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Cannibal Holocaust

Cannibal Holocaust

1980
Drama, Adventure
1h 35m
An NYU professor discovers the true nature and intent of lost film makers, who were making a documentary on primitive cannibal tribes, when he returns from the Amazon with their footage. (imdb)
Your probable score
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Cannibal Holocaust

1980
Drama, Adventure
1h 35m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 37.37% from 1392 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1392)
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Rated 19 Apr 2012
26
7th
An important film, not only for its influence but for exemplifying taking your themes too far. The concept of the sadistic, manipulative documentary crew is brilliant but the film ends up becoming something sadistic and manipulative itself (killing real animals), making the questions it poses feel shallow. It also frequently exhibits poor acting, editing, and pacing, and a "shocking" climax that's not very. I don't hate it for doing what it did, but I do think it's an unpleasant experience.
Rated 13 Jul 2020
74
73rd
I haven't experienced such quality music/score with footage of animal cruelty since the last time I saw the Sarah McLachlan "Angel" PSA late night on cable. However, the extreme level of brutal realism behind this particular animal cruelty, like most of the movie, is something more a kin to the dark corners of the internet, than late night cable infomercials. While the controversy around the picture is warranted, more than just controversy, there's a reason the movie is still watched today.
Rated 20 Jan 2010
28
19th
A perfect way to end a day at Disneyland.
Rated 17 Jan 2010
60
30th
Sick gratuitous gore and even has real animal mutilation. Still this film is such an oddity and has a blatant take on exploitation which makes it a bit of a surreal experience. A defiled turtle and degenerate Italian exploitation cinema in the 70's era. How can you hate it?
Rated 11 Sep 2008
84
80th
While the pornographic material may (will) overwhelm the viewer, at least Holocaust backs it up with subtext on complicity in atrocity and the capability of the human to inhuman acts. The divine retribution that follows is audience manipulation that would make Hitch proud.
Rated 30 Sep 2015
75
30th
Like nothing else you'll ever see - thank goodness.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
91st
The animal violence is indefensible (Deodato was prosecuted and has since renounced his actions), but this is a savage and involving horror film. Riz Ortolani's pulsating score is the perfect accompaniment to the hell unfolding on screen. You can't look away. The last 20 minutes are among the most terrifying ever committed to celluloid.
Rated 01 Aug 2009
50
38th
While once I just saw violence and gore for violence and gore's sake in these Exploitation Flicks, I have to accept now, that they have had a significant influence of modern movie makers whom I admire greatly. I still can't see them as great films, and "Cannibal Holocaust" is probably the finest I have seen of this type, but I can see them as significant films of their time and influential films of today. "Cannibal Holocaust" remains the best Deodato I have seen by some distance.
Rated 13 Mar 2007
38
23rd
It's savage and brutal. While it does provide a social commentary of the exploitive nature of western civilization towards "primative" societies, which I can appreciate, there is still so much intentional exploitive gore in the film. 5 or 6 real animals were killed during the filming of this movie in very brutal ways. Kudos to Deodato for making the documentary look real, thus enhancing the disturbing element, and the "documentary footage" concept is neat. Still, I didn't enjoy it.
Rated 27 Jul 2014
90
92nd
Someone needs to edit in an Adam Sandler trailer during the last bit of this movie. (The animal cruelty is inexcusable garbage, if you watch this go with the animal free one you'll thank me later. I can handle seeing the DANK SHIT you see on that poster but when you shoot a lil piggy and show the death rattle well you SOUR this movie goer) Music is too nice.
Rated 04 Dec 2007
14
0th
I have not seen the film and will not, but killing actual animals onscreen to elicit a reaction is not only wrong, it is sick. Despite the defense of many, this IS snuff film.
Rated 15 Jan 2009
27
17th
Animals are sickly and inexcusably killed onscreen to start a reaction. Savage and it unleashes the true form of civilization's lost worlds. A strangely neat video nasty in a documentary-cannibal inhabited concept. Still, I did not enjoy it one bit. Thank god it was banned in almost every major country.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
56
28th
Animals WERE harmed in the making of this film; pretty inexcusable regardless of context. Moving on from this, the film is a nasty but intermittently effective piece of exploitation cinema, with an obvious influence on the found footage genre. Some of the ideas are good and some of the scenes are handled well, but overall the whole piece comes off as a bit ham-fisted. The music is strangely effective, and the film does make an impact, but it is difficult to recommend this to non-genre fans.
