I saw a few excerpts from the upcoming reality/drama film Snow On Tha Bluff, directed by Damon Russell. Looks like some real deal, in-the-trenches gangster shit. The film made its premiere at the 2011 Slamdance Film Festival and will be screened at 2012 Brooklyn Film Festival. Russell produced three episodes of the A&E reality-series The First 48, among other notable television work.
Snow On Tha Bluff documents the life of Curtis Snow, who according to the film’s press kit is an authentic “robbery boy and crack dealer whose livelihood revolves around armed robbery and drug pushing.” Word is Mr. Snow “sought out [director] Damon Russell to make a film about his life.” The film’s title refers to anti-hero Curtis Snow and to Atlanta’s neighborhood The Bluff, which is infamous for crime and drug dealing. Snow steals a video camera from some college kids during a robbery and begins documenting his life. When one of the drug dealers her rips off comes back for revenge, everything spirals out of control.
The premise of this flick reminds me of a mock-documentary called Gang Tapes, where an L.A. gangbanger grabs a video cam during a carjacking and tapes the insanity poppin’ off around him. Difference is, Curtis Snow and his folk are actual gangsters, not actors. The line between what’s real and what’s scripted is blurred… in fact, after being contacted by the ATL Police Department about incriminating footage, the filmmakers were advised by legal counsel to plead the fifth. You’ll have to see the movie and judge for yourself.
One thing I know for sure is real is that somebody tried to kill Curtis by slashing his throat. Those stitches ain’t from the make-up department.
I think it’s safe to say that in the end, this flick is a cautionary tale. Nuthin’ fly about a slit throat. The award-winning movie was recently picked up by Screen Media Films, which is a good look distribution-wise. Check out SNOWONTHABLUFF.COM for more info on this gritty, controversial and intriguing drama.
Don’t be scared.
