Whenever you put porn and murder together in a film, you know it is going to be controversial. Erotophonophiliac: Documents of a Lust Murderer is exactly that and little else. Controversial filmmaker SamHel directs the short film. If you check out some of his other projects, you’ll find he creates quite gory works centering around subjects that most people probably would not attempt to film for a number of reasons.
Erotophonophiliac: Documents of a Lust Murderer about a serial killer who murders amateur porn stars. The Amateur Porn Star Killer, and yes, that is his moniker, has left behind footage of some of his encounters. There is not much more to the plot other than how the footage was sent to the families of the victims in the form of DVDs. The DVDs contain footage stitched together of bloody graphic images of some of the murders and also contains hardcore pornography.
“…a serial killer who murders amateur porn stars…”
Now, the film does start out with a warning to all who are under the age of 18 or offended by “blood, nudity, and graphic sexual content,” it is also rated XXX, so this film is for a very specific audience. That being said, I am not one that is easily offended, but this short just seemed like someone’s sick fantasy being played out for no one’s enjoyment. I do not know the director or his intentions other than assuming he was going for shock value which is definitely present.
I watch true crime documentaries and docuseries often, so I am used to graphic images. And the gore that abounds in Erotophonophiliac: Documents of a Lust Murderer is very realistic. The makeup team did a great job in making the scenes look as accurate as possible. That is the only positive I can find. The film is shot in a way that is meant to look like home footage, recalling the superior Faces of Death.
Erotophonophiliac: Documents of a Lust Murderer is something different, but that does not always mean it is a good thing. It unmistakably stands out but for all of the wrong reasons.
"…this film is for a very specific audience."