Rated 16 Oct 2011
50
7th
It's hard for me to rate this because while it has more redeeming qualities than I expected, I could not get past its exploitative nature and the unnecessary cruelty. A hypocritical inconsistent film, but that inconsistency and the quandaries it poses are worth examining.
Rated 10 Mar 2012
29
3rd
It was the cannibals. The cannibals were the real cannibals.
Rated 11 Mar 2009
15
4th
I think the killing of the animals was only to distract from how boring this movie was. It's funny to watch Robert Kerman try to act as a character instead of just the porn "characters" he was used to playing though. If you like shocking scenes with a touch of penis, this may be the movie for you. If you don't, steer clear.
Rated 17 Apr 2012
46
16th
I couldn't watch the poor turtle. I don't know why I watched the rest.
Rated 17 Aug 2010
50
44th
I have no idea how to rate this, since I can't say I enjoyed it. However, from my perspective, it is the only horror film to actually horrify me. It's a hyper-realistic look at savagery in all human beings, and its commentary is probably the same that Kurtz made in Apocalypse Now. "The horror. The horror."
Rated 08 Feb 2011
92
89th
Cannibal Holocaust is a direct, scathing criticism Italian mondo cinema, its neocolonialist undertones, and the question of authenticity vs. spectacle that has been inherent to documentary film since Nanook of the North. It's definitely NOT for everybody, and the scenes of animal cruelty are indefensible, but it's also not the meaningless pile of shit that a lot of people take it for.
Rated 09 May 2007
85
78th
I need to qualify my review. This movie has horrible, inexcusable scenes of animal mutilation in it. If you can get past these sequences, this is actually a highly effective and chilling horror film, and definitely my favourite cannibal film. I still wrestle with my issues with the animal scenes though, and not in a good way.
Rated 23 Feb 2008
66
58th
Had the potential to be a great film; the second half is still great filmmaking. Unfortunately, it is undermined as a whole by the ridiculous portrayals of the natives in the first half. If they hadn't been portrayed as so stupid/monkey-like it would have had more impact. The film's comparison, which implies modern industrial society has a savage side, unfortunately relies on there being a standard of savagery (the 'real' savages). Obvious comparisons: Blair Witch Project and Heart of Darkness
Rated 23 Aug 2014
5
57th
I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. I definitely object to all the animal violence, but aside from that it was maybe kind of interesting and effective? However, seeing it in 2014, its impact has certainly been muted by seeing a third of a century of similar found footage horror filmmaking.
Rated 26 Nov 2018
76
87th
I've heard a lot of things about this movie over the years but the one thing I had rarely heard was just how well the movie was made. Also the found footage really helped to hide the budget limitations and added more realism to the special effects. Yes there are animal deaths in this but its not as exploitative as it is in many other films.Also as a type of justification of the violence on screen the film makers became increasingly irrational as they started to get a God complex...
Rated 19 Oct 2007
90
71st
More than just a exploitation film. Brings up some serious issues of man's inhumanity to man.
Rated 24 Aug 2009
20
5th
I think the prime quality the producers sought in the actors was not talent but a willingness to get naked on camera. If nudity and controversy for the sake of controversy are all that is required to entertain you, then you will probably enjoy this movie, as it has both of those in spades. It has nothing else, though.
Rated 11 Aug 2019
40
36th
watchable
Rated 17 Feb 2008
85
83rd
The horrible and inexcusable killing of real animals aside, this is an excellent horror film. The amateur documentary angle is pulled of excellently and none of the social satire feels preachy. The music is strangely alluring, contrasting some of the gorier scenes in an interesting way.
Rated 10 Mar 2012
33
4th
I feel like Deodato used the theme of "the media takes glee in violence" in order to justify a film that takes that very concept too far. It's an important film. It has the ability to make us reflect on ourselves as human beings. But it's also morally repugnant. It's one of the hardest films I've ever watched, and it was extremely sexist on top of it all. I lost count of the number of rape scenes here. There's some really interesting camera work, but overall the film is disgusting and boring.
