Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Cannibal Ferox Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 30, 2015

A member of the Italian cannibal subgenre popularized in the 1970s and ‘80s, “Cannibal Ferox” is a particularly aggressive production out to draw attention to itself through gruesome acts of violence, both real and fictionalized. Emerging a year after “Cannibal Holocaust” created a publicity and legal hullaballoo, the 1981 feature is clearly out to up the stakes in terms of brutality, returning to the Amazon with a similar thesis on the toxic influence of the white man on indigenous tribes. Filmmaking finesse isn’t invited to the party, but “Cannibal Ferox” has a distinct way of creating nightmares, with its emphasis on gore and suffering giving the feature an identity when storytelling is politely ignored. There’s plenty here to loathe, including some appalling directorial decisions from Umberto Lenzi, but as an exploitation effort with simplistic creative goals, the movie secures its place as a perfectly serviceable horror show, with plenty of blood and guts to share with viewers.

Traveling to the Amazon region, anthropology student Gloria (Lorraine De Selle) is eager to prove to the world that cannibals do not exist. Aided by brother Rudy (Danilo Mattei) and promiscuous friend Pat (Zora Kerova), Gloria manages a mission into the deep jungle, with hopes to reach a tribe notorious for their human eating habits. Along the way, transportation fails them, forcing the gang to continue on foot. Realizing they’re being monitored by a local tribe, the trio encounters a different threat when they’re greeted by Mike (Giovanni Lombardo Radice), a coke fiend on the hunt for drugs and emeralds, and a man who’s recently escaped from the Indios. Unsure of his story but eager to have his leadership, Gloria, Rudy, and Pat team-up with Mike, whose insatiable lust for murder takes the life of an Indio girl, with the natives demanding imprisonment and revenge.

“Cannibal Ferox” isn’t a mean machine from start to finish, with the story beginning in New York City, scored to a disco beat by composer Roberto Donati and Fiamma Maglione. It’s impossible to find anything frightening when disco’s around, leaving the opener more about explanation, setting up a thin story about Mike’s debt to the mob and their efforts to retrieve what’s owed to them, gunning down anyone who doesn’t cooperate. A murder in Mike’s apartment triggers an investigation led by Lt. Rizzo (Robert Kerman, who also appeared in “Cannibal Holocaust”), who’s looking to get to the bottom of the crime, eventually targeting Mike’s girlfriend, Myrna (Fiamma Maglione), for questioning. Lenzi (who also scripts) divides the picture into two parallel stories, nursing the case in the Big Apple while the rest of the feature remains in the Amazon, catching up with Mike’s current, far more severe situation.

The two tales are juggled with some degree of finesse, adding necessary urban air to the effort, with disruptions to the Amazonia house of pain welcome, especially when supported by such a funky score. The majority of “Cannibal Ferox” remains in the South American muck, where a simple excursion to fuel a thesis on jungle myth transforming into a catastrophe for Gloria and her loved ones. It’s bad enough to get stranded in the middle of nowhere, but the addition of Mike and his sadistic ways amplify every disaster encountered. However, before Mike inhales a bag of cocaine and goes crazy, Lenzi previews ugliness with glimpses of animal death. Yes, it wouldn’t be a cannibal picture if a string of defenseless animals weren’t paraded in front of the camera to die. Of course it’s reprehensible, with a turtle, pig, and crocodile slaughtered in a graphic manner. Lenzi also includes some circle of life moments as well, studying an anaconda devouring a rodent (and one that’s tied down to prevent escape), and a leopard killing a monkey. It’s awful and unnecessary, but it’s strangely par for the course with this style of exploitation, with Lenzi fully aware of the impact these moments carry. Obviously, your mileage may vary with this type of material, but animal slaughter certainly isn’t a focal point of the picture.

Lenzi knows what he’s doing here, cranking up the violence to such a degree, it would be impossible to ignore “Cannibal Ferox.” Once the Americans and the Indios clash, grim events begin to unfold, including genital mutilation (though weirdly, the character who gets his penis chopped off shows surprising comfort afterwards) and amputation, while one female has her breasts pierced by hooks, suspended off the ground until death. Clearly, these intruders didn’t take the native “go away” sign of a rotting papaya seriously enough. Escape attempts are made and some sermonizing on cultural abuse is shared, but Lenzi isn’t kidding anyone here. He’s out to make a jungle snuff film, and he’s largely accomplished his task, backed by emphatic, Kabuki-style performances from the cast that erase any hope for “Cannibal Ferox” to be taken seriously.

“Cannibal Ferox” is presented on Blu-ray in two versions, the Original Cut (93:01) and the Extended Cut (93:21), which returns two deleted scenes to the picture, using subtitles to cover for missing audio.

