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Cannibal Holocaust (1979)

Director: Ruggero Deodato

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Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

A young film crew vanishes in the Colombian rainforest while shooting an anthropology documentary. Their footage, boldly retrieved by a university prof (Kerman), reveals the horrible truth behind their disappearance. Slightly foreshadowing Blair Witch then, but here the evils wrought by - and significantly upon - a barbaric tribe of cannibals are not left to the imagination. Despite poor dubbing, this is a more interesting and unusual film than its schlock-horror title and subject matter might suggest. The intense climax is approached with excellent cinematography and editing, as savage cruelty is eerily juxtaposed with beautiful scenery and Riz Ortolani's terrific score. Its pointed attack on exploitative film-making seems somewhat rich in the circumstances, but this is well made, uniquely unpleasant and almost deserving of its huge cult status.

Author: DCo 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide


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User reviews of this film

  • Joseph said...
    Posted on Oct 11 2009 08:19 While this film is grotesque (you will certainly be disturbed), it also has something important to say about media, and sensationalism. It questions who are the real cannibals. It considers our society, specifically the media as being the savages, rather than the cannibals themselves. It is thought provoking, and a powerful visceral experience, but definitely not a film for everyone.
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