Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Sacrifice! Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 22, 2016

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.

A photojournalist working his way through Thailand, John (Ivan Rassimov) is overwhelmed by the country, trying to immerse himself in local culture to find the perfect shot. During a J&B binge at a local bar, tempers flare with a local man, who’s stabbed by the very knife he uses to threaten John. Fleeing Bangkok, John decides to head into the wild, joined by a young guide as he travels upriver into forbidden territory, home to hostile tribes who haven’t been exposed to western ways. Eventually captured by a hostile society, John is subjected to imprisonment by Chief Luhana (Ong Ard), who doesn’t know exactly what to do with the white man, thwarting his escape attempts. A protector emerges in Maraya (Me Me Lai), the Chief’s daughter, who wants John as her slave, attracted to his exotic ways and western looks. As the months pass, John gradually becomes part of the tribe, struggling with memories of his previous life, but hopeful about his future with Maraya, who desires to marry him.

As these films tend to be in their opening acts, “Sacrifice” is something of a travelogue once John steps off a plane in Bangkok. He’s the outsider, armed with a camera and a thirst for booze, trying to capture Thailand through photographs, finding beauty and charm along the way. He also discovers hostility, with the knife incident putting him on the run, nicely setting up a plausible reason for John to travel so deep into the unknown, looking to escape law enforcement interests and discover unseen land. John isn’t an explorer, but he takes to the challenge, slapping on a wetsuit to visit river life. The wetsuit plays an important part in the story, with the tribe who eventually captures him referring to John as a “fish-man,” believing him to be an asset in the water. It’s the first of many isolated culture vs. educated man battles fought in “Sacrifice,” tracking John’s frustration with his new surroundings, from which he is unable to escape.

Make no mistake, “Sacrifice” is a violent feature. Lenzi stages numerous horrors to amplify John’s panic, with the Englishman witnessing enemy tongues sliced out of mouths, and there are a few unfortunate detours into animal cruelty, which is a strange obsession for some of the cannibal movies. Animal lovers would be wise to steer clear of the effort, which showcases the slaughter of snakes, a monkey, and an alligator, and there’s an entire scene devoted to a fight-to-the-death between a cobra and a mongoose while native men cheer the carnage on. It’s ugly, obviously, and could be easily cut out of the picture, but “Sacrifice” is hunting for shock value, perhaps because there really isn’t anything terrifying about the rest of the story. John gets into trouble with the tribe, punished with stress positions and hard labor, but most of the feature is devoted to the developing relationship between the prisoner and Maraya, with their flirtations eventually transforming into courtship and marriage. A rival tribe comes into play, bringing with it visuals of cannibalism, but this endeavor is more about melodramatic encounters than nightmarish ones, almost, if one squints hard enough, resembling a romance novel. Albeit one with a bit more rape, ritual breast fondling, and snacking on human flesh.

Sacrifice! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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.

Sacrifice! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (10 pages) contains an essay by Gomarasca & Pulici, an Umberto Lenzi biography, and a Lenzi filmography.

• "Cannibal World" (25:20, HD) is a making-of featurette for "Sacrifice," gathering director Lenzi, screenwriter Francesco Barilli, and actress Me Me Lai to discuss the production experience. While a true understanding of the shoot's challenges isn't offered, screenplay origins are made crystal clear, with everyone openly admitting the picture was a rip-off of "A Man Called Horse." While Barilli isn't fond of the finished product, Lai seems content with her legacy as star of multiple cannibal movies, recalling her early years as an impatient actress and her work in Rome.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

Sacrifice! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"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.