Ultimately, this helps the movie from being pigeonholed as a gangster or exploitation film, while also allowing the audience an emotional way out. Curtis told Vice that he hopes that the film provides him and his son and the money needed to move away from the Bluff for good. In contrast, the staged qualities reduce the intensity of some of the poverty and violent crime represented in the film. In this case, a world that is as exotic as it is destitute, where a traditional documentary filmmaker would surely not survive. It does what any good documentary does, it teaches us about a place or subject otherwise unknown to us. It shows us that we are merely outsiders watching what might as well be a documentary because we cannot separate fact from fiction. The opening robbery not only jolts us into Curtis’ world, but is emblematic to the film as a whole. However, this is quickly contrasted by the staged feeling of it: good camera placement, mediocre acting and reality-TV style ‘shaky cam.’ Interestingly, the same video camera becomes the lens from which part of the story is told to the viewer, pixilation and all. There is something absolutely convincing about the crazed look in Curtis’ eyes during the robbery. This is apparent during the opening scene when we see Curtis steal a video camera from a group of teenagers. Its genuine approach harks not only on the real sets and non-professional actors that are landmarks of Italian Neorealism, but on reality television, documentary and gangster film.
These two layers provide different focuses in the film: bouncing between clean observation and gritty narrative. This is due to the fact that Curtis began making the film himself, his first film in fact, and was only later joined by director Damon Russell. There is also something exciting about a film that blends low grade, handheld camera footage with well composed, focused images from nicer equipment. What is interesting about Snow is its ability to bounce back and forth from shootings and drug deals to heartwarming moments between Curtis and his family. However, he did say that a lot of the footage was just shot during his day-to-day in the Bluff. Curtis explained in an interview with Vice that he could not outline which scenes were wholly real or fake. A notion that director Damon Russell chose to defuse by comparing the film to The Blair Witch Project (a completely fictitious film). Much of the story is based on true events, so much so that Curtis (who plays himself) was arrested on suspicion that he committed crimes portrayed in the film. The Bluff is well known for heroin production, poverty and prostitution, and in 2010 was ranked the 5 th most dangerous neighborhood in the US. Part documentary, part drama, Snow follows real life drug dealer and robber, Curtis Snow, during his day-to-day activities in Atlanta’s infamous ‘Bluff’ neighborhood. Love or hate it, Damon Russell’s Snow on Tha Bluffis a captivating film that questions the notions of documentary and fiction.
0 kommentar(er)
