While a lot of people would be offended by the subject matter, I find it fascinating as part of a genre that wasn't like this at all. Part of the Italian cannibal genre, beginning with Umberto Lenzi's 'Man from deep river' in 72, the main draw was as morbid as you could imagine, since the only thing going for these movies was to see a bunch of people being eaten by cannibals. Ruggero Deodato (and Franco Clerici) had the idea to be equal to the movies that were in vogue in those days, part of the ongoing 'Mondo' movies, like 'Mondo Cane' and 'Africa Addio', made by two Italian mavericks called Jiacopetti and Prosperi, who were also made famous by the same accusations of staging scenes for shock value on their documentary films. Of course Deodato being a filmmaker, decided to base his movie with this in mind, as a tale of black ethics and demoralizing anti-heroes that no way you would root for. That's the power of this movie. While I definitely do not agree with some of his decisions, they are part of what makes this movie look so real. There's no way a movie like this would get made today, since this type of 'guerrilla' filmaking doesn't exist anymore. It's obvious that Deodato was filming without any regret or remorse, and he wanted to make a film that would stick to you no matter what, and he succeeded. The tale is bare bones, but its social commentary is what puts it above anything else in the cannibal genre, and horror movies for that matter. The camera work, cheap sets, and passable acting add just what the movie demands, which is to say that it looks like it was made by amateurs, not professional actors or filmmakers. Let's not forget that indeed the cannibals look bad because they have to be like that to survive in the jungle, but the filmmakers in the story are far more depraved and horror filled that their means do not justify the end. In the case of Deodato, I have only but praise for such a maverick director to tackle such a difficult project that will be vilified and praised as nothing short of a masterpiece. Remember that this movie was made in the 70's and just to be still talking about it proves it's power to titillate and disgust. For me it's a milestone that will never be equaled.
Review of Cannibal Holocaust