Rated 22 Oct 2012
24
7th
A decent premise and a decent first act quickly devolved into gore-porn masquerading as social commentary. Unsettling for the wrong reasons. The social commentary was so ham-fisted, and then is punctuated with the final line of the movie "I wonder who the real cannibals are?" At the end, one of the studio executives instructs another to "burn all of the footage." That sums up how I feel about the film itself.
Rated 10 Nov 2012
1
4th
This movie's neocolonialist moralizing is as subtle as Disney's Pocahontas, the gore-porn is as amateur as Wes Craven's Last House on the Left, and the script is almost as dumb as Tommy Wiseau's The Room. I don't know what kind of miserable basement goons thinks this is brilliant, but I'm glad I don't know any. The animal killings are also pointless. But most thinking people realize this.
Rated 10 Nov 2007
45
13th
Disgusting is not the same as good.
Rated 31 Aug 2011
61
20th
Horrifying film is often in appalling taste, and revels in its expolitative and unpleasant subject matter. However, it is never boring, is very well constructed, features an amusing music score and is competently performed. EXTREMELY graphic sexual violence and general brutality (including scenes of animal torture and murder) make this impossible to stomach at times, but there is an undeniable power and energy (and amusing scenes with the TV execs viewing the "shocking" material).
Rated 29 Apr 2008
15
12th
I've been searching this movie for years for the hype around it. Now after seeing it, I have to say that it was interesting to see. The cinematography was okay. But directing, the script, actors, staged tribes and pig Americans in story were pretty lame. The movie is really aged. Maybe it would have been more hit in 80's for me, but not anymore after 28 years. Majority of scenes last too long, specially in the latter part. The style in the beginning was plain booring 80's.
Rated 05 May 2013
50
30th
I'm torn on what to rank this. I can't deny that it's a good film, a shockingly realistic one at that, but the animal stuff is inexcusable. I get that they're an important part of the "message" the film is trying to convey, but I don't give a fuck. I'm not sure whether it's a good thing or not that it started off the found footage genre, but either way it's one of the best. Bonus points for the stake scene, which is incredible and iconic.
Rated 15 Aug 2008
76
76th
The "lost" footage of the immoral documentary filmmakers works incredibly as a purely visceral and horrifying experience - some of the most vile and disturbing sequences ever filmed - unfortunately this depraved intensity is dulled down by an lame, tacked on main narrative with an underdeveloped professor character and mind-numbingly obvious social commentary (actually ending on a "I wonder who the real cannibals are" epiphany like a grindhouse after school special). Regardless, a classic.
Rated 21 Jul 2015
70
26th
Loved, loved, loved the score for this movie. The happy music goes well with all the carnage. Also: lots of penises a-dangling and real animal murders mixed with fake human deaths. Makes for a memorable experience. I expect Eli Roth to take this whole premise and go running with it in next September's Green Inferno.
Rated 19 Sep 2009
40
15th
Not without its merits, but poorly acted, plodding, and frequently disgusting. In fact I feel like I should just go ahead and give it a zero because of the real animal killings.
Rated 15 Jan 2015
100
99th
I hope all the people who hate on this movie because of the animal cruelty are vegans. If you eat hamburgers but can't stand seeing a turtle get decapitated or a pig get shot, you've got reality issues. Not a vegan myself, just sayin'.
Rated 24 Jan 2007
4
0th
There's a lot of tongue-in-cheek stuff which is decently funny, but the killing of four (or more?) live animals pole-vaults this over the line marking the territory of the reprehensibly bad.
Rated 26 Oct 2014
10
2nd
There is no reason an exploitation film can't be artful, but this is not art. The woefully misguided Ruggero Deodato tries to hamfist social satire in this ugly film but it is entirely ruined by the film's exotification of indigenous South Americans. The film displays real animal killing to show the viciousness of the humans, but the message falls flat because that's exactly what the filmmakers are doing! It's an exploitation film where, by the end, I feel like the one being exploited.
