There are many things that are preferable to watching this film again, for it's not a pleasant film to watch. It's very beautifully shot and, with a main theme that exists to provide direct juxtaposition to the images that transpire on-screen, it's deceptively appealing at first glance. In fact, for the uninitiated, it's particularly easy to be deceived into thinking they've come across the wrong film, or that the shocking ride is nothing more than hype. But how wrong they would be.
Cannibal Holocaust is one of the classic found footage films about a documentary film crew that attempt to record a cannibal tribe's activities and wind up falling victim to the cannibals. The film heavily features a crew of individuals who have been sent in to try it find the filmmakers and the horrors they encounter, showing the found-footage film with varying degrees of censorship depending on your region. It's a plot that's been done a hundred times over, but this was one of the earlier ones. It's one of a number of Italian cannibal films to come out in the eighties, and has gone on to be Ruggero Deodato's most well-known film despite the previous film in his cannibal trilogy, Jungle Holocaust, being both better in quality and easier for viewers sensitive to the issues of Cannibal Holocaust.
This film ultimately asks the question of who is the true cannibalistic monster as you see a number of horrible activities transpiring by the crew looking for the filmmakers. It's at this point that the film cannot be taken lightly: there is real animal cruelty depicted relentlessly on the screen, scenes of bloody rape (which, we must assume, are fake) and anything in between that Deodato could find to tell his story whilst making it appear to be a snuff film.
Despite its faults, it was ahead of its time by offering a legitimate message - something to think about - behind the horror. After all, there's a reason why this film continues to endear and stand out in a genre that's got more films than we could possibly count. It's a product of its time, with the horrible depiction of treatment toward women and animals, but it's also ahead of its time for making the audience truly think. It's an ugly film and something no sane person would want to regularly return to for repeat viewing, but it's an important film that has earned its place in history and should be seen by everyone at least one time in their lives.
Cannibal Holocaust is one of the classic found footage films about a documentary film crew that attempt to record a cannibal tribe's activities and wind up falling victim to the cannibals. The film heavily features a crew of individuals who have been sent in to try it find the filmmakers and the horrors they encounter, showing the found-footage film with varying degrees of censorship depending on your region. It's a plot that's been done a hundred times over, but this was one of the earlier ones. It's one of a number of Italian cannibal films to come out in the eighties, and has gone on to be Ruggero Deodato's most well-known film despite the previous film in his cannibal trilogy, Jungle Holocaust, being both better in quality and easier for viewers sensitive to the issues of Cannibal Holocaust.
This film ultimately asks the question of who is the true cannibalistic monster as you see a number of horrible activities transpiring by the crew looking for the filmmakers. It's at this point that the film cannot be taken lightly: there is real animal cruelty depicted relentlessly on the screen, scenes of bloody rape (which, we must assume, are fake) and anything in between that Deodato could find to tell his story whilst making it appear to be a snuff film.
Despite its faults, it was ahead of its time by offering a legitimate message - something to think about - behind the horror. After all, there's a reason why this film continues to endear and stand out in a genre that's got more films than we could possibly count. It's a product of its time, with the horrible depiction of treatment toward women and animals, but it's also ahead of its time for making the audience truly think. It's an ugly film and something no sane person would want to regularly return to for repeat viewing, but it's an important film that has earned its place in history and should be seen by everyone at least one time in their lives.