value, but there is a certain undeniable ferocity in the atmosphere the filmmakers create with what little they had to work with.

OK, so let’s talk about the graphic nature of the film for a moment, as this is what truly sets it apart. The rape scenes are upsetting to say the least - I will warn you that on more than one occasion they are obviously not simulating the acts and it veers dangerously close to violent pornography. It is difficult to watch, and at times truly horrifying. Let me repeat this to you so you really get my point – truly horrifying. Contributing to the off-the-cuff atmosphere, the actors were not working from a script, and basically took direction on the spot from Stanze. You can tell there are some moments which lack a bit of substance due to this, but overall the reactions of the actors appear genuine and frightening. The monologues by Biondo are actually quite well constructed, are unexpectedly absorbing and function to shed some light on his motivations to kill. Other than that the dialogue is essentially screaming.

The story arc is quite intriguing, actually, which caught me a little off-guard. There is a subtle shift in both characters partway through, and the brutally visceral nature of the first two acts is moved to the background to make room for some significant plot development. While the conclusion may not work for many, I felt it was satisfying and just smart enough to make up for some really offensive early scenes.

Finally, the single most fascinating aspect is the work by actress Emily Haack. This girl was willing to go through hell and back, suffer the most insane amounts of humiliation, and even carry out some real sexual acts to make her role believable. She deserves the utmost praise for her commitment to the realism of the film, for without this the production would not have come off nearly as credible and hence would not have the cult status it does today. It is a truly unforgettable and harrowing performance, regardless of your thoughts on the value of even doing a role such as this.

You will not forget this movie anytime soon. Scrapbook is an unrelentingly offensive, cruel, unpleasant and nasty experience – for the viewer as well as the characters in the film. You might want to keep that fast-forward button handy, as there are a number of sequences you will want to get over as quickly as possible. While the story unravels cleverly to an entertaining conclusion, this is truly one of those films that has to be seen to be believed - although I can hardly recommend it unless you are looking to torture yourself for an hour and a half. It does what it sets out to do, though, and makes no excuses for it, so I can’t fault the film for that. Just take my word – it is definitely not for the faint of heart.