Cannibal Ferox DVD Review

Cannibal Ferox DVD

Review by Supernova

Cannibal Ferox - 1981
Cannibal / Mondo / Horror
Unrated / 93 Minutes

Directed By: Umberto Lenzi

Starring: Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Lorraine De Selle, Danilo Mattei, Zora Kerova and Walter Lucchini

Story:

This could very well be the most definitively stark and savagely depraved movie ever created. Cannibal Ferox opens in down town New York on a blustery day as we follow a bushy haired young man to a vacant upstairs apartment. Once there two thugs from a local crime syndicate show up uninvited and gun the young man down before he has time to explain the whereabouts of a man named Mike Logan. We jump forward to meet Gloria (Lorraine De Selle) an anthropologist and novelist, Rudolph (Danilo Mattei) a photographer and a feisty young female named Pat (Zora Kerova). The three have come together to go deep into the heart of the Amazon to make a case on the fabrication of existing cannibal tribes. Their journey takes them across treacherous waters and muddy valleys until settling onto their final destination.

After crashing their jeep through thick shrubbery and getting stuck in a giant mud hole the three flip a penny and opt to travel on foot. Soon thereafter they come across two white men attracted by the sound of a distant scream. The two introduce themselves as Mike Logan (Giovanni Lombardo Radice) and Joe Costolani (Walter Lucchini). It appears they were attacked by cannibals and barely escaped with their lives and innards intact. Little does the group know Mike is a raving cocaine addict who schemed with Joe to steal rubies from a Portuguese man only to have his plan backfire. Angered and frustrated Mike took drastic measures into his own hands by slowly killing the Portuguese man in front of Amazonians. Rudolph, Gloria and Pat help Mike and Joe to safety by taking them to the village of questioning. Once there Joe goes into a shock from the amount of blood lost from his wound and the four help him into a hut for shelter.

Something doesn’t seem right with the tribe elders and even through their blindness of the outside growing hostility from their presence the group of researchers continue on their quest to find clues that will denounce the man eat man myth. The tension devours every scene as the movie progresses into an ultraviolet and unrelenting experience unlike seen before. Joe is left for dead and becomes a meal for the cannibals to consume. For the remaining four their repressible deeds and conduct are not disregarded. They are tortured in the most brutal and absolutely compassionless manner conceived. It’s not a question of what’s done, but what isn’t. Dignity and pride is stripped of its very flesh. Morality is omitted from the harvested bone of life and all that remains is the satisfaction of a full course meal. So put on Cannibal Ferox and lets eat!

Reviewer’s Thoughts:

In 1981 Italian cult and horror director Umberto Lenzi (Incubo, Seven Blood Stained Orchids) made one of the most relentless and grueling films with his shock mondo entertainment cannibal movie entitled Cannibal Ferox. Pitched as banned in 31 countries across the globe Umberto Lenzi managed to surpass and out-disgust any film that previously graced the small grind house screen. This modern tale of cinema showcased an excessive level of the macabre in which preceding elements of the horror genre only slightly touched upon. If one director truly is the epitome of Italian trash horror it is undoubtedly Umberto Lenzi. That isn’t to say Umberto Lenzi is a hack or a director exploring the likes of exploitation and the shock department just because he can, in actuality he is a terrific director whose arrogance in attitude evenly balances his thirst for attention. Umberto Lenzi without a shadow of a doubt makes some truly wonderful movies more than he’s given credit for. Where as most directors road the band wagon taking advantage of the mass market and borrowing elements of past successful films, Umberto Lenzi was dedicated to build his own practical fixations even if his visions didn’t seem to differ all too much from the ordinary. His sense of style and ambition is ultimately what drove his curiosity to make films that often appeared humorous when glared at through a marquee logo or poster frame, but underneath the layer of nostalgic entertainment Umberto Lenzi provided for the viewer an escape to a fantasy world deprived of contentment and shrouded by tragedy and gore. If you look close enough there’s commentaries that run throughout the majority of his films, but they aren’t portrayed intelligently enough for many people to notice. The assumption is that those who watch these movies aren’t watching for some nihilistic outcome, but a gaping collection of dread and carnage that will be provided. It’s kind of sadistic in its own sense, but these movies mean more to me than some will likely ever come to know. It is an acquired taste; perhaps too bland and too stale and unreformed for the likes of the majority of people looking for an outlet, but its purpose is stated clearly though often misrepresented and interpreted.

