Review of Cannibal Holocaust (1980) by Ricardo C — 22 Aug 2013

Shock and gore classic that yanks the mainstream cine population's chain and makes them soil their diapers a bit. I became a man after I saw this. No, but, you've got to applaud its legacy in withstanding the test of time and stirring up controversy every decade since it's been released.

Its cinema verite is criticized as being hokey even though it launched the wave of reality footage permeating cinema today. I recall it as being slightly better than what other giallos and Italian films of the time would serve up in terms of acting, so I think it's an exaggerated emotional reaction, this nitpicking.

As far as plot there's not much in the way of innovative details other than its unique shock tactics via scenes of brutality but that's expected from a trend setter. There's also an attempted maintenance of dignity that's glossed over as an unserious social commentary.

You don't find those in post films of the same genre, really. So I'll take it as genuine art guideline-following. The whirlwind of blood, culture shock, and violence may not match up to its production value overall but its sheer magnitude in assaulting distracts from its consideration.