Eaten Alive! The Rise and Fall of the Italian Cannibal Film (2015)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
If you're familiar or unfamiliar with the Italian Cannibal cycle then this documentary will certainly be a must see. If you're not familiar with these controversial movies then you're going to understand why they're still popular today while at the same time being hated. If you're familiar with these films and are fans of them then you're going to get a kick out of seeing the clips as well as hearing from the movie directors. Sergio Martini, Umberto Lenzi, Ruggero Deodato and actors like Giovanni Lombardo Radice and Me Me Lai are also interviewed. Critics including Kim Newman and Shelagh Rowan-Legg are also on hand to share their thoughts on the films.
MAN FROM DEEP RIVER, JUNGLE HOLOCAUST, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, CANNIBAL FEROX, MOUNTAIN OF THE CANNIBAL GOD and ZOMBI HOLOCAUST are just a few of the films that are discussed and we get clips from those movies as well as getting to see lobby cards and posters from around the world. If you're familiar with these films it's interesting to hear the directors discuss and defend their work. It seems Lenzi and Deodato wants to fight one another in regards to which one of them started the genre. There are some hilarious stories told by Giovanni Lombardo Radice and he doesn't hide his hatred for CANNIBAL FEROX. Some of the most fascinating stories come from Me Me Lai who appeared in three of these movies and talks about the rough shootings, being naked and the dangers in the jungles.
The documentary does a very effective job at going through the entire genre, although I do wish that they had discussed some of the other cannibal movies that came from other countries. These are briefly discussed but more details would have been nice since it's doubtful we'll see another feature documentary on the subject. Of course, the film's racist nature is discussed and there's also plenty of talk about the real animal violence. EATEN ALIVE! THE RISE AND FALL OF THE Italian CANNIBAL FILM is certainly entertaining and it's always beneficial when so many of the main filmmakers are still with us and able to share their stories.
