Italian Cannibal Film Appreciation Thread

[thomasjarvis]

A thread for discussing all things related to this controversial horror subgenre of the early 70's to mid 80's Italian film industry.

What follows is basically my fairly "complete" list of all authentic Italian Cannibal genre titles and their availability (excluding such films as Jess Franco's "Terror Cannibals" because it's a pointless uninteresting cheap rip-off and not Italian, "Anthropophagus" becuase it does not deal with Native cannibals at all but instead a man going insane and eating his family on an island, "Zombie Holocaust" because it fits into the Zombie sub-genre more than anything, and "Porno Holocaust" is only interesting for it's title-nothing else, but I did include "Cannibal Apocalypse" even though it does not take place in the jungle or feature authentic native cannibals, but it is notoriously associated with this particular cycle of European cinema and so shouldn't be left off the list ):

The Ultimate Italian Cannibal Film DVD Collection
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"The Man From Deep River"
(1972, director: Umberto Lenzi, label: Shriek Show/Media Blasters)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ode=imdb-adbox
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069956/




"Trap Them and Kill Them" aka "Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals"
(1977, director: Joe D'Amato, label: Shriek Show/Media Blasters)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ode=imdb-adbox
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075984/




"The Last Cannibal World" aka "Jungle Holocaust"
(1977, director: Ruggero Deodato, label: Shriek Show/Media Blasters)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ode=imdb-adbox
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078437/




"Mountain of the Cannibal God" (1979, director: Sergio Martino, label: Anchor Bay)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...v=glance&n=130
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077945/




"The Emerald Jungle" aka "Eaten Alive"
(1980, director: Umberto Lenzi, label: Shriek Show/Media Blasters)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...v=glance&n=130
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081112/




"Cannibal Holocaust" (1980, director: Ruggero Deodato, label: Grindhouse Releasing)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...v=glance&n=130
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078935/




"Cannibal Apocalypse" (1982, director: Antonio Margheriti, label: Image Entertainment)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...v=glance&n=130
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080379/




"Cannibal Ferox" aka "Make Them Die Slowly"
(1983, director: Umberto Lenzi, label: Image Entertainment)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/630...v=glance&n=130
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082700/




"Diamonds of Kilimandjaro"
(1983, director: Jess Franco, label: Shriek Show/Media Blasters)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...v=glance&n=130
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086428/




"Amazonia: The Catherine Miles Story" aka "Cannibal Holocaust 2"
(1985, director: Mario Gariazzo, label: Shriek Show/Media Blasters)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...v=glance&n=130
http://www.revok.com/search.php?sear...&type=category
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091902/




"Massacre In Dinosaur Valley" aka "Cannibal Ferox II"
(1985, Michele M. Tarantini, label: Shriek Show/Media Blasters)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...-8055356?n=130
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...856266-6447926
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089562/




"Cut and Run" (1986, director: Ruggero Deodato, label: Anchor Bay)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...v=glance&n=130
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089338/




"The Green Inferno" aka "Cannibal Holocaust II" (1988, director: Antonio Climati)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...856266-6447926
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0161849/

[alt0077]

out of all the cannibal films i enjoyed Cannibal Holocaust the most. Mountian of the Cannibal God comes in second, great plot twists, Ursala Andrews naked, and a midget cannibal. the rest are average at best.

although i havent seen a few of these titles, massacre, diamonds, man of the deep, and emanuelle.

[Hookman]

I think this thread really begins and ends with Cannibal Holocaust, the rest are just window dressing.

[relsh]

nice thread (with pretty pictures and links for ordering).

i've been in the mood recently to watch some of these.

[zombie_freak13]

nice list, i also am a fan of these movies, i especially love showing them to my friends who aren't horror fans and watching them squirm(and puke on one occasion).

[Nosferatuscreams]

Excellent thread Jarvis, bravo. I need to see more of these, I'm sure Holocaust will always remain at, or near, the top as it should it's impressive, but even so I really like the whole "atmosphere" to these films and the jungle setting. I love jungle settings, especially authentic looking ones. Even with the trashy ones there's something there to take away. Somebody should make a new "authentic" Italian cannibal film. Thanks for writing up the thread Jarvis, I'll keep an eye out for some of these.

