HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 13: THE MOUNTAIN OF THE CANNIBAL GOD (1978)

Cannibal movies have a unique reputation among horror fans as being the most brutal and depraved films around. The 1980 film CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST is perhaps the most notorious film in this sub genre of horror referred to as "Mondo" films. Shockumentaries depicting brutal violence and explicit content dressed up like documentaries. These films have become somewhat legendary because of the boundaries they cross, sought out by many viewers in search of powerfully shocking movie experiences.

MOUNTAIN OF THE CANNIBAL GOD is a 1978 Italian Horror "Mondo" film from director Sergio Martino. A spaghetti sauce movie. All the horrific images known for in Cannibal Holocaust can be found in this movie as well (in some form or another). My research and experience with these kinds of movies is rather limited but having seen this film I now realize that Cannibal Holocaust isn't the only film to go this far nor is it the first. Mountain of the Cannibal God is presented as a fictional film whereas Cannibal Holocaust (while also entirely fictional) presented itself as a documentary. Beyond that the movie watching experience of these two films is nearly identical.

THE PLOT

Susan Stevenson's husband disappears while exploring a primitive island off the coast of New Guinea. She and her brother mount an expedition to find him, convincing an old colleague to guide them through the jungle terrain. The landscape is treacherous and lethal claiming the life of one of the men accompanying them. The animals and indigenous peoples living there are just as dangerous. One by one each of the members of their party fall victim to either the terrain, the animals, or cannibalistic tribesmen until only Susan and one other remain. They are taken captive by cannibals and subjected to a fate worse than death.

THE GOOD

Stacy Keach (John Carpenter's BODY BAGS & ESCAPE FROM L.A.) and Ursula Andress (DR. NO & SHE) star in the film adding some familiar faces to an otherwise cast of unknowns. These films are usually completely filled with unknowns and these two provide a pleasant surprise. It's nice to see some recognizable faces for a change. Both actors provide decent performances, Keach more than Andress. Ursula is there for more obvious reasons of course (you know, for it being 16 years after Dr. No Ursula still was hot as ever).

The movie was filmed on many exotic locations. The result are beautiful landscapes and scenery and some great camera shots. Some exotic adventure films look horribly fake but this movie looks like the real deal and supposedly was shot on real jungle locations. A part of the scenic shots are wildlife shots, many of which showing real animals killing and devouring one another. There is a scene in which we watch a real monkey being constricted and swallowed by a python. In truth, the scenes with real animals being hurt or killed were just as disturbing, if not more so, as the human violence. Nothing's as eye opening and sobering as real life. I guess it's how I know after watching all these violent movies I'm still sane and can tell the difference between fantasy and reality, and that's a good thing.

And then there's the shocking acts of murder, laceration, and torture. I feel weird putting this in "The Good" column, but that's exactly why we watch these kinds of movies. Comparing it to other gore-fests of the time period like Lucio Fulchi's ZOMBIE, Cannibal Holocaust, Torso, and more Mountain of the Cannibal God holds up well and exceeds many of its predecessors and contemporaries. There are many stabbings with spears, impalings, skulls being crushed with brains in full view, disemboweling, and, as the title suggests, cannibalism! And that's only the tip of the iceberg of this film's depravity. Sergio Martino delivers the shocks in spades!

THE BAD

Honestly, the violence against real life animals. The shock value is potent, that's why this is up above in the good also, but seriously no animal deserves to die for the sake of a movie. This is a similar praise/complaint about Cannibal Holocaust where virtually the same thing happens. I will say that the authenticity is unmatched by any special effects (because it is the real thing, duh) but I don't come to the movies for "the real thing." I come to the movies to see if the filmmakers can convince me I'm seeing the real thing and afterwards I wonder, "How did they do that?"

Then there is the weird, nowhere near scary, music choices for these films. Just like in Cannibal Holocaust and Twitch of the Death Nerve, the musical scores for the films come across too jovial and serene. Then there are the long scenes we have to wait through before something exciting happens. This film isn't nearly as bad as Cannibal Holocaust in this regard, a film suffering from the same problems. Mountain of the Cannibal God functions much better as a narrative than its 1980 counterpart which is a good thing actually and I attribute it greatly to Sergio Martino.

THE VERDICT

Mountain of the Cannibal God feels like a dangerous quest into the wilderness, adventures and locales similar to Romancing the Stone (Keach and Andress almost double as Douglas and Turner), and brutal gore and depravity still visceral enough to make you sick. The plot is simple enough but gives you more than you ever expected and provides a semblance of Hollywood by giving us a few familiar actors to watch. I'm still fairly new to Mondo and Cannibal films but so far this one is a cut above the reputed and notorious Cannibal Holocaust. While not as good as Sergio Martino's TORSO it's still another worthy feather in the director's cap. It also happens to be the start of a spiritual trilogy of his, followed up by the movies THE GREAT ALLIGATOR RIVER and ISLAND OF THE FISHMEN. I liked this movie enough I'll have to check out the sequels.

Overall Ranking: 5 out of 10

Nude-O-Meter: 6 out of 10

 Check out Sergio Martino's brutal classic TORSO linked below...

Spaghetti Sauce: Sergio Martino's TORSO (1973)