The subject of snuff films, whether they exist or not, and if they do who acts in them & buys them has fascinated people for years. Snuff Queen claims to be a documentary looking into the world of Snuffing-  which is meant to be a multi-billion dollar industry where people intentionally die on camera, before being revived. But in reality, it’s a mockumentary- that’s trying to satirize the idea of snuff, all connected with it, and to a lesser account documentaries about the adult film industry. It’s fair to say it’s a highly mixed affair-which moves between very amateurish & not particularly shocking, to vaguely entertaining. Here from Dark Arts Entertainment is a region-free DVD, taking in a commentary track, cut scenes, and a trailer

Snuff Queen is from the year 2023- been written/ directed by Sean Russell( not his real name)- this is his one and only credit. The film runs at just over the hour and a half mark- been highly mixed in both its content and flow.

It opens up by us being introduced to a bespeckled man with designer stubble and a tie-less suit- he claims he’s worked for UK channel four, and has been involved with documentaries for years- I’m guessing he’s meant to be based on Louis Theroux, sadly the actor they chose for the part is just rather flat/ with little or no presence. The initial point/ pull of the film is that it says in the American constitution that it is legal to do snuffing. We then get ten or so minutes of rapidly cut talking head footage- taking in folks involved in porn & genre films such as Larry Flint ( who looks very unwell), Tuesday Knight, Sunny Lane, and Faye Reagan. These are followed by on-the-street interviews with a selection of various quirky characters.

We then move into the main of the film- this is a blend of interview footage with the ‘Snuffing’ starlets, snuff producers, and filmmakers. mock- snuff footage, and even a snuff acting class!.

The main of the film is based around interviews with the starlets-with the focus being on two of them- blond-haired, young-looking, and to be honest rather grating  Jane Doe(Moxie Owens), and auburn-haired/ likes horror Audrey Doe(Lindsey Normington). Though the film claims in its resolve both are dead- one at least has acting credits after this film.

The fake snuff elements are largely ridiculous & not terribly disturbing- they go from the marginal troubling of someone being held underwater, to at the other end genitals being cut off screen with red water spurting. We get a moment when one of our starlets gets slashed deep in the stomach- its clear make-up, and even her attempt to try and tie humour to it by flapping it & making a Muppets-like voice is cringe-inducing.

We have a Eurotrash-like moment—where a man is meant to be painting with the blood from a woman's drip. And the already touched-on snuff acting class/ with the same scruffy-bearded & kilt-wearing guy doing a snuff queen pageant—where the actresses just embarrass themselves....so much of what's here just seems to be put in to add to the running lenght.

I’m a big fan of the mockumentary form, but I’m afraid when it’s done in such a ham-fisted/amateurish way, it is largely very grating/ pointless. To be honest, I think this is one of the worst examples I’ve seen of the mockumentary form- and selling this as a true/ serious doc about the subject of Snuff feels decidedly dishonest/ unpleasant.

The region-free DVD takes in a director's commentary. Funnily enough, he opens by saying “The whole thing is a load of Crap”, then quickly says “I mean saying that it’s real”. He moves on to talk about how they got an English actor to sell believability as the mock director. We find out the talking-head footage was shot in 2008, and brief talks about each of the talking heads- pointing out the porn stars who are now dead.  We find out he got thrown out of a producer's office when he tried to sell the idea of using the footage as a ‘horror film’. The filmed elements were added to in 2021, to create the film we have now.  He talks about how they were going to make two films!- one based on each of the female Doe’s, and he details how it took a long time to get the actors together.  We find out the first cut was a lot funner!- but these elements were cut out on the producers' suggestion.  Later on, he talks about the addition of the muppet's “mahna mahna” song, and how its original Italian composer is one of his favourites- though he can’t pronounce his name!...Piero Umiliani, nothing too difficult.  He points out the poster for Gaspar Noé’s  Irréversible in a few of the film's shots but says he’s not a fan. All in all a not-great track, with some unintentionally amusing comments.

Otherwise, on the extras side, we get fifty-eight minutes of cut scenes( no I didn’t watch them) and a trailer.

In finishing I really can’t say much to recommend Snuff Queen- as it’s badly put together, not in the least bit believable, with some highly mixed acting. I guess at a push it might be of interest for those wanting to see interviews with real porn stars- but even this element isn’t great, as the questions asked are rather bland/ cliched