Traces of Death
Encyclopedia
Traces of Death is a 1993 direct-to-video
, Z movie
shockumentary
that consists of various scenes of stock footage
depicting death
and real scenes of violence
. Unlike Faces of Death
, Traces consists mostly of actual footage depicting death and injury, and consists also of unlicensed footage from other films. It is banned in the United Kingdom
by the BBFC
for not having any "journalistic, educational or other justifying context for the images shown." Since its release, Traces of Death has been followed by four sequels.
Among the footage seen on Traces of Death is the R. Budd Dwyer
press conference suicide
, footage of actor Vic Morrow
's death which occurred during the filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie
, the Sarajevo
market place bombing that killed almost 100 people, montages of dead children and babies, a bicyclist flattened by an overturned bus, and a man, Pit Dernitz, being eaten by lions in front of his family, a scene which originally appeared in the 1975 Mondo film
Ultime grida dalla savana
.
Beginning with Traces of Death II, the films feature the use of death metal
and grindcore
music to accompany the footage, occasionally giving it a surreal and bizarre feel. The original feature mostly used spooky keyboard music.
The Traces of Death series is distributed by Darrin Ramage of Brain Damage Films. Brain Damage Films specializes mostly in distributing low-budget independent horror films like Vulture's Eye, Strange Things Happen At Sundown
, and Terror Toons.
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
, Z movie
Z movie
The term Z movie arose in the mid-1960s as an informal description of certain unequivocally non-A films. It was soon adopted to characterize low-budget pictures with quality standards well below those of most B movies and even so-called C movies...
shockumentary
Mondo film
A mondo film is an exploitation documentary film, sometimes resembling a pseudo-documentary, usually depicting sensational topics, scenes, and situations...
that consists of various scenes of stock footage
Stock footage
Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures and file footage are film or video footage that may or may not be custom shot for use in a specific film or television program. Stock footage is of beneficial use to filmmakers as it is sometimes less expensive than shooting new...
depicting death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
and real scenes of violence
Graphic violence
Graphic violence is the depiction of especially vivid, brutal and realistic acts of violence in visual media such as literature, film, television, and video games...
. Unlike Faces of Death
Faces of Death
Faces of Death is a 1978 mondo film which guides viewers through explicit scenes depicting a variety of ways to die and violent acts....
, Traces consists mostly of actual footage depicting death and injury, and consists also of unlicensed footage from other films. It is banned in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by the BBFC
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
for not having any "journalistic, educational or other justifying context for the images shown." Since its release, Traces of Death has been followed by four sequels.
Among the footage seen on Traces of Death is the R. Budd Dwyer
Budd Dwyer
Robert Budd Dwyer was an American politician in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He served from 1971 to 1981 as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate representing the state's 50th district...
press conference suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, footage of actor Vic Morrow
Vic Morrow
Victor "Vic" Morrow was an American actor whose credits include a starring role in the 1960s TV series Combat!, prominent roles in a handful of other television and cinema dramas, and numerous guest roles on television...
's death which occurred during the filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie
Twilight Zone: The Movie
Twilight Zone: The Movie is a 1983 science fiction horror film produced by Steven Spielberg and John Landis as a theatrical version of The Twilight Zone, a 1959 and '60s TV series created by Rod Serling. Those starring in the film are: Dan Aykroyd, Albert Brooks, Vic Morrow, Scatman Crothers,...
, the Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
market place bombing that killed almost 100 people, montages of dead children and babies, a bicyclist flattened by an overturned bus, and a man, Pit Dernitz, being eaten by lions in front of his family, a scene which originally appeared in the 1975 Mondo film
Mondo film
A mondo film is an exploitation documentary film, sometimes resembling a pseudo-documentary, usually depicting sensational topics, scenes, and situations...
Ultime grida dalla savana
Ultime grida dalla savana
Ultime grida dalla savana , also known as La Grande caccia and by its English title Savage Man Savage Beast, is a Mondo documentary directed by Antonio Climati and Mario Morra. Filmed all around the world, its central theme focuses on hunting and the interaction between man and animal...
.
Beginning with Traces of Death II, the films feature the use of death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
and grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
music to accompany the footage, occasionally giving it a surreal and bizarre feel. The original feature mostly used spooky keyboard music.
The Traces of Death series is distributed by Darrin Ramage of Brain Damage Films. Brain Damage Films specializes mostly in distributing low-budget independent horror films like Vulture's Eye, Strange Things Happen At Sundown
Strange Things Happen at Sundown
Strange Things Happen At Sundown is a 2003 horror comedy, centering on the lives of a handful of New York vampires. It was directed by Marc Fratto and produced by Insane-o-rama Productions, and picked up for distribution by Brain Damage Films...
, and Terror Toons.