Cannibal Holocaust cover art

Cannibal Holocaust Details

1979 DVD Certificate 18.gif
  • Rated:
  • 50
  • from 2644 members

Banned under the 1984 Video Recordings Act, Cannibal Holocaust has become a notorious film. Only released for Britain in 2001, it was passed with a number of cuts. When a careless film crew goes missing in a South American jungle, a rescue team is sent in from the United States. Upon the team's arrival, a native tribe called .. Read more

Starring Robert Kerman, Francesca Ciardi, Luca Barbareschi, Salvatore Basile
Director Ruggero Deodato
Genres Horror

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Cannibal Holocaust

Banned under the 1984 Video Recordings Act, Cannibal Holocaust has become a notorious film. Only released for Britain in 2001, it was passed with a number of cuts. When a careless film crew goes missing in a South American jungle, a rescue team is sent in from the United States. Upon the team's arrival, a native tribe called the tree people' offer them the only remains of the crew--rolls of film documenting their search for true cannibals. The footage reveals the missing crew's shocking discovery--and their gruesome fates. Ruggero Deodato's horror classic features a surprising amount of social commentary along with its gore. In addition, its premise is considered by many to be a major influence on THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and CLOVERFIELD.

Starring Robert Kerman, Francesca Ciardi, Luca Barbareschi, Salvatore Basile
Director Ruggero Deodato
Studio CRYPTKEEPERS COLLECTION
Run time DVD: 1 hr 26 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate 18.gif
Genres Horror
Language English
Dubbed English
Released DVD: 15 Oct 2001
Production year: 1979
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (2) of Cannibal Holocaust

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    One of the titles — along with The Driller Killer and I Spit on Your Grave — most often quoted during the British “video nasties” scandal of the early eighties, this gruesome offering is probably the finest of that bad bunch, and certainly the best of the cannibal genre. A New York professor (Robert Kerman alias porn actor Richard Bolla) goes to the Amazon jungle in search of a missing documentary film crew and finds horrifying evidence of their fate. Although the script — spuriously critical of both imperialism and the type of film we are watching — is banal, director Ruggero Deodato makes the hunt for the film-makers undeniably exciting. As to the effectiveness of the special effects, it need only be recorded that newspapers perpetuated the myth the murders enacted were genuine, well into the 1990s. The film inspired many imitations and its influence can still be seen in movies such as The Blair Witch Project and The Last Broadcast. Banned under the 1984 Video Recordings Act, it was not legally available in Britain until 2001 when it was passed (with 5 minutes 44 seconds of cuts).

    • Radio Times
  • A young film crew vanishes in the Colombian rainforest while shooting an anthropology documentary. Their footage,... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
  • Most helpful member's review of Cannibal Holocaust

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  • 36 out of 42 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    You've been invited for dinner.

    A group of film makes have gone missing in the jungle. Curious parties send out a group to find out what happened to the missing crew. Along the way they are witness to some truly shocking events involving the natives, who seem to be unduly hostile to ward them. They manage to uncover the missing team's film footage, but the team itself remains lost. They return to civilization and view the footage, hoping to find the truth. They find out much more than they wanted to know.

    This is one of the bleakest to come out of the cannibal cycle. There is almost no humour, and what little there is just about as uncomfortable as it is funny. It also has some of the most violent scenes I have ever seen put of film. Direction is sharp, but intentionally rough, there are no clean edges to the picture.

    • JediSi
      • JediSi
  • Most recent members' review of Cannibal Holocaust

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  • 9 out of 12 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Glad i've seen it at last!

    Brilliant film! But i think that they cut the wrongs bits out! This looks and feels very realistic, it is made from an innocent point of view. All the way through the film it does take the moral highground which i liked. Which gives stability to the viewer. However i did feel there was no need for the rape scenes and the destruction of burning there homes. Also the merciless killings of the tribes. I guess overall the actors of the film with in the film deserved what happened to them.. which is the irony. However, its a very realistic film, dont watch it with a closed mind, nor with love of carnage. Just keep an open mind... And remember its not real! hehe But it is based on truth, cannbalistic tribes do exist! So it is part documentary and part fiction... based on facts. Far better than the blair witch project.

      • Majestic from Cheshire, England
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2,644 Member ratings
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227
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272
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419
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361
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379
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261
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308
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163

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    • Cannibal Holocaust
      Banned under the 1984 Video Recordings Act, Cannibal Holocaust has become a notorious film. Only released for Britain in 2001, it was passed with a number of cuts. When a careless film crew goes missing in a South American jungle, a rescue team is sent in from the United States. Upon the team's ...