Review: Scrapbook - 2000

Scrapbook
Director: Eric Stanze

2000
Drama/Horror

Written by: Linda Snöberg

Translation: Tommy Söderberg

A woman’s shocking experiences of torture under the firm hand of a man leads into a state of mind that may never let her go. Carla (Emily Haack) is a young woman and gets kidnapped by this violent psychopath Leonard (Tommy Biondo). He has done the same thing for quite a while with other women and his modus operandi is to finally kill his victims. But from the victims point of view this is really a release from the torture and a path that’s favorable. Carla’s no different, she gets treated like everybody else: humiliated, raped and both physical and psychological abused. He forces her to write about the torture in his scrapbook. There are all kind of details from former victims there, bits of clothing, hair and a lot of pictures of mutilated bodies. Carla tries to escape multiple times, which only leads to more humiliation and torture. Finally she understands that the only way she’s going to escape alive is if she can figure out just how he’s thinking. She reads his scrapbook thoroughly to figure out his weaknesses, if he has any…

2004-11-12

Yesterday, when we were going to bed I asked my boyfriend to pick a flick to see in the bedroom but I didn’t think he could pick such a superb one! He usually picks obscure and weird films but not this time. Apparently he got struck by genius and chose this one. Great choice Tommy.

The story is told in a brilliant way with very good acting from both Tommy and Emily. In particular Emily who pays the part of the victim. She’s ill-fated for sure but her resourcefulness is second to none. She needs to use every bit of instinct to survive here degeneration to hell. It’s a refreshing, non stoppable and claustrophobic journey to the very bottom of a woman’s worst nightmare. I think it’ll take a long time before someone writes a story that even comes close to this masterpiece! It’s a cold, brutal and horrifying insight in the life of a psychopath.

During the film you can see some logic. For example a scene where Carla tries to open a door multiple times to escape. Finally she manages to open the look from the inside, but just to find that Leonard has foreseen her move and put additional locks on it.

Sure, she could have made more resistance, but after being raped multiple times, humiliated, beaten, abused, violated and psychologically torn to shreds would any of you really have the strength, energy or even the courage to stand up and keep on fighting?

A great thing is that the woman doesn’t talk at all until the last 30 minutes or so. There are some words at the very beginning but then she keeps her mouth shut. It’s a hugely impressive performance by Emily Haack. Her facial expression says much more than any words could possibly do… It’s amazingly realistic with an original touch. The initial scene where you here the woman sobbing in despair and all we see is darkness is great! It brings the strongest feelings along and awakes questions. Why is it dark? Where is she? Why is she so scared?

This is a movie that makes you think, not so much on what you THINK you should have done in a similar situation, but what you really SHOULD have done. I think I need to warn sensitive viewers for it though; it’s very brutal and does not leave you unaffected!