Jungle Holocaust (1978) Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally, Deodato's first cannibal epic gets a re-release in it's uncut
format - having been out of print for years ever since it's very rare mid 80's vhs release from Video City. The new DVD from Shriek Show touts "uncut for the first time in the US!!" which is somewhat untrue since the Video City tape was also uncut. In fact, the print on the old Video City vhs release ran 91 1/2 minutes, whereas the new DVD only runs 88 minutes (but this appears to be only due to the projection speed or NTSC/PAL difference - the DVD runs slightly faster). However, the new
DVD can be called even more "uncut" since it is now in widescreen. The old VHS suffered from horrible pan-and-scan which elimated important information (including in one early scene - a quick glimpse of a cannibal's face in an airplane window - completely off-screen on the old VHS even though there's an audio shock sound accompanying it). In fact, not only is there extra substantial information to the left and right of the screen, but the DVD even adds a sliver to the top and bottom! The DVD is a great looking presentation compared to the old vhs - no question.
Shriek Show delivers the goods with this release. I've heard some differing opinions on the quality of the transfer of the film, but I must say, I am totally satisfied with the job they've done here. Although not 100% perfect, the anamorphic widescreen image is crisp, colorful and sharp - and it does not suffer from any blatant artifacting or shifting. Aside from some Very minor blotchiness in a scene near the end at the river, it looks great throughout. No complaints. Also featured on this DVD is an audio commentary by Deodato (in italian!), but if you don't speak italian you can watch the movie with the english subtitle translation of his commentary! The subtitles are mostly in the black bar underneath the lbx film so they don't really interfere with the image.
And is this commentary a hoot or what!?! Deodato keeps saying "this is a realistic movie","everything is real", "this scene is real", "isn't this scene real", "nothing is fake", "everything is real", etc. You get the idea? He also contradicts his own previous statements and claims he had nothing to do with the numerous animal torture-killing scenes and blames them all on the producer. He says the producer shot and added all of these scenes to the film afterwards to satisfy East Asian markets. But look at the alligator scene -- Deodato says the skinning part of it was shot later in Singapore with the skinners playing the cannibals - but then we cut to a long shot obviously directed by Deodato of the skinned alligator right back where the scene started. Hmmm. It's also funny to hear him say later that the producer died years ago - thus, the guy has no way to defend these statements and accusations himself. All quite amusing - gotta love Deodato!
Other extras on the DVD include short on-camera interviews with stars Massimo Fosche and Ivan Rassimov (looking old) plus a still/promo art gallery, a weird US trailer (as "Last Cannibal World") which doesn't look like a US trailer at all ... I remember the film getting a US release in my town as "The Last Survivor" - wish that trailer could have been
included. There are a few bonus trailers for upcoming Shriek Show releases such as "Beyond the Darkness" (Buried Alive), "Nights of Terror" (Burial Ground), "Zombie Holocaust" and "Eaten Alive". Plus, to top it all off, inside the keepcase are 10 miniature lobby cards!
So, if you're a cannibal junkie, this is one to devour. It's no "Cannibal Holocaust" and suffers from a somewhat simplistic script, but
there's enough grue and nudity to satisfy gorehounds and enough animal cruelty to enrage everyone else. It ain't pretty, folks, but it is one of a kind. They don't make 'em like this anymore and even though Deodato says he wants to now make "Cannibal Holocaust 2001" (too late ruggero!) - - don't hold your breath. This is a long-dead genre destined to stay that way. Bon appetit!

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Item Name: Jungle Holocaust; Studio:American International Pictures (AIP)

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Cannibal Ferox (A.K.A. Make Them Die Slowly) (1983) Review

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(More customer reviews)The DVD itself is a very satisfying package - we get commentaries, a beautiful transfer. Whether the film itself really has any merit depends on personal taste really. For my money, this is not a patch on Deodato's excellent Cannibal Holocaust, which is just as gory and a hell of a lot more realistic, with believable actors and an intelligent script. In comparison, Ferox seems like just an exploitative rip-off. But taken in its own terms, Cannibal Ferox does deliver the goods (I'm talking gore-wise) with hard-to-watch sexual violence accompanying genuine animal deaths. The music is cheesy, and again not up to the standards of Holocaust, but it grows on you.
Overall, this Holocaust rip-off is obviously a must-buy for italian cannibal/gore fans (legions ahead of rubbish like Eaten Alive etc). People new to the genre may do best to check out Cannibal Holocaust (availible on import from europe) first, as it is cinematically far better although harder to watch. But if you're in the mood for a little mindless gore, and don't mind certain scenes looking a tad unrealistic not to mention the laughable dialogue, you could do far worse.

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Here it is! The original uncensored, unrated director's cut of one of the most notorious and violent films of all time. Banned in 31 countries, "Cannibal Ferox" assaults your senses as a group of Americans lost in the jungles of Amazonia experience brutal retribution at the hands of savage cannibals. This is the legendary Grindhouse Releasing deluxe edition of Umberto Lenzi's infamous classic of graphic horror. Warning - due to its shocking and violent nature, no one under 17 should view this film. Audio Commentary by director Umberto Lenzi and star John Morghen - Trailer - Production Stills - Filmography - On-camera interview with director Umberto Lenzi; Other surprises1.85:1 - Color - Italian - Stereo - English Dub: Stereo

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Kinky Cannibal Double Feature: Cannibal Doctor / Dinner for Two Review

