Snowtown

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

There is an Australian Movie debuting that opens based on a true story. The unfortunate this about this phrase is that no longer holds true in most films, but in this case it is in fact based on a true story.

First check out the trailer.


Snowtown (2011) - Official Trailer - YouTube


Then check out the documentary.

Serial Killers - The Bodies in the Barrels - YouTube

 

[Ariadne]

Ivan Milat is another Australian that did some pretty sick things to people. I think a movie was made of that too, but it dramatized it to the point of losing the factual content.

 

[SLM]

That doc was disturbing!

I think half the problems with "Based on a true story" is that people read that and think "this is in fact the way that it actually happened".
But I get your meaning, if they are going to take so much poetic license with adapting true stories, perhaps they should just hire a writer in the first place.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

I haven't seen this film, but it looks like it is pretty close the actual story. The trailer is well executed and certainly paints a picture that it is a riveting film.

 

[SLM]

Yep, I'll give the trailer that credit too.

It looks like something that would be a little discomforting to watch. And given the subject matter, that's probably as it should be.

 

[Ariadne]

It's quite horrifying that this gang got together, preyed on family, friends and neighbours and got away with torturing and murdering people for as long as they did. It's not surprising that there was an effort to prevent this from being made into a movie as it is worse than what people can imagine.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

It's quite horrifying that this gang got together, preyed on family, friends and neighbours and got away with torturing and murdering people for as long as they did. It's not surprising that there was an effort to prevent this from being made into a movie as it is worse than what people can imagine.

Yeah it's pretty ugly, but I have always been fascinated by true crime and will likely see it.

 

[Ariadne]

This is what they listened to when the killing started

Selling the Drama - YouTube

Gruesome trail of killing - National - www.theage.com.au

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

The HBO series Dexter fashioned a season about a group of men who disposed of womens bodies in barrels I wonder if this case was inspiration for the writers.

 

[SLM]

Good question, about the Dexter plotline. I'd not heard of this case until you posted, probably because it's Austrailian but I wouldn't doubt it.

 

[Ariadne]

There's also this case: John Robinson first Internet serial killer — Cruel Intentions — Crime Library on truTV.com

The guy lured women with offers of jobs or relationships and put them in barrels.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

While we are talking about ghoulish figures. There is a fellow my brother and sister In-law met in Panama who turned out to be quite an unsavory character.

Panama: Murder In Paradise - YouTube

 

[Mowich]

And yet another chapter is written in the book of man's inhumanity to man.

Absolutely amazing that these creatures could operate under the radar for seven long years.

I did wonder about the fact that the body barrels were found in the bank. Was the bank in operation or was it empty? I wonder how much business the new owner will get with his bed and breakfast idea?

 

[SLM]

I did wonder about the fact that the body barrels were found in the bank. Was the bank in operation or was it empty?

No, it was not in operation. I think the term they kept using in the documentary was "disused".

I wonder how much business the new owner will get with his bed and breakfast idea?

Do you know how many old prisons and small town jail cells are now hotels and B&Bs? Bars on the windows, dinner served on metal trays. And people pay money for this.

It wouldn't be my vacation destination, but I'd bet some people probably would be interested.

 

[Mowich]

No, it was not in operation. I think the term they kept using in the documentary was "disused".

Ah, thanks for clearing that up, SLM............can't watch the doc or vid on dial-up and it was not made clear in the article.

Do you know how many old prisons and small town jail cells are now hotels and B&Bs? Bars on the windows, dinner served on metal trays. And people pay money for this.

It wouldn't be my vacation destination, but I'd bet some people probably would be interested.

Well not to put to fine a point on it, but prisons and jails are a little bit different than a place that held barrels of cut up human bodies, IMHO. Just saying.

Then too, you do have a point that there are some people out there who would probably be interested in such a B&B.

 

[Ariadne]

While we are talking about ghoulish figures. There is a fellow my brother and sister In-law met in Panama who turned out to be quite an unsavory character.

Panama: Murder In Paradise - YouTube

That one was a bit shocking for everyone as they posed as such nice people while they quietly murdered them and claimed their wealth.

 

[Ariadne]

The father of one of the victims was interviewed throughout the segment, but it was not revealed until towards the end that his son was a good child that was lured into the situation and tortured to death ... the father was described as sitting still in the back of the courtroom listening to the tapes of his son being tortured to death.

The horror

 

[shadowshiv]

That one was a bit shocking for everyone as they posed as such nice people while they quietly murdered them and claimed their wealth.

You would think the authorities would have gotten suspicious after the second house owner disappeared. It's pretty disconcerting to think that you never really know what kind of person(people) you may be associating with.

The father of one of the victims was interviewed throughout the segment, but it was not revealed until towards the end that his son was a good child that was lured into the situation and tortured to death ... the father was described as sitting still in the back of the courtroom listening to the tapes of his son being tortured to death.

The horror

I can't even imagine what kind of horrifying experience that would have been for the father.

 

[Ariadne]

Apparently the first victim was a bit of a loner, non person, having no friends and no contact with his family. He was hit on the head with a hammer and buried ... no one noticed that he was dead. After that, the guy seemed to enjoy killing people, adding first torture and then cannibalism to his repertoire. Because the first victim was not reported missing, his murder went unnoticed - allowing the guys to continue on without any sort of police investigation into missing persons. It was not until the 11th victim that the brother reported his sister missing, her husband went silent and her van was traced to an abandoned bank filled with 6 barrels containing human remains for 8 people..

It's interesting that homosexuality is a theme throughout the perpetrators and primary victims. It's been suggested that the main manipulators/murderers were sexually abused during childhood and therefore had strong opinions about homosexuals, pedophiles and imbeciles ... associating homosexuality with pedophilia.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

Sometimes Monsters like this find each other and strike up horrific partnerships. I do often wonder people like this evolve into the viscious state. You mention the killing getting even more brutal. I wonder if it is a simple dropping of inhibition or an evolution of the need to inflict cruelty.

Regarding Wild Bill, my Brother In-law has a place there in Panama and he actually called from there when the story broke. He said the guy was huge. That is a strange tale, because sooner or later that property was going to sink him.