Rated 08 Jul 2010
60
54th
*omnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnom*
Rated 26 Jan 2010
50
14th
Hate the white people in this.
Rated 18 Dec 2009
0
3rd
To be honest, I couldn't really watch this all the way through, what with all the animals being killed -- there is really no excuse for that. A disgusting brute of a movie. Avoid this one at all costs, unless of course you're some kind of inhuman, sadistic, monster... then by all means, enjoy (you sick fuck).
Rated 25 Feb 2019
95
98th
I like turtles.
Rated 11 Oct 2019
65
45th
Perhaps the most famous banned horror movie of its era, it combines found footage style with a more standard one to create an interesting- if oddly cut together- final product. Infamous for its multiple graphic scenes of animal cruelty as well as rape & murder sequences, it really isn't as shocking & vile today as it was in 1980- but, it's still definitely an uneasy watch. The social commentary doesn't really come through & the plot is paper thin, but it's not total trash & may be worth a look.
Rated 21 Oct 2019
77
64th
If it weren't for Cannibal Holocaust, we wouldn't have... well, a lot of things, or at least to the degree of significance they currently hold. See: found footage horror tropes; debates of authenticity, sensationalism, and censorship in popular media; nihilistic irony (ironic nihilism?). Go ahead and hate it, as it so dares you to do -- it won't change its importance in film history.
Rated 14 Jul 2022
40
18th
The film executives just sit there and finally one of them says, "Well Jesus that's one hell of a documentary what do you call it?" and the director says "Cannibal Holocaust."
Rated 30 Oct 2011
30
13th
I appreciate the realism of some of the not real acts, and the way they try to make it look as true documentary, but I still can't believe some people really thought they killed the starring actors, special effects were not that bad before 1980. Anyway, I have to say first, it didn't make me feel absolutely anything (I don't agree about killing animals for spectacle, but not even that made me sick), and it was awfully boring, the critic message simple, and the 'civilized world' scenes awful.
Rated 09 Jun 2012
20
8th
Good only for the shock value, and shocking it is.
Rated 23 Jul 2009
98
97th
One of the few movies which can be called beautiful.
Rated 06 Jan 2009
5
94th
Repels the majority and for good reasons. As a fan of hardcore exploitation I admire its cinema verite influence and its raw power. Not a member of the PETA club (And having an indifference towards certain "shock" techniques deemed inhumane) I see Cannibal Holocaust as one of the greatest horror movies of the twentieth century: it delivers what's promised with gore galore and some self-reflective, credible plot devices.
Rated 19 Oct 2014
70
76th
As sickening as you've heard it was, yet incredibly well-layered and weirdly intelligent. Unfortunately, the director knows this and treats the audience like idiots towards the end. Still, can't say I've seen anything as visceral as this.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
86th
Very violent, very gory, very brutal. If you're a fan of horror and gore, this is the film for you. Not for the faint of heart, this film features a number of rape and torture scenes, as well as the butcherings of several real animals...all the animal killings in the film are real. Banned in over 60 countries, this film is considered one of the most controversial movies of all time. Definitely a must see for horror fans.
Rated 04 Nov 2013
1
4th
You guys are gross.
Rated 22 Jun 2013
55
4th
On the one hand Deodato's film can be described as "seminal", "highly influential", "thematically intelligent"... while for a lot of people it's just a must-see, once-banned video nasty packed with violence, gore and sadism. Maybe I'm an exception but I just found it boring for the most part. Another badly-written, badly-acted, badly-structured B-movie, laden with wooden filler scenes and pointless framing devices to get the runtime past 85 minutes. I did enjoy Riz Ortolani's theme music though.
Rated 04 Sep 2011
52
48th
Awful acting, and a truly detestable array of characters (perhaps with the exception of the professor's guide who is actually quite likable). The gore ranges from lame and unrealistic, to horrific and graphic, and yet it is largely ineffective. The only scene which I found exceptionally disturbing was with the tortoise, and the little rat thing, which I put down to the much more tangible realism (since these instances were clearly real).
