Review: A nod to shock sites "Murder Collection V.1" (2009)

Tyler Crosby
May 28, 2024
2 min read

Updated: May 29, 2024

Background:

Murder Collection V.1 is a 2009 American horror anthology film written and directed by Fred Vogel, and co-written by Don Moore, Shelby Vogel, and Jerami Cruise. (from Wikipedia)

Year: 2009 (released via ToeTag Inc.)

Director: Fred Vogel

Genre: Snuff (Not Literally), B-Movie Horror, Found Footage, Exploitation

Plot:

The film's opening explains that in 1994 a web series called Murder, which broadcast footage of actual deaths and acts of violence, appeared. After being active for four months, Murder was shut down by the authorities and had all of its content confiscated, though the website's host, a man known only as Balan, evaded capture. Now, years later, Balan has reemerged to share more clips that he has unearthed, while also offering commentary on people's obsession with death, the effect it has on them, and how accessible new media has made it. The series of videos is kicked off by Balan querying, "I ask you all... Why are you watching? Are you trying to find reality? Do you feel the need to be shocked? To witness something that human eyes shouldn't see? Murder is reality. Death comes when you least expect it. With what you are about to observe, you may question your own integrity. You will ask, could this happen to me? My answer to you is... Yes it can." (From Wikipedia)

My Thoughts:

I love Fred Vogel's work. I am a HUGE fan of the August Underground Series and most things he has his hands in. With that being said, I went into this movie with a high expectation that this would be another banger. Well, I was partially right.

The movie plays a compilation of found footage or viral shock videos that have now become available to the masses. Now, if you have ever been on sites like Rotten.com or Bestgore.com (both defunct now) you know what REAL snuff films look like. Whether that being a Cartel beheading video or just a robbery going from bad to worse, you have some reference to reality.

This movie successfully includes its own "found footage" with specific chapters (videos). However, they all aren't winners; really some of them are quite boring. For example, Broadway Rob: The distorted home movie of a pedophile named Broadway Rob who forces two gagged boys, Shawn and Ben clad in only their socks and underwear to dance with him. Shawn tackles Rob, fatally strangling and stabbing him. Shawn and Ben flee, leaving Rob's dead body behind. (From Wikipedia)

However, there are some chapters that really stood out to me. For example, Execution: A muffled black-and-white camcorder video of a hooded and masked group (possibly a cult or a gang) executing a man via decapitation in front of a woman, whom they taunt with the severed head before shooting her. (From Wikipedia) This one had the gritty look and chaotic feel that you would get from a viral gang execution video ("Funkytown" anyone?)