Cannibal Ferox is one of the most note worthy euro horror films from the sub genre, but its following I assure you isn’t because the movie is a great study of anthropology, but because what exist inside the film is truly appalling. The idea is that horror can be achieved through a series of astonishing if not dramatic images that don’t seem to exist within our own perception of good taste and morale. These cannibal films usually exploited the cruelty of animals to encapsulate a viewers attention even if it’s momentarily, because the image is forever prolonged in your mind regardless. There’s a line that’s drawn in regards to the standards of cinema and a lot of directors, Umberto Lenzi included, felt obligated to cross that line whether it was to make a name for himself or to truly be able to have the freedom he needed for his creativity. With this sub genre blood was a gratitude and almost required or demanded and so viewers going into this grind house picture unbeknownst to what was occurring were susceptible to faint heartbeats and the regression of their inside juices. Cannibal Ferox pushed the limits and tested the boundaries unlike any horror film preceding 1981 and even still to this day. With the removal of innards and even a scene involving castration, the film certainly achieves it’s status respectably (So disgusting Joe Bob Briggs gave it a 98 on the vomit meter). What starts off as a typical who done it Giallo turns into a emotionally threatening and physically consuming movie that once viewed isn’t easy to shake. This is by no means Cannibal Holocaust, where the approach seemed poetic even by the standards of the repugnance and the exposed bareness of the gruesomeness it’s story concealed. What Umberto Lenzi has created here is a film saturated with a thick substance of ominous brooding doom. The films not watch able for the sake of entertainment, it is in the most rudimentary sense repulsively disturbing.

The characters live for a purpose and that reason is to follow a distinctive pattern that will take the viewer along a journey just long enough to keep their attention while building to a conclusion that seems like an excuse. The curiosity to carry on may seem perverse at best, but the reality is that Cannibal Ferox has an appealing and intriguing history that not only opens the eyes of the viewer, but forces them to take a peek inside. It’s best compared to a viewer being a pawn and being manipulated by Umberto Lenzi’s hand that guides and winds the musical ‘Jack in the box’ anxiously building the anticipation until the clown forces through the lid in an instance. It’s in that instance that you immerse and indulge yourself into this movie that your perception of everything will change. I mentioned Cannibal Holocaust above and as much as both films handle the same matter the overall substance is different and to contrast and compare both films would be wrong. Cannibal Ferox doesn’t waste time by making suggestions about possibilities that may occur or do exist, instead Umberto Lenzi dwells deep into the matter at head throwing out every conventional rule of authenticity to propose situations that will absorb the viewer by the mystery and gluttony inside. The outcome may at times be comical, but the film doesn’t recognize it and continues to make an assault on the viewer with scenes of rapid complexity involving staged animal cruelty and vicious dissections in all their descriptive glory.

Cannibal Ferox only succeeds as a testament to showcase the hideous and often ugly side of humanities vision and traits, but it really doesn’t make sense why these films encircle a group of people who for reasons unknown become sadistic and maniacal savages in the wilds of the jungle. It could be the terrain and the nature in which they find themselves surrounded by, but there isn’t a justifiable cause to the killings in this film. People say the mind tends to go crazy when placed in an uncontrollable situation or enhanced by drugs, but how the fixation of spilling human blood arises is totally beyond me. That being said one can assume such a commentary is inserted into Cannibal Ferox, but those who finds themselves defending the theme are probably going by hearsay and not their own assumption. As primitive as the characters interactions may appear the infatuation that their attempt at being more offensive than an actual cannibal is fabricated. In fact only one character can take the blame for the whole groups misfortune, as the result wasn’t a complete effort, but the cause and affect of one person. What doesn’t seem reasonable is why the rest of the group is forced to suffer through harsh tormenting obstacles and psychologically exhaustive treatments. It’s all part of the ridiculous atrocities of this sub genre. Sure Mike Logan’s greed and betrayal offset by his temper fueled the cannibals to retaliate, but one mans distortion of proper etiquette shouldn’t be judged against those who have done no harm just because they were traveling with him.

What I liked about Cannibal Ferox was the fact that their was a sufficient amount of character development even if it was diminutive and oddly misplaced at times. The small urge of hope and faith between Gloria and Rudolph’s brother and sister relationship and their struggle for survival was portrayed with much confidence between the two actors. Had Umberto Lenzi paid more attention to crafting recognizable emotions the characters would have stood out a lot better. The communication and interaction between the cast wasn’t as serious as I would have hoped for, but I did find most of the actors to be very tolerable especially Giovanni Lombardo Radice. Maybe it was his mean spirited nature or his over eccentric attitude that drew me to him, but I was cheering for the guy all the way and at times just wished he would have became a lot tougher. The film ultimately has its high and low points, the latter outweighing the former once the story begins to settle. Umberto Lenzi does a wonderful job with his marvelous directing and brilliant cinematography courtesy of Giovanni Bergamini, but even so they can’t cover up the looseness of the script. The special effects were often amateurish created by renowned artist Gino De Rossi, but it was this low budget approach that made the movie sadistically alluring while taking on a sense of real occurrences and documented facts and studies.

Maybe Cannibal Ferox does manage to do one thing right and it comes at the very end when Gloria has survived the jungle. She’s seen accepting an award for her new book that goes against everything she’s just witnessed. In a way she’s been traumatized by the events and if you understand the title of the movie then you will get why the tag lines reads “Make them die slowly.” The fact that Gloria may have escaped doesn’t mean she can continue on with her life normally. In essence she is dying slowly inside, the visions of what she saw and what she had to go through torment her each and everyday. Death is the relief that comes for us all and the tragedy for Gloria is that she witnessed everyone around her die and in her mind it seems unfair that she survived. Perhaps the most poetic staple of the films story; how life can be taken away for what seems like a meaningless reason. The idea that Gloria’s own desire to research about cannibalism brought about the destruction of her friends and not herself is inclined to reassess the films true motivation.

