6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.7 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A photographer in the rain forest is captured by wild natives, and after months of living with them, he marries the chief's daughter and helps protect the village from a vicious cannibal tribe.
Starring: Ivan Rassimov, Me Me Lai, Prasitsak Singhara, Sulallewan Suxantat, Ong ArdHorror | 100% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (224 kbps)
Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Italian: Dolby Digital 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
1972’s “Sacrifice” (aka “Man from Deep River”) is largely credited in horror circles as the first Italian jungle cannibal movie, inspiring a legion of knockoffs and variations, which grew into its own subgenre during the 1970s and ‘80s. It’s a strange legacy to assign to the picture, which barely features any cannibalism at all, saving most of its human munching for a single scene near the end of the film. However, director Umberto Lenzi (who would go on to replicate this success multiple times, most notably in 1981’s “Cannibal Ferox”) does generate a familiar atmosphere of dread and fear that other productions would help themselves to, staging a jungle adventure that embraces the reality of remote tribes in the corners of the world while emphasizing myths about tribal life, celebrating grotesque rituals. “Sacrifice” is more observational than macabre, and while Lenzi isn’t shy about showcasing body trauma, animal abuse, and sexual horrors, this is by far the easiest of his “cannibal” efforts to digest, more interested in the evolution of its main character than potential depravities to share with the viewer.
The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation handles the low budget artistry of "Sacrifice" adequately, offering pleasing detail with hostile close-ups, which pick up on facial particulars. Jungle distances are also made available for study, but this is a softly shot picture, with heavier grain. Hues are pleasing, managed to satisfaction as primaries with costuming and facial paint make an impression. Greenery tends to dominate, but jungle activity looks natural. Delineation isn't problematic, but most of the feature is blasted by the sun, making for a bright viewing experience. Source is in decent shape, with speckling and mild scratches visible.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't about precision, as the feature is dubbed, making dialogue exchanges loud and often impossible to match to lips. Scoring fares a little better, with the casual mood set with appealing instrumentation, but age is apparent, periodically threatening to muffle the listening experience. Sound effects are heightened and harsh at times, with war cries and suffering a little hard on the ears.
"Sacrifice" makes a ridiculous claim of authenticity during its opening titles, but Lenzi isn't making a documentary. This is broad work with heroes and villains, while liberally stealing plot points from "A Man Called Horse" to inspire John's evolution from whimpering Englishman to tribal warrior, using his western ways to challenge the natives and their belief in magic to cure all ills (this includes a vivid homemade tracheotomy scene performed on a dying child). Lenzi isn't precise, but he can be an effective filmmaker at times, capturing community interaction and strange developments in John's imprisonment. How "Sacrifice" ended up with the cannibal movie brand isn't clear, but for those who are searching for the origins of a particularly nasty subgenre, this would be the place to start.
1980
1981
Nudo e selvaggio | Standard Edition
1985
1980
Mangiati vivi! | Standard Edition
1980
1980
The Last Survivor / Last Cannibal World / Ultimo mondo cannibale
1977
Emanuelle e gli ultimi cannibali
1977
Le notti del terrore
1981
Rosso Sangue
1981
Kino Cult #8 / Apocalypse domani / Cannibals in the Streets
1980
The Mountain of the Cannibal God / La montagna del dio cannibale
1978
Also Includes = I Eat Your Skin and Blue Sextet
1970
Buio Omega
1979
Island of the Twilight People
1972
Collector's Edition
2013
2015
2010
Primitif | Savage Terror | Standard Edition
1980
El caníbal
1980