Cannibal Ferox Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Cannibal Ferox" is encouragingly filmic, with thick grain managed satisfactorily, allowing for a sense of the original cinematography to survive. Detail is comfortable considering period cinematography limitations, which favor a softer look. Colors are fresh and stable, handling Amazonia greenery superbly, while primaries emerging from costuming and urban locations register brightly. Skintones are also secure and natural. Delineation is consistent, with frame information open for study, managing darker sequences and thicker hair without solidification. Speckling, debris, and a few vertical scratches are detected, but nothing overt. And some mild flicker and judder are also spotted in brief spurts.

Cannibal Ferox Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is billed as stereo remix by Paul Ottosson, who brings a newfound freshness to the "Cannibal Ferox" listening experience. Brand new definition is gifted to atmospherics, and while this level of emphasis doesn't always blend to satisfaction (police precinct scenes are the most aggressive), it's largely triumphant. Hiss is removed and dialogue exchanges are supported, dialing down their overtly dubbed presence. Scoring is sharp and agreeably dominant, offering clean instrumentation and heavier low end. A simple switch to the original theatrical mix (which is very hissy) provides immediate proof of improvement, with the sweetening tasteful.

Cannibal Ferox Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• CD Soundtrack includes 20 tracks, bonus material, and alternate takes.

• Booklet provides 12 pages of photographs and essays from Eli Roth and Bill Landis.

Disc 1

• Commentary featured director Umberto Lenzi and actor Giovanni Lombardo Radice.

• "Eaten Alive: The Rise and Fall of the Italian Cannibal Film" (83:34, HD) is a thorough and captivating examination of the subgenre, gathering critics, scholars, and participants to discuss the origin of the cannibal movie and its rough journey throughout the 1970s and '80s. Titles include "Cannibal Holocaust," "The Man from Deep River," "Cannibal Ferox," and "Eaten Alive." The documentary concludes with a small piece on Eli Roth's still-unreleased subgenre tribute, "The Green Inferno."

• Deleted Scenes are divided into Pig (1:38, HD) and Piranha (1:29, HD).

• "Hollywood Premiere: February 15, 1997" (5:17, SD) is a brief look at the excitement that accompanied the original reissue of "Cannibal Ferox," which brought the sights and sounds of the New York grindhouse world to downtown Los Angeles.

• An International Trailer (2:47, HD), German Trailer (2:53, SD), U.S. Trailer (4:20, SD), and Mexican Trailer (4:23, HD) are included.

Disc 2

• Interview (19:42, HD) with Umberto Lenzi discusses the origins of "Cannibal Ferox" and its unusual shoot in an exotic land, where the Italian crew mingled with the native population. An irascible, candid fellow, Lenzi is open to discuss anything, from the picture's animal killings to his feud with star Radice.

• Interview (51:12, HD) with Giovanni Lombardo Radice is more of a career overview than a strict dissection of "Cannibal Ferox." Covering such efforts as "The House at the Edge of the Park" and "City of the Living Dead," Radice traces the arc of his career and its many professional surprises. When the featurette gets around to "Cannibal Ferox," Radice is fairly dismissive of the picture, almost embarrassed to be associated with it.

• Interview (25:01, SD) with Zora Kerova is a 2014 chat that explores the performer's time filming "Cannibal Ferox," which offered a rare opportunity to shoot outside Rome, providing new adventures with the locals and Lenzi. Kerova shares some interesting stories about wildlife and weather, and seems pleased overall with her moviemaking experience.

• Interview (20:52, HD) with Danilo Mattei is a more subdued conversation, again covering the "Cannibal Ferox" shoot with a great deal of honesty. Mattei admits he took the movie for money, but he shares neat stories about the shoot, including ease of access to mounds of cocaine and environmental challenges, with heat and unfamiliar surroundings testing patience.

• Interview (25:09, HD) with special effects man Gino De Rossi is a 2011 discussion of his career and time creating gruesome images for Lenzi, sharing how most of the gore was created on the spot with limited resources. De Rossi still has the breast hooks from the shoot, sharing them with the camera with pride.

• Still Galleries include Production Stills (53 images); Behind the Scenes (32 images); Promotional Materials from Italy (11 images), Germany (34 images), France (12 images), Spain (14 images), U.S. (22 images, plus a 2:42 interview with distributor Terry Levene), Various (6 images); Video Releases (38 images); and Ferox Fever (55 images).

Cannibal Ferox Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Cannibal Ferox" is rough stuff, a film that's not for every taste. Much like "Cannibal Holocaust," it's out to disturb, to send its audience through the wringer. Accept the picture as collection of shock value, and it's an interesting document of moviemaking tastes of the era, supported by intriguing make-up effects and seesaw-style tonality that's actually quite fascinating to watch play out. Despite its crude ways, "Cannibal Ferox" is memorable, rising above its brethren with sicko style and subgenre-approved punishment.