Rated 23 Apr 2012
70
57th
The films morale issues aside for a moment, this is truly horrifying, a surreal nightmare and wellmade gory-wise. It does, though, have some problems with balancing between being a critical commentary on the savagery of modern society and not succumbing to exploitation itself. Alas, the last half hour is spectacular...if you have the stomach for it.
Rated 16 Aug 2008
96
99th
x2
Rated 19 Aug 2009
10
0th
Horrid...you can watch the entire movie online for free @dhttp://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=6514355264809908793r
Rated 19 Oct 2011
9
89th
I rate this movie so highly because it worked. It's a horror movie that scared the hell out of me. And that's something to behold. It's not an easy watch,it's disscusting in places,the real animal cruelty is very hard to stomach and the soundtracks so surreal and strange,it just adds another element to an already freaky movie.It's a movie any horror movie fan needs to sit through and exspireance,and i'm delighted i did.
Rated 30 Mar 2010
92
46th
a documentary which is told in a form of story! maybe i didnt freaked out coz i watched it with 7 of my friends and watchedit on the small screen. yet some scenes really made my stomach churn. this one is only for gore lovers!!!!
Rated 19 Dec 2010
100
99th
ha love it!
Rated 23 Feb 2011
20
1st
My score is based on reviewing this as an actual film, which is barely qualifies as. This is closer to an art-house flick than an actual "film", merely consisting of a bunch of on screen brutality and torture than actual plot. It will make you sick, especially the now infamous "turtle scene". This is not a documentary; do not be fooled, and do not enter this expecting any semblance of meaning or explanation.
Rated 26 Sep 2008
9
2nd
Best movie of this Genre!
Rated 04 Aug 2008
35
15th
Disturbing, so I guess it does the job
Rated 01 Dec 2009
80
69th
This film is a total nightmare.
Rated 12 Mar 2012
68
24th
As the precursor to the whole found footage genre it deserves some respect and it does some genuinely interesting things but it also does some genuinely awful things (both in a film making and moral sense).
Rated 14 Aug 2007
20
21st
rghh.
Rated 15 Aug 2010
83
47th
A truly effective, stomach-churning exploitation movie. The main issue here is how unnecessarily gratuitous the movie can get in places, although it hits hard throughout. Another flaw is the hackneyed nature of the movie's message, although this flaw doesn't become fully apparent until the very last line.
Rated 22 Mar 2016
60
38th
The original found footage film? Possibly. Tastefully shot? Certainly not. Worth watching? If you're a horror fan; particularly if you've an interest in the origin of some of the more brutal ones. Avoid if you're not prepared to look at live animal butchery.
Rated 05 Nov 2014
38
2nd
Properly disturbing and distressing, but that's just the impactful gore -- the comparison between Western civilisation and the cannibal civilisation is laughably inept and insufficient, and there's plenty of unintentionally funny moments of bad movie-making and bad story-telling. I guess Americans are imperialist bullies because ... that's apparently what Americans are.
Rated 04 Jan 2013
62
25th
62.000
Rated 05 Feb 2007
40
19th
Gorefest.
Rated 31 Jan 2007
70
91st
One of the most controversial films ever made. Yes, it contains extreme nudity, gore, and animal cruelty which is the biggest issue for most. If you can get over that, it's actually quite professionally made and manages to build an unique atmosphere which puts you right there in the jungle. It's told in an interesting way which puts scenes into different light and warrants a second watch. There's also something special about the combination of Ortolani's beautiful score and the shocking images.
Rated 12 May 2011
48
19th
This is not a commentary on the press, or a parody of Italian Mondo films. This is just plain exploitation. The worst night of sleep I've ever had.
Rated 15 Nov 2014
83
86th
Important and powerful film for all the right and all the wrong reasons. It's a cinematic show of force so attrocious and horrifying that it simply cannot be ignored. Perhaps the definitive exploitation film and a repugnant revalation. None of which excuses the utterly needless and hateful animal cruelty.
Rated 08 May 2009
1
0th
Funny as hell. Stupid as hell. Crappy as hell.
Rated 05 Feb 2017
65
45th
A very hard film to review, infamous for its stomach-turning scenes of cruelty to animals, but at the same time almost artistic/experimental in its unyieding effort to shock the audience (and in its senseless plot). Death metal in celluloid.
