Murder Mountain review: Enter the surreal, disturbing world of Humboldt County
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Visually this production is stunning on multiple levels: cinematography; style; not to mention a panoramic view of the wild make for an eclectic, entertaining experience. Silky editing transitions, substance, and outcome also score highly – a true triumph!
If you’re interested in weed, this is one of the holy grails! Netflix takes a comprehensive look at the magical plant through documentaries and this is a standout. Encompassing the nurture qualities and rivalries in the potent industry.
The love for the ‘bud’ from certain ‘OGs – Original Growers, who are former-hippies-turned businessmen – is rather extreme satisfying and patriarchal. Talk to your plants, guys!
Why Humboldt?
How it began: a hippy commune of mainly pacifists which grew weed to survive through profit, and as a “staple” of their lives. The seclusion made it become an industry for drugs of all types. Paranoid horticulturists were outlaws – before legalization – cultivating then running from helicopter raids. Then weed became legal for medicinal use. A boom of grows emerged.
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Later legalization, or prop. 64, made the area diversify into harder drugs because of profit loses through taxes, regulations and violent competition. 50,000 illegal ‘grows’ allegedly still exist.
"“Before I worked as a grower I was a lobbyist and campaign manager in Utah”"
That quote is from one black market dealer who’ll never leave and ‘loves the hill’; despite being shot at, beaten, hunted, robbed, and kidnapped three times. His ‘grow’ is trashed when we meet him but he still takes the cameras into the town for a large transaction.
Other residents are said to be upset at the sensationalism in the show, worried about the effect on tourism it may cause. This seems entirely founded but the place needs regulating regardless. Again, the polarity of the herb’s essence versus unnecessary death is worthy of attention. Also noteworthy is the fact that some residents – including a commendable Vietnam War veteran – are brave enough to face the truth in an attempt for justice for some they do not even know; interpreted by questionable police as vigilante justice.
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Show Snob scores Murder Mountain at four out of five stars. Full marks would be granted if a solution was offered, along with being about an hour too long. Production company Lightbox produced the online documentary; they have Oscar winners attached and significant projects such as Whitney recently released. Murder Mountain is a must see.
What did you think of Murder Mountain? Be sure to tell us in the comment section below!