With concern continuing to mount over the number of excessively violent movies being released on video in the UK, independent label Astra Video has put out what looks certain to be its most controversial film to date.

Titled Snuff, the movie, according to its sleeve notes anyway, puports to be a genuine "snuff' film - one of the early 1970's productions during which actors were claimed to have been actually murdered on set.

Astra boss, Mike Behr, told VB: "Of course it's not a real "snuff' movie, we're not totally mad. It's a publicity stunt and no one really knows whether there were any genuine "snuff" movies ever made."

Behr did concede that release of the film could lead to problems. "There probably will be a lot of controversy and because of this we will only be keeping the film on the market for about a month." He claimed Astra took orders for 2,500 units on the first day of release.

The film caused an outcry in the United States when released theatrically, with demonstrators picketing cinemas and prints of the film benig removed by the FBI. However no legal action was ultimately taken.

News item from VIDEO BUSINESS, June 1982