Devil Hunter (1980) El caníbal (original title)

Director:

Jesus Franco

Writers:

Julián Esteban (story)
Julián Esteban (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

5 December 1980 (West Germany)

Genre:

Adventure | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Hunted, raped, and tormented out of her mind...

Plot:

A Vietnam veteran heads to an island inhabited by cannibals to save a kidnapped model not only from her kidnappers, but also from the cannibals' lurking Devil god.

Plot Keywords:

Jungle | Cannibal | Island | Tribe | Vietnam Veteran

Cast

Ursula Buchfellner	...	Laura Crawford (as Ursula Fellner)
Al Cliver	...	Peter Weston
Antonio Mayans	...	Jack (as Robert Foster)
Antonio de Cabo	...	Thomas
Bertrand Altmann	...	The Devil (as Burt Altman)
Gisela Hahn	...	Jane
Muriel Montossé	...	Girl on Yacht (as Victoria Adams)
Werner Pochath	...	Chris
Melo Costa	...	Pablito (as Leonardo Costa)
Aline Mess	...	Cannibal Priestess (as Lynn Mess)
Claude Boisson	...	Cannibal Chief
Tibi Costa
Óscar Cortina
Ana Paula

Directed by
Jesus Franco		(as Clifford Brown)

Writing credits
Julián Esteban		(story) (as Julius Valery)
Julián Esteban		(screenplay) (as Julius Valery) and
Jesus Franco		(screenplay) (as Clifford Brown)

Produced by
Julián Esteban	....	producer (as Julián Esteban Gómez)
Daniel Lesoeur	....	associate producer
Karl Spiehs	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Jesus Franco		(as Jess Franco)

Cinematography by
Juan Soler

Film Editing by
Nicole Guettard
Federico Vich

Art Direction by
Pierre Chevalier

Set Decoration by
Pierre Chevalier

Makeup Department
Guillermina Guerrero	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Joaquín Domínguez	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jean-Pierre Ducroux	....	assistant director
Lina Romay	....	assistant director (as Rosa Maria Almiral)

Special Effects by
Manuel Archilla	....	special effects
Antonio Molina	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Luis Colombo	....	camera operator (as Luis Dura Colombo)
Angel Ordiales	....	camera operator
Gerard Singer	....	camera operator

Other crew
Nicole Guettard	....	assembler

Production Companies

• Eurociné
• J.E. Films (Julian Esteban Films)
• Lisa-Film

Distributors

• CineHollywood (CH) (1981) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Cinehollywood (1981) (UK) (VHS)
• Major Producción Vídeo (1981) (Spain) (VHS)
• Manhattan Video (1981) (UK) (VHS)
• Trans World Entertainment (TWE) (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Astro Distribution (1998) (Germany) (VHS)
• Ventura Distribution (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Videoasia (2006) (USA) (DVD) (on "Terror Tales From the 'Hood - Special Edition Volume 4")
• Severin Films (2008) (USA) (DVD) (as "Devil Hunter")
• Cinema Land (????) (Japan) (video)
• D.E.C. Films (????) (France) (VHS)
• Tec Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Wizard Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"El caníbal" - Spain (original title)
"The Man Hunter" - International (English title) (alternative title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

Spain | France | West Germany

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | UK:(Banned) | UK:18 (uncut) | Argentina:18 | West Germany:(Banned) | Iceland:(Banned) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Benidorm, Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

Company:

Eurociné

Trivia:

This movie is often confused with Jesus Franco's similar movie from the same year, White Cannibal Queen (1980).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! (2005) (V)

Uncomfortable watching I tell ya.

I didn't expect much of the movie because of it's title, the time it came out, the title, and because it was Jess Franco's attempt to crash into the cannibal craziness.

Sure, the movie offers the needed brutality and of course sleaze.

At some points, the movie gets dull and tedious. For example, by the time the hot actress gets abducted in her home (while taking a shower; gratuitous nudity inserted) I was getting desperate because of the incuts showing the cannibals and hunters followed by the Director's POV and horrible but creepy music and sounds.

The brutality is present but only in minimal amounts. Yikes! The cannibal leader or whatever even rips off with his teeth and later eats a woman's... oh well you should watch it.

I wouldn't recommend this piece of euro trash for fanatics of quality exploitation. Sure, the plot is depraved and rough but the execution is somewhat cheesy and not well produced.

At some points I wondered if the edition was just terrible or if it was an edited version.

I enjoy Franco's work but this effort is just a waste of time. Watch it only if you are fan of Euro sleaze or trash cinema.