Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death (1989)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Director:

J.F. Lawton

Writer:

J.F. Lawton (written by)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

These women are serious about their taste in men!

Plot:

The government hires a feminist at the local university to track down the Piranha Women living in the...

Plot Keywords:

Piranha | Feminist | Avocado | Professor | Colonel

Cast

Shannon Tweed	...	Dr. Margo Hunt
Bill Maher	...	Jim
Karen M. Waldron	...	Bunny (as Karen Mistal)
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Dr. Kurtz
Brett Stimely	...	Jean-Pierre
Barry Primus	...	Ford Maddox
Jim McKrell	...	Dean Stockwell
Paul Ross	...	Col. Mattel
Vicky Varner	...	Barracuda Leader
Alan David Gelman	...	Donnahew Leader
Pat Crawford Brown	...	Secretary
Christopher Doyle	...	Fred
Lloyd Gordon	...	Sam
James Trenton	...	Unsavory
Steve Reid	...	Bushito

Also Known As:

Jungle Heat (USA)
Piranha Women (USA) (working title)
Piranha Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death (USA)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:15 | New Zealand:R18 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Hollyhock House, Barnsdall Art Park - 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Beyond Infinity

Trivia:

The film was shot primarily in the avocado groves maintained by the University of California at Riverside (UCR), which the university uses for horticultural experiments.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Fred and Sam are hacking their way through the Avocado Jungle with machetes, then pause to take stock of their situation]
Fred: We're lost.
Sam: No, we're not - look! Over there!
[the camera zooms in on an avocado hanging from a twig. The two guys approach it, and Sam pulls the avocado into his hand. Fred takes it and stashes away]
Fred: Sam.
Sam: Yeah?
Fred: I think we should head back. We're getting in too deep.
Sam: Oh, don't - Wait a second. What's that I hear? It sounds like... women! Laughing!
Fred: Let's get outta here.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Conversation with Quentin Tarantino & Scott Spiegel (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

2000 1/2

A great satire on feminism and male/female relations

"Cannibal Women" is not only a movie that's so bad, it's good, it delivers right-on satirical jabs at feminism, machoism, and male/female relations. Not only do we have a conniving military and warring factions of cannibal women, but a local male tribe, "the Donahues".

The chemistry between Shannon Tweed and Bill Maher is perfect--this is definitely Tweed's best performance anywhere, and Maher is perfect as a chauvinistic, directionally-challenged jungle guide. Karen Mistal, who has the thankless job of playing college student/mindless bimbo/aspiring feminist/aspiring cannibal woman, plays her role without flaw, as well. Only Adrienne Barbeau, in a cameo role, seems stiff. But somehow, even her performance works.

For a low-budget comedy, this film surprisingly packs a lot of laughs and even a message or two. Great fun.