The Mafu Cage

It seems to me all reviewers refer to the DVD when reviewing the film. That's a pity. In the theatre release, which I was fortunate enough to see, the colours are warm and rich, the lighting is subdued but atmospheric, and the acting, of course, is excellent. Especially Mz Kane, who could be whining and annoying in other films but does a great job here. It would be an error to simply see this movie as a horror flick. If you do so, you will be disappointed. This is a psychological thriller that draws on our archetypical fears. It thus presents us with a highly interesting content, but also the form is interesting. The unity of space, the closedness of the oppressive interior, contribute to the feeling of unease.

While perusing the 50cent rental section at the local video store, I came across "The Mafu Cage." Reading the flipside of the box led me to believe that this would simply be a run-of-the-mill 70s horror flick. However, it was hardly that; And very perversely bizarre. Cissy falls into the depths of insanity and general crackness while living with her older sister after her ape/monkey researching father dies...

Riddled with tribal music, inferred incest and a living room converted to a jungle, I'd recommend "The Mafu Cage" to any who desire a high weirdness factor in their movies.

I dunno, man. This movie's got weird vibes. Early on all I could think of was that famous Tumblr post about an H. P. Lovecraft convention and "WE DO NOT TALK ABOUT THE ORANGUTAN" -- but there's more going on here and it's still uncomfortable for a different reason.

Carol Kane plays a mentally detached woman named Cissy who comes back from Africa after her parents die. She and her sister inherit their parents gigantic mansion, including a room for "Mafu" -- a cage where Cissy keeps a pet monkey, her artistic muse. Unfortunately, Cissy is prone to fits of rage, and this is not the first "Mafu" she's had.

What a strangely unsettling movie. Carol Kane is kind of terrific. Unlike most of her comedies, where she's this sweetly unhinged force of chaos, here that tendency is flipped around into something legitimately scary. You're never quite sure which way she's going to turn. Same basic performance, but the tone is completely different.

But it's also a movie where, if you took Carol Kane out of it, there wouldn't be much to it. She's the movie. The director knows enough that the spotlight stays fixed on her.

Weird time. Did not expect the strange psycho-sexual stuff either. But I suppose that's common in horror.

"The Mafu Cage" follows two sisters (played by Lee Grant and Carol Kane) who reside in a dilapidating mansion in the Hollywood Hills, built by their renowned anthropologist father. The younger sister (Kane) is mentally imbalanced, spending her days in the company of various monkeys, while the elder (Grant) attempts to live a somewhat normal life. Naturally, conflicts begin to arise.

While marketed as a horror film, "The Mafu Cage" is more of a psychological thriller with shades of horror--in truth, it is a character study, and a rife exploration of a strange, insular world crashing against "normal" society. The central plot here is a power struggle between two sisters who grew up in highly unusual circumstances, and who are unable to reconcile their circumstances with the everyday world--one of them, because she simply does not want to, and the other, because her sister is holding her back.

The film plays out with all the trappings of a Greek tragedy, and even when it goes a more salacious route, it is remarkably well-acted. Lee Grant is fantastic as the elder sister stuck between two worlds, while Carol Kane is riveting as the disturbed younger sister who cannot function outside of her deceased anthropologist father's lair of artifacts and primates. The crumbling Los Angeles mansion in which most of the film unfolds has a stark California gothic look, obviously inspired by "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?".

Overall, "The Mafu Cage" is a potent, unusual film. It excels as a psychological thriller, largely because its lead performers are completely keyed into the material. Though not particularly pleasant, "The Mafu Cage" is disturbing and thought-provoking. 8/10.

Nobody going to say a word about Carol Kane's extraordinary performance? She was working with a series of animals, and having to ad-lib her character continuously. An amazing job by this superb and often overlooked actor.

Regarding the film itself - boggle. It's been years since I saw it, but it blew me away at the time. Here's hoping some noble figure will step up and put it on DVD soon.