Unclean & Unseen! – CANNIBAL FEROX (1981)

For me, this will always be the quintessential example of the “Italian Cannibals” cycle popularized in the 1970s and 1980s. 

Ruggero Deodato’s international hit, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (1980), immediately became notorious for its boundary-pushing look at Amazonian tribes and encroachment of the white man. Its faux documentary look, early use of the ‘found footage’ motif, graphic sexual and animal violence, and smug social commentary whipped worldwide audiences into a frenzy, instantaneously cementing it as one of the most notorious and profitable horror films of all time.

With any success, imitators can be expected to crop up 9-18 months later. This cash-in is one of the most reliable things in the entertainment industry. Just like clockwork, Euro gorehounds were treated to a new, somewhat streamlined version of Deodato’s infamous hit in the summer of 1981. This time, however, there was no message, no social commentary, and the subgenre’s grimy nihilism was honed to a very sharp point. 

For its belated U.S. debut in the fall of 1983, CANNIBAL FEROX found a muted release under the name MAKE THEM DIE SLOWLY that featured no advertising and very few theaters willing to show it. Ultimately, the real boon for Lenzi’s gorefest was the burgeoning home video market. I still remember the oversized ThrillerVideo box on the shelves, which featured the same garish artwork that emblazoned the flick’s original one-sheet poster. “Banned in 31 Countries” the cover screamed, though this was mostly a Madison Avenue gimmick to get asses in cinema seats. This was a commonplace practice back in the day–hell, even THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (1974) was less than truthful in its marketing materials.  

Getting down to brass tacks, there’s no denying that CANNIBAL FEROX is strong stuff. The goopy mixture of rampant violence, misogyny, and bigotry–all the way to the film’s unsurprisingly cynical finale–can still easily deconstruct viewers and make them feel like they just ran the Boston Marathon rather than watching a horror movie. There’s a dangerous sense of realism and loss in this film that I felt was never equalled in the “Italian cannibals” subgenre, and this includes the movie’s more successful inspiration. What Lenzi pulls off with CANNIBAL FEROX is grotesque mutilation, gritty authenticity, and a draining sense of helpless emotional depression. If that isn’t an accomplishment in the horror genre, I don’t know what is.

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