Ecco / The Forbidden (Severin Films Blu-Ray Review)

Is Ecco / The Forbidden Trash or Treasure?

Blu Ray Distributed By: Severin Films / January 29, 2019

In 1963, nudie/roughie filmmakers Bob Cresse and Lee Frost (HOUSE ON BARE MOUNTAIN, LOVE CAMP 7) saw the U.S. grosses of MONDO CANE and quickly imported and adapted one of the most provocative – and successful – shockumentaries of the decade. Narrated by Academy Award® winner George Sanders (ALL ABOUT EVE) and featuring a legendary soundtrack by Riz Ortolani (Oscar®-nominated for MONDO CANE’s ‘More’), ECCO explores a world of sadism, delinquency, roller derby, extreme piercing, appalling stereotypes and the infamous Lapland-women-castrating-reindeer-with-their-teeth sequence, now scanned in 4k from the original internegative. Bonus feature THE FORBIDDEN is Frost & Cresse’s rarely seen – and totally insane –1966 fake Mondo, packed with staged scenes of Swiss lesbians, L.A. rapists, Parisian tarts and Nazi strippers, newly-transferred from the only known 35mm print in existence.

Jamie’s Take (1.5 / 5)

Before I decided to watch both Ecco and The Forbidden, I had gone to lunch at one of my favorite BBQ restaurants in Chicago; City Barbecue. A new City Barbecue opened up Park Ridge, only 20 minutes from where I work so I decided to pig out on some amazing bbq by ordering my favorite sandwich, More Cowbell (brisket with peppers, onions, provolone, and horseradish on Texas toast) and a side of collard greens and cornbread. Full to the point of pain, I worked the remainder of the day and was just looking forward to coming home and watching two Mondo movies on a full stomach.

The lunch was the best part of the day…

Before I launch into my dislike for the two films, for those that don’t know what a Mondo film is, it is a exploitation documentary that is meant to shock and bewilder the viewer with various taboo or controversial subjects. While Mondo films began as early as the 1960’s, the most notorious one that most people know of is Faces of Death from 1978. Thankfully, Ecco nor The Forbidden are anywhere near as graphic or dreary as Faces of Death or its imitators however they are much less entertaining and mundane offering very little enticing entertainment.

Ecco is rather strange as the narrator of this documentary is none other than George Sanders (Village of the Damned, The Picture of Dorian Gray) which gives this documentary a bit of class given the film is narrated by a rather gifted actor. I wish I knew more as to why Sanders agreed to narrate this odd film which is made up of compilations of strange events from around the world. Ecco is like a bizarre travelogue, a time capsule into what was going on in the world in the early 1960’s.

The issue I had with Ecco is that we have now become desensitized to sex and violence. Strange happenings don’t seem so strange anymore. Seeing body builders flex and go go dancers strip is nothing compared to turning on the TV and seeing some of the God forsaken crap that we have all come to accept. A day in the life of the Kardashians seems more exploitative than anything in Ecco although I did find amusing a few sequences like watching a German duel where the participant must stand still even when the blade slashes ones face or seeing a human pin cushion stick various sharp utensils in his body without bleeding.

Easily the two best moments, although brief, is watching a “best buttocks” contest where women show off their nude butts to men thru windows with the men getting to pick who has the best ass (how is this not an actual sport???) and seeing Lapland women castrate reindeer…with their teeth. While this sounds revolting (it is) you don’t see the tearing of the reindeer ramrod aside from one lovely lady getting a mouthful of Rudolph’s red rocket.

The Forbidden came out a few years later and this may be better than Ecco in only that it is shorter and has more nudity. Sanders does not return to do a narration and we are subjected to teenage rebellion, more dancers who take more clothes off (one sequence shows Nazi sympathizer / strippers) lesbian clubs and a suppose propaganda commercial to advise on the dangers of rapists (this was obviously a dramatization and a poor one at that). Thankfully at just 65 minutes long, The Forbidden is over fairly quickly.

Severin’s blu ray does have some nice special features as there is an old trailer for Ecco along with a short B&W Mondo film called I Want More that is chock full of naked flesh. Finally, an all too short interview with producer David Goldstein who tells some very captivating stories on film maker / producer Bob Cresse who obtained these bits of footage from around the world and made several movies circling around the footage.

Due to the age of the footage, don’t expect a crystal clear, print damage-free presentation from Severin. The films have seen better days but how else would you be able to see these obscure flicks?

Re-reading this review, I sound like an old man. I got a kick out of renting these shockumentaries when I was a teenager (in fact I went with our fellow reviewer Travis North to several video stores to seek out the most insane shit) so I get the appeal these films may have. I do appreciate the history behind these Mondo movies but maybe because I live in a world where its abnormal to be normal, I found these two films boring, dull, and hohum. You want shock kids? Turn on the news or just walk outside and look around you.