Audio:

Presented here in an English and Italian Digital Stereo Surround Sound Mix Cannibal Ferox would definitely benefit from a remastering. Most of the dialogue is inconsistent and gets muffled out a lot by delicate scratches and overall hollow depth. Cannibal Ferox’s advantages lays in the compassion and spirit of the music created by Budy Maglione (two composers actually, Roberto Donati and Maria Fiamma Maglione). It is the essential piece of the enigma that makes the film a pulse pounding inferno of death. The majority of the music is an ensemble of short sequences that reach out into the forbidden darkness arousing the mystic and curious fear that’s disguised within the Amazon. Cunningly stimulating and ferociously absorbing can only truly begin to describe what it’s like listening to the soundtrack.

Video:

Grind House releasing presents Cannibal Ferox here in an uncensored letterboxed transfer. The print offered here has some demeaning flaws and the majority of the picture appears too soft highlighting all the mistakes clearly. The print damage is quite apparent with scratches, occasional haziness and unsightly blemishes. Given the films age the release is adequate enough, but nothing stands out as beneficial. The greens of the jungle are the most predominant considerably dark and rich, possessing an inauspicious doom hidden within.

Special Features:

Available on DVD for the first time here in America in a Deluxe uncensored Letterboxed Edition Grind House presents Umberto Lenzi‘s horror classic in great form. The film runs exactly fifty chapters in length and is presented with an animated menu with music and sound effects. By now fans will have heard of the controversial commentary concerning Umberto Lenzi and Giovanni Lombardo Radice. Giovanni Lombardo Radice really dislikes the movie and there isn’t a time when he’s not condemning Umberto Lenzi for making Cannibal Ferox. If Giovanni Lombardo Radice didn’t like Cannibal Ferox he obviously didn’t have to participate in the commentary and to take shots at Umberto Lenzi’s work just to make himself look good seems shallow. The fact that he starred in the movie should go on record to say he had to of done it for some reason and with this commentary it proves he only did it out of a conceited and weak attitude. The commentary is overall enjoyable and keeps you on the edge. Umberto Lenzi is sometimes hard to understand because of his thick Italian accent, but he tries to defend the films faults and atrocities and for that I give him credit.

There’s also a small on camera interview with Umberto Lenzi. It’s fairly interesting, but too short to really touch upon important material that fans may want to know. Umberto Lenzi is asked questions in English and in return answers them in Italian, which the interviewer translates for us. The focus of the interview is just to question the popularity and success of the film and also the underpinning of the theme, which Umberto Lenzi proudly discusses. This release also contains the original Italian, German and U.S. theatrical trailers as well as dozens of rare production stills, posters and publicity material. There’s also a hidden Easter egg, which is of a short home video consisting of Cannibal Ferox premiering at the Vines theater in Hollywood California 1998 on a double bill with Lucio Fulcio’s Gates Of Hell (City Of The Living Dead). It’s comical at the very least watching the positive reaction from the rambunctious crowd. On the reverse side of the cover is a complete Umberto Lenzi filmography as well as liner notes by Bill Landis.

Audio commentary with Director Umberto Lenzi and star John Morghen (Giovanni Lombardo Radice)

The original Italian, German and U.S. theatrical trailers

Rare production stills, posters and publicity materials from around the world

Liner notes from legendary Times Square historian Bill Landis

On-camera interview with Director Umberto Lenzi

Overall:

Umberto Lenzi started this sub genre with a film called “The Man From Deep River” (1972). It’s no surprise he would come back to his roots and try to create a film that would be remembered for all times. I like Umberto Lenzi. As a director Umberto Lenzi was one of the most consistent despite his name not being in the lime light like Dario Argento or Lucio Fulci. This film I believe showcased Umberto Lenzi at his most anguished. I say that in a sincere and meaningful way because directors tend to go places within their movies that are sometimes a result of their inner energy. Maybe Umberto Lenzi had something to prove. Perhaps he wanted everyone to know his name and would do that at any cost, with Cannibal Ferox he did. The innocent staged slaying of animals forces the viewer to accept imagery they would have never sat through before. The dismemberments, the sadistic conduct of making everyone die slowly, it stays with us forever. On a whole the film is equal to Ruggero Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust, but both have disadvantages and advantages that separate each film from succeeding as the number one cannibal film. Despite what anyone says these films aren’t meant for entertainment. Maybe they exist as a desire to seek out something different, a test to see your own limits, whatever the reason go into this movie with an understanding and that understanding is that what you are about to witness is probably a boundary that will never be crossed again. If you have the stomach you just might find something here.

Movie: ***/*****
Audio: ***/*****
Video: ***/*****
Supplements: ***½/*****