MOVIE REVIEW: Cannibal Holocaust 1980
Professor Harold Moore, an anthropologist sets out on a journey to find a missing film crew in the Amazon jungle. The filmmakers were there to create a documentary about the previously unfilmed "Green Inferno" and its inhabitants. Professor Moore enlists the help of a native Amazonian and a Crocodile Dundee type of fellow to aid him in his search. When they reach the Green Inferno, the first thing they witness is a brutal ritualistic killing at the hands of a tribesman. The group continues on their journey until they reach the tribe. Initially the tribe is fearful of the White strangers, with good reason as you learn later in the film. The group mirrors the lifestyle of the tribe to garner their trust. This means eating, drinking, and living however the tribe does. That would also include the actual killing and eating of REAL animals mind you! Once the group has become friendly with the tribe, they are able to retrieve the footage of the missing film crew. Professor Moore takes the film back to New York and what is revealed is truly terrifying. No more spoilers from me y'all.
This is another hard to find gem. Apparently, this film is banned in many countries, so don't bother going to your local Hollywood or Blockbuster Video looking for this. After viewing this, I believe this film is grossly mislabeled as horror. I feel it's more of a social commentary with brutal results. It shows that "civilized" man can be some of the most savage individuals on Earth. This film made me think about one show in particular on the Discovery Channel titled "Going Tribal". It's a reality show where the host ventures into previously unexplored territory and spends time with its inhabitants. I think if these people wanted to be found, they would make a way, and it's almost unfair for us "civilized" folk to seek them out to exploit them. This is not a pretty film, REAL animals are butchered...something that had previously been unseen on film. It's truly interesting to see the natives "act". I would love to find out more about how they were able to get the natives to participate. This film contains some of the most brutal acts I've seen on film. It depicts animal slaughter, forced abortion, rape, and impaling. I truly believe this film was the inspiration for The Blair Witch Project. It has the same documentary storytelling style. From what I understand, the director of this film, Ruggero Deodato, was jailed for a while and had to convince the authorities that the actors were not really killed. Once you view it, you'll understand why, everything about it feels genuine. This most definitely is not for the squeamish or members of PETA.
VERDICT: 4 Soul Claps
Labels: Movie Reviews
This entry was posted
on Thursday, November 09, 2006 at 1:51 PM.
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