Cannibal Holocaust

This article is about the film. For other uses, see Cannibal Holocaust (disambiguation).

Cannibal Holocaust
Italian theatrical release poster
Directed byRuggero Deodato
Written byGianfranco Clerici
Produced by
  • Franco Di Nunzio
  • Franco Palaggi
Starring
CinematographySergio D'Offizi
Edited byVincenzo Tomassi
Music byRiz Ortolani
Production
company
F.D. Cinematografica
Distributed byUnited Artists Europa
Release date
  • 7 February 1980 (1980-02-07)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryItaly
Languages
  • English
  • Spanish
BudgetUS$100,000[1]

Cannibal Holocaust is a 1980 Italian cannibal film directed by Ruggero Deodato and written by Gianfranco Clerici. It stars Robert Kerman as Harold Monroe, an anthropologist who leads a rescue team into the Amazon rainforest to locate a crew of filmmakers that have gone missing while filming a documentary on local cannibal tribes.

Produced as part of the contemporary cannibal trend of Italian exploitation cinema, Cannibal Holocaust was inspired by Italian media coverage of Red Brigades terrorism. Deodato believed the news reports to be staged, an idea that became an integral aspect of the film's story.[2] Additional story elements were also influenced by the Mondo documentaries of Gualtiero Jacopetti, particularly the presentation of the documentary crew's lost footage, which constitutes approximately half of the film. The treatment of this footage, which is noted for its visual realism, innovated the found footage style of filmmaking that was later popularized in American cinema by The Blair Witch Project. Cannibal Holocaust was filmed primarily on location in the Amazon rainforest of Colombia with a cast of indigenous tribes interacting with mostly inexperienced American and Italian actors recruited in New York City.[3]

Cannibal Holocaust achieved notoriety as its graphic violence aroused a great deal of controversy. After its premiere in Italy, it was ordered to be seized by a local magistrate. Deodato, screenwriter Gianfanco Clerici, and producers Francesco Palaggi, Alda Pia, and Franco Di Nunzio were convicted of obscenity. The film was released from seizure in 1982.[4] It was banned in the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and several other countries due to its graphic content, including sexual assault and genuine violence toward animals. Although some nations have since revoked the ban, it is still upheld in several countries. Critical reception of the film is mixed, although it has received a cult following. The film's plot and violence have been noted as commentary on journalism ethics, exploitation of South American countries, and the difference between Western and non-Western cultures, yet these interpretations have also been met with criticism, with any perceived subtext deemed hypocritical or insincere due to the film's presentation.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference In the Jungle was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Interview 2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cinema Inferno: Celluloid Explosions from the Cultural Margins. Weiner, Robert G.; Cline, John (Editors). Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2010. ISBN 978-0-8108-7656-9.
  4. ^ Curti, Roberto (2023). Proibito! A History of Italian Film Censorship, 1913-2021. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 223. ISBN 978-1-4766-8856-5.
  5. ^ Carter, David. "Savage Cinema". Savage Cinema. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2006.
  6. ^ Bitel, Anton. "Cannibal Holocaust DVD Review". Little White Lies. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Goodall was invoked but never defined (see the help page).