This is another “video nasty” that was banned for years and is making a comeback through revived interest and DVD releases. Cannibal Holocaust is pretty convincing, and although there was a tremendously popular belief that the footage contained in this movie is real, it most certainly is not. Some of the “cannibals” really are actual native people though, mostly from South America. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only real and ultimately most distressful footage is of some live animal killings. A muskrat gets gutted alive, a turtle gets mutilated, a monkey has his head chopped off and a pig gets shot in the head. Being an animal lover, I can say that this is the only thing that I found disturbing about this film. The rest really isn’t too bad. The director of this movie says that the animal killings are the only thing he regrets about this film, despite being temporarily arrested under the belief that it was a real snuff film. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anyway, the story goes as such… A team of scientists is going into the deep jungle to find and study cannibals. The two missions before them never returned, yet these snotty adventurers think they have what it takes. Two months later they are classified as missing (well, duh). A new research team is sent in to find these people. They find traces of them here and there, some of their clothes and equipment, some rotting bodies, etc. They also stumble upon the film canisters from their expedition. Upon returning to the States, the films are watched and reveal a rather stupid group of people that frankly deserve to be cannibalized. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead of research, they use the cameras to record orgies, and the raping of native women and totally disrespect the tribes in every way by eventually burning down their village. The last canister reveals them finally getting their comeuppance as they are all butchered and eaten by the cannibals. Yum! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ultimately not a bad movie, but not a good one either. The hype over it being supposedly real was the only driving force behind it becoming a cult classic. Otherwise, I’m sure it probably would have faded into obscurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n