Rated 31 Mar 2007
50
33rd
Too professional to really hate, but there's not much here except for stomach-churning violence
Rated 03 Dec 2011
0
2nd
Vile trash.
Rated 01 Nov 2007
67
30th
A must for the gore/explotation lover. Its a mucky and terrifiying low budjet flick but its still an important mark in the history of cinema. Dont be fooled by its age, its not for the faint hearted.
Rated 29 Sep 2015
40
16th
The amazingly horrific final act tries its best to make up for the rest of the movie, but unfortunately a lot of it is just boring shock-value exploitation stuff (particularly the animal cruelty, which was just completely unnecessary). I appreciate the strength of the acting and directing, though.
Rated 21 Jan 2018
85
66th
Unlike some other exploitation films with a reputation for being "extreme" it's never boring.
Rated 28 Apr 2008
90
91st
Forceful.
Rated 22 Nov 2013
50
25th
The truly sickening part about the film is the real animal killings involved. There's no reason why these animals had to be killed. Part of what makes the film so unnerving is the hyper-realistic way it's shot, even though the actors and dialogue are pretty bad. Purely as a film, it's not all bad. The structure's kind of cool, and the message is interesting enough, if incredibly obvious. However, I really cannot recommend this to anyone, unless they're really trying to challenge themselves.
Rated 17 Feb 2013
1
1st
Savage in unacceptable ways.
Rated 09 Apr 2015
60
39th
Would be a great movie if that fucking animal tortures didn't exist and if there was more character development. But it's an experience to live through.
Rated 07 Apr 2009
20
7th
This made me sick
Rated 25 Sep 2009
80
21st
Superb storytelling, but not for the feint of heart.
Rated 25 Mar 2009
0
0th
Unless close-ups of slaughtered animals, rotting corpses, amputations, castrations, and sundry other, more arcane forms of self- and other mutilation are your movie meat, you'd be advised to steer clear of this undeniably popular Italo turkey. The *film* does boast a great score, itself a consistently hot-selling CD, and a "found footage" hook that presaged the even more popular _Blair Witch Project_.
Rated 25 Dec 2010
64
34th
63.625
Rated 17 Oct 2011
1
16th
Sucks turtle dick.
Rated 14 Dec 2008
85
84th
balls to the walls insanity, thats this movie summed up in 5 words. go see it.
Rated 21 Jan 2007
40
7th
The title says it all. This is one of the few movies I couldnt watch untill the ending because of the violence and gore.
Rated 15 Aug 2011
60
24th
Shocking to the BONE !!!
Rated 29 Mar 2018
60
40th
Effective is definitely the best word I will give to it. And for that it gets a ton of points. It's brutal in its images and messages, and while the controversy surrounding this film is bad in itself, as a movie it does scare you, it does make you think, and it does give you serious chills. Gross, dirty, and raw, but undeniably an effective horror film.
Rated 28 Jul 2018
70
46th
Top badass moment? The opportunity to really piss off that annoying, preachy vegan friend of yours. And then to point out to everyone else who complains about the animal cruelty in this film and then goes and eats one for dinner, just how hypocritical they are. In any case, the most offensive thing in this movie is in the establishing shot at the end, which shows people wearing flairs, in public. Disgusting! 3 (I think) decapitations (plus the beautiful turtle), no cats or chainsaws.
Rated 11 Oct 2018
90
67th
Not for the faint of heart. Gruesome and set to a great score.
Rated 19 Jan 2019
28
14th
the weakly delivered and blunt last line of dialogue really sets in stone how half assed this movie is at trying to be more than an exploitation film. it had the right angle with the revelation that the (on screen) film makers brought about their own demise, but the film itself never really rises above gore porn.
Rated 12 Oct 2019
18
2nd
I'm on board for all the ham-fisted social commentary and pretend blood, violence, and gore you want to throw out into the world. But there is no call to have extended shots of killing and mutilating real animals. You can call it "effective" if you want, just like I'm sure a movie would "effectively" horrify me if it featured authentic acts of human torture and murder. That doesn't mean it's a good thing, or that it deserves to exist in any form of personal expression.

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