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(More customer reviews)Compared with some of Factory 2000's output, the two movies that make up this set are remarkably restrained. The second film, `Dinner for Two' is pretty much a remake of the first (`Cannibal Doctor') rather than a sequel. Both films were produced on a made-to-order basis whereby a person would finance a film relating to their fetish and the Factory 2000 crew would make the movie, adding in their own little flourishes for good measure. In the case of these two films, the fetish is cannibalism. The fees received for their production are reckoned to be approximately $2,500 (according to the accompanying liner notes). On seeing the end results, some may wonder how it cost so much, but such thoughts may be a little unkind. Both films have the same cast: Misty Mundae, Tina Krause and Bill Hellfire (who also directed them), and both take place in the same two-roomed location: a doctor's premises.
`Cannibal Doctor' was shot in 1999 and runs for approximately 65 minutes. It opens with the dim-witted Dr. Ben Orange (Bill Hellfire) playing with some toys at his desk much to his overbearing wife, Margaret's (Tina Krause), chagrin. She thinks the doctor should be preparing her feast rather than wasting his time so childishly. Enter the fresh-faced Michelle Merriweather (Misty Mundae), eager to become the doctor's new secretary. One of the perks of the job is a free medical check. Actually, it's the only perk. As a prelude to serving her up on a platter for Margaret's delectation, the doctor spends an inordinate amount of time weighing, measuring and checking Michelle's suppleness. None of your anti-aging cream for Margaret. She has discovered that the sure-fire way to keep those pesky wrinkles at bay is to eat a nice young woman once a year.
`Dinner for Two' is more or less a remake. It was produced in 2000 and has a running time of approximately 80 minutes. Misty plays two characters in this film: April and her twin sister, May. April is already stripped and about to be cooked when Dr. Orange mentions that, succulent though she is, there is only enough of April to feed Margaret. He also wants to keep his skin wrinkle-free. Luck is on his side when he goes through April's purse and finds out that she has a twin sister.
I should point out that although the cannibal theme runs through both films, there is no zombie-like munching on human flesh in either movie. There is no blood and no gore; these are not horror films. Unless you're a fan of Misty Mundae or Tina Krause, this DVD set will probably not be of any interest. Both films feature plenty of naked Misty, and `Dinner for Two' also has Tina Krause shedding her clothes for much of the film. The bulk of both films are concerned with Misty's characters undergoing their physical examinations at the hands of Dr. Orange.
On the audio commentary of An Erotic Werewolf in London, Bill Hellfire says of the cannibal fetish films: "We did a few of the cannibal movies which are really just basting a girl and tenderizing her. I find it to be extremely boring - looks like a massage video with apples." I found that to be quite an interesting comment for a couple of reasons. One: he may have found them boring, yet he still went on to make Torture in Satan's Clinic which, although not a cannibal film, follows a very similar theme with Ruby LaRocca being thoroughly groped throughout. Two: spending several minutes with your hands running all over Misty's body (as Hellfire does in these films), far from being boring, would be considered, I'm sure by many, to be possibly the greatest job you could ever wish for. However, Hellfire's comment should serve as a warning to anyone thinking of buying the `Kinky Cannibal Double Feature' without being aware of its less than lurid contents.
`Dinner for Two' is the better of the two films on offer in the `Kinky Cannibal Double Feature'. The nudity quotient is greater with Tina Krause joining in - always a joy to behold, but this film is a little more fluid than `Cannibal Doctor' which stutters a little by comparison with its slower build up. The three performers in both films put in very good performances. Misty and Tina play their roles straight while Hellfire, I'm sure, had more fun than he's letting on as the bungling, hen-pecked doctor.
There are no out-and-out sex scenes in either film. Probably the closest we get to a lustful thought comes in `Dinner for Two' when Margaret eyes May up and down and imagines her wearing nothing but her white knee-length socks, sensible shoes and a smile. I was also quite taken with the plain white t-shirt that Misty wears in `Cannibal Doctor': it clings to her in a most delightful way. There's nothing really objectionable in either film, unlike, for example the cheap and nasty fare served up in Hellfire's Going Under (1998) and `Duct Tape Killer' (Silver Mummy Double Feature DVD). Compared with these films' rock-bottom production values and cold humorlessness, `Cannibal Doctor' and `Dinner for Two' seem positively lavish.
The `Kinky Cannibal Double Feature' contains no extras apart from some previews. There is a booklet containing some interesting liner notes and a couple of old interviews with Misty Mundae and Tina Krause. These two actresses also play opposite each other in the aforementioned `Silver Mummy', An Erotic Vampire in Paris and `Misty's Secret' (Misty's Secret / Vampire's Seduction Double Feature DVD), all of which are worth seeing.

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Cannibal (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)It has taken me awhile to write this review because I was so shocked by this movie after I saw it. It has stuck with me for the past week and it is probably a movie that I will never forget. What makes it so scarey is that it is based on a true story and is very factual. Be warned: this is a very gory movie and some of the scenes are very graphic for the gore. This movie also doesn't have much for dialog, but it really doesn't need dialog for the story being told. If you want a truely scarey horror flick, then see this movie. I do highly recommend it.

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In 2003, a man with a lifelong cannibalistic obsession placed an advertisement on the Internet in search of a victim to eat. Unbelievably he received a reply from a willing victim, whereby the stage was set for one of the most awful and depraved crimes of modern times. The gruesome incident was captured on camcorder and the footage formed part of the evidence at the trial of the world's most infamous cannibal. CANNIBAL is a horrifying dramatic reenactment of the gruesome relationship between two depraved human beings: One with an insatiable appetite for human flesh, the other with a yearning to be consumed and thereby become one with the predator. Gruesome, repulsive but riveting, CANNIBAL cannot help but hold an awful fascination for devotees of the macabre.

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