Saturday, December 16, 2017

Movie review - "Snapshot" (1979) ***

One of a series of thrillers produced by Tony Ginnane in the late 70s/early 80s - others include Thirst, Patrick, The Survivor. This is one of the best, an unpretentious, well done flick with solid script work from Everett De Roche and direction from Simon Wincer.

Unlike many other Ginnane works around this time it feels fulfilled - it hits the beats it wants. You don't feel it's left anything out or has massively unfulfilled potential - it's an unpretentious, tight thriller.

The script also benefits from the input of De Roche's wife Chris, in that it is very sympathetic to the female point of view. Model Sigrid Thornton (excellent) is constantly preyed upon, whether its by the weird photographer (Hugh Keays Byrne), a sleazy photographer (Robert Bruning), her best friend (Chantal Contouri), her ex (Vincent Gil), her bitchy sister, her mother who wants her to get back with her ex because he was nice to mum.

Thorton is a strong lead and ideal for women in peril films - she should've played the lead in more Ginnane films (notably Thirst). There's campy fun with a trip to a late 70s cabaret (which gets lots of screentime). Thornton does a topless photo shoot wading in the water on what looks like a freezing day. Contouri tries to seduce Siggie and Denise Drysdale pops up to crack a few bitchy comments.

I don't want to overpraise this. It's very familiar material - stalkers became the bread and butter for soaps. But it's tight, and creepy and well done.

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