Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

Director:

Ruggero Deodato

Writer:

Gianfranco Clerici (story)

Release Date:

19 June 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Horror

Tagline:

Ripout! Barbeque! Devour! How long can you take it?

Plot:

An anthropologist heads a rescue party into the South American jungle to find a missing film team making a documentary on cannibal tribes, but the viewing of their footage reveals their crueler intentions.

Plot Keywords:

Dead Man | Intense Violence | Graphic Nudity | Spider | Sexual Abuse

Cast

Robert Kerman	...	Professor Harold Monroe
Francesca Ciardi	...	Faye Daniels
Perry Pirkanen	...	Jack Anders
Luca Barbareschi	...	Mark Tomaso (as Luca Giorgio Barbareschi)
Salvatore Basile	...	Chaco Losojos
Ricardo Fuentes	...	Felipe Ocanya
Carl Gabriel Yorke	...	Alan Yates (as Gabriel Yorke)
Paolo Paoloni	...	Chief NY Executive
Lionello Pio Di Savoia	...	Executive (as Pio Di Savoia)
Luigina Rocchi	...	Yacumo Chief / Yanomamo Chief
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lucia Costantini	...	Yacumo woman getting stoned for adultry (uncredited)
Ruggero Deodato	...	Man sitting on lawn outside the university (uncredited)
Edward Mannix	...	Professor Harold Monroe (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Enrico Papa	...	TV Show Host (uncredited)
Gregory Snegoff	...	TV Show Host (voice: English version) (uncredited)

Directed by
Ruggero Deodato

Writing credits
Gianfranco Clerici		(story and screenplay)

Produced by
Franco Di Nunzio	....	producer
Franco Palaggi	....	producer

Original Music by
Riz Ortolani

Cinematography by
Sergio D'Offizi

Film Editing by
Vincenzo Tomassi

Production Design by
Massimo Antonello Geleng

Makeup Department
Nicola Catalani	....	assistant makeup artist
Massimo Giustini	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Giovanni Masini	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Salvatore Basile	....	assistant director
Lamberto Bava	....	assistant director (unconfirmed)

Art Department
Rodolfo Ruzza	....	property master

Sound Department
Gianni D'Amico	....	sound mixer
Bruno Longobardo	....	sound mixer
Raul Montesanti	....	sound engineer
Umberto Montesanti	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Aldo Gasparri	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Ennio Brizzolari	....	key grip
Paolo Cavicchioli	....	still photographer (as Paolo Maria Cavicchioli)
Roberto Forges Davanzati	....	camera operator
Enrico Maggi	....	assistant camera
Luigi Pasqualini	....	chief electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lucia Costantini	....	wardrober

Editorial Department
Rita Antonelli	....	assistant editor
Luciano Vittori	....	color consultant

Other crew
Vito Di Bari	....	production secretary
Armando Pace	....	cutting room assistant
Rossana Rocchi	....	continuity

Thanks
David Szulkin	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• F.D. Cinematografica

Distributors

• Grindhouse Releasing (2006) (USA) (all media) (restored) (uncut) (copyright holder)
• United Artists (1980) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Transcontinental (1985) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Alan Young Pictures (2002) (Italy) (DVD)
• Another World Entertainment (2006) (Norway) (DVD)
• Astro Distribution (1998) (Germany) (VHS)
• Astro Video (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Blackest Heart Media
• Cult Epics (1993-2000) (worldwide) (VHS)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (video)
• Dansk Video Distribution (DVD) (????) (Denmark) (VHS)
• EC Entertainment (2000) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Go Video (1982) (UK) (VHS)
• Go Video (1982) (UK) (video) (Betamax)
• JPV Austria (????) (Austria) (VHS)
• Laser Paradise (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Manga Films (2002) (Spain) (DVD)
• Mangpong (2000) (Thailand) (video)
• Media Suits (2002-2003) (Japan) (DVD)
• Opening Distribution (2004) (France) (DVD)
• Parc Video (1998) (Ireland) (video) (as "Cosa Nostra") (uncut version)
• Rex Films Home Video
• Roma Lusa (????) (Portugal) (VHS)
• SBP (Argentina) (video)
• Siren Visual Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Spike Adventure (2001) (Japan) (DVD)
• Substance Video (2000) (Canada) (DVD)
• Ultra Film (2006) (Hungary) (DVD)
• VL Video (????) (Germany) (VHS)
• Video Instant Picture Company (VIPCO) (2001) (UK) (video)
• Video Invest AB (????) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Viking Video (2004) (Russia) (DVD)
• marketing-film (????) (Germany) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

95 min | USA:90 min (animal cruelty-free version) | Canada:86 min (Québec) | UK:89 min (heavily cut)

Country:

Italy

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (2001 re-release) | Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Denmark:15 | Finland:(Banned) (1984-2001) | Singapore:(Banned) | Japan:R-18 | Italy:VM18 (re-rating: 1984) | France:-16 (original rating) | UK:18 (re-rating: 2001) (heavily cut) | New Zealand:(Banned) (2006) | Philippines:(Banned) | France:-18 (DVD) | Ireland:18 (re-rating: 2006) | Norway:(Banned) (1984-2005) | Mexico:C | France:-16 | Finland:K-18 (re-rating: 2001) | Australia:R (re-rating: 2005) (uncut) | Sweden:15 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) (heavily cut) | UK:X (self applied: 1981) | Germany:18 (heavily cut) | Brazil:18 | Australia:(Banned) (1984-2005) | Norway:18 (re-rating: 2005) (uncut) | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:(Banned) (1984-2006) | South Africa:18 | Argentina:16 | Iceland:(Banned) | Netherlands:16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | UK:(Banned) (1984-2001) | USA:Open (rating surrendered: 1985) | USA:X (original rating: 1984) | West Germany:(Banned) | Canada:R | Italy:(Banned) (1980-1984) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Amazon Rainforest, Colombia

Company:

F.D. Cinematografica

Trivia:

In ten days after its release, the movie grossed approximately $1.9 million in February 1980 (what would be about $5 million dollars today) before the film was seized by the courts and Deodato arrested. Because of its infamy and several subsequent re-releases, it is claimed that the film has grossed $200 million worldwide (inflation not adjusted), though this has never been verified.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the cannibals begin to mutilate Jack, his pants are down to his ankles (as to castrate him). However, once they lay him on the ground, his pants are pulled back up.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Reporter: Man is omnipotent; nothing is impossible for him. What seemed like unthinkable undertakings yesterday are history today. The conquest of the moon for example: who really talks about it anymore? Today we are already on the threshold of conquering our galaxy, and in a not too distant tomorrow, we'll be considering the conquest of the universe, and yet man seems to ignore the fact that on this very planet there are still people living in the stone age and practicing cannibalism.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fear in the Dark (1991) (TV)

perhaps the most brilliant, beautiful, and disturbing "horror" film of all time.

directed by italian maestro ruggero deodato, 'cannibal holocaust' is a haunting, beautifully filmed masterpiece. deodato, known for a spattering of mostly laughable eroto-horror, hit the mark with a few wonderful pictures, notably 'house by the edge of the park,' 'jungle holocaust,' and this, his greatest film. contrasting powerful, horrific imagery with a gorgeous, melodic soundtrack by composer riz ortolani. the most impressive aspect of the film, however, is it's remarkable super-realism. i have seen very few horror films, if any, that are acted with such passion and naturality. the film is exploitative, extreme, brutal, and marvelous... see it!