[rocknroll]

Say what you will but I loved Cannibal Ferox...I liked John Morgan's (aka Giovonni Lambardo radice) character...Epecially later on when well...You know what I mean without spoiling anything!

I'm very curious about Cut and Run and Amazonia as well...I'll have to keep an eye out.

[thomasjarvis]

Originally Posted by alt0077

out of all the cannibal films i enjoyed Cannibal Holocaust the most.

From what I've seen thusfar, Deodato's 'Cannibal Holocaust' would be my personal favortie as well. It's very effective at getting under the average viewer's skin and making them uncomfortable, challenging their perceptions, etc.

Originally Posted by alt0077

Mountian of the Cannibal God comes in second, great plot twists, Ursala Andrews naked, and a midget cannibal. the rest are average at best..

I've heard good things about this one. I look forward to cheking it out.

Originally Posted by alt0077

although i havent seen a few of these titles, massacre, diamonds, man of the deep, and emanuelle.

Umberto Lenzi's 'Man From Deep River' basically kickstarted the entire subgenre, so that one's virtually a must-see upon that basis alone. From what I understand, 'Massacre in Dinosuar Valley' is supposed to be a rather fun exploitation/adventure flick. Supposedly quite enjoyable, as long as you don't go in expecting anything like Deodato's masterpiece. More like a jungle film if helmed by Lucio Fulci during his 'Conquest' and 'New Galdiators' era, I were to venture an educated guess.

Originally Posted by Hookman

I think this thread really begins and ends with Cannibal Holocaust, the rest are just window dressing.

Fair enough. Sometimes, however, I do enjoy some decent appetizers to go alongside the main course...

Originally Posted by relsh

nice thread (with pretty pictures and links for ordering).

Thanks!

Originally Posted by relsh

i've been in the mood recently to watch some of these.

Yea...oddly enough, so have I, for some reason. Must be sometihing in the air (or era)...

Originally Posted by zombie_freak13

nice list, i also am a fan of these movies, i especially love showing them to my friends who aren't horror fans and watching them squirm(and puke on one occasion).

I enjoy doing that as well, from time to time...

[thomasjarvis]

Originally Posted by Nosferatuscreams

Excellent thread Jarvis, bravo.

Originally Posted by Nosferatuscreams

Thanks for writing up the thread Jarvis.

Thanks, Nos.

Originally Posted by Nosferatuscreams

I need to see more of these, I'm sure [i]

Same here.

Originally Posted by Nosferatuscreams

Holocaust will always remain at, or near, the top as it should it's impressive, but even so I really like the whole "atmosphere" to these films and the jungle setting. I love jungle settings, especially authentic looking ones. Even with the trashy ones there's something there to take away.

Agreed.

[thomasjarvis]

Originally Posted by Nosferatuscreams

Somebody should make a new "authentic" Italian cannibal film.

I'll probably take some heat for this unorthodox idea, but I'd like to see Peter Jackson take a stab at it. When I was watching 'King Kong' in the theator, I noticed some obvious nods to this subgenre within the "jungle natives attack" sequences. These seemed rather misplaced within the context of the rest of the film. For just a few brief moments there, the movie almost seemed to veer off from the typical PG-13 action/adventure family fare to some bizaar nod to Italian cannibal exploitation cinema!

Even though you knew as a viewer that nothing truly brutal or disturbing could possibly happen between the natives and the main charactors, for a few all too brief moments I felt myself transported back to the jungles of 'Holocaust' and 'Ferox'. In my mind's eye, I was witnessing Jack Black, Adrian Brody and Naomi Watts getting torn limb from limb and strung up for supper! There really is a dark and brutal tone to those sequences that seem to hearken back to these movies. Too bad Jackson had to virtually ruin a potentially disturbing and effective moment with all those MTV style flash photagraphy edits.

Of course, Jackson would never, ever attempt such a feat for the theme of a full length feature. He's been absorbed and assimilated into the corperate Hollywood Borg Collective. In PJ's heart of hearts, I honestly think he would revel in the opportunity to shock and horrify us all with a back-to-basics style jungle/cannibal exploitation film, but he knows it would be virtual career suicide at this point, so it would never happen.

Maybe Deodato will make a comeback...I doubt it, but it could be interesting if he ever did...