Antropophagus (1980)

A group of friends and a hitchhiker become stranded on a tourist island where they are stalked by a disfigured cannibalistic killer who is prowling the island after killing its residents.

Director:

Joe D'Amato

Writers:

George Eastman (story) (as Luigi Montefiori), Joe D'Amato (story) (as Aristide Massaccesi)

Stars:

Tisa Farrow, Saverio Vallone, Serena Grandi

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Tisa Farrow	...	Julie
Saverio Vallone	...	Andy
Serena Grandi	...	Maggie (as Vanessa Steiger)
Margaret Mazzantini	...	Henriette 'Rita' (as Margaret Donnelly)
Mark Bodin	...	Daniel
Bob Larson	...	Arnold
Rubina Rey	...	Ruth Wortmann
Simone Baker	...	First Victim
Mark Logan	...	Second Victim
George Eastman	...	Klaus Wortmann / Antropophagus
Zora Kerova	...	Carol

Storyline

Tourists take a boat to a remote island, where they find that most of the people have disappeared, and something is stalking them. They find a hidden room in the big mansion on a hill, and an ancient diary, which gives them clues to the source of the terror.

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Plot Keywords:

grindhouse film | video nasty | serial killer | drive in classic | psychotronic film | 

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Taglines:

It's not fear that tears you apart...it's him!

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joe D'Amato: Bearded man exiting cable car.

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Quotes

Carol: There's evil on this island. An evil that won't let us get away. An evil that sends out an inhuman, diabolic power. I sense its vibrations now. The vibrations are an intense horror. It will destroy us! The very same way it did all the others!
Andy: Shut up, Carol!

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Alternate Versions

The US R Rated and UK versions (both under the title 'The Grim Reaper') has four main cuts-

• The Beast biting a man's neck, and the subsequent blood flow
• The entire fetus eating sequence
• The Beast biting Rita's throat as he pulls her head through the roof
• The Beast's intestines spilling out and him eating them. (the film ends with the beast being hit with the ax and simply collapsing. It is a myth that all the prints under the title of 'The Grim Reaper' are cut. The German DVD 'The Grim Reaper' is uncut.

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Connections

Referenced in Joe D'Amato at Eurofest (2007)

User Reviews

Gory, But Not Very Interesting

A lot has been said about Anthrophagus' excellent special effects and for good reason. The film comes to life when it's showcasing decapitated heads in buckets or scalps being ripped off. When it's just following around our cardboard characters, it suffers and can't muster any suspense or even decent character drama to keep us invested until the next inevitably gruesome death sequence.

The silly music score doesn't help much in conjuring a mood or sense of dread and, in fact, the U.S. version (under the title The Grim Reaper) has a much more effective score that uses various library cues. I'd recommend on the U.S. cut if it weren't for a lot of the special effects being trimmed (including the infamous fetus eating scene).

If you're only here for the guts, Anthrophagus is worth your time, but if you want a little more substance, look elsewhere.

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian German

Release Date:

9 October 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Zombie's Rage

Filming Locations:

Athens, Greece

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmirage, Produzioni Cinematografiche Massaccesi (PCM) International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min 87 min (R-rated)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1