Is Anthropophagous a Hidden Treasure or Dumpster Fire?
Blu-ray Distributed By: Severin / September 25, 2018
It has been called “seriously creepy” (CoolAssCinema.com), “insanely violent” (Nerdist.com) and “truly repulsive” (DVD Talk). It was seized by UK authorities as a ‘Video Nasty’ and accused of being an actual snuff film. Yet even by ‘80s Italian gore-spewing standards, this grueling shocker from sex & sleaze maestro Joe D’Amato (BEYOND THE DARKNESS) still stands as perhaps the most controversial – and extreme – spaghetti splatter epic of them all. Tisa Farrow (ZOMBIE), Zora Kerova (CANNIBAL FEROX) and co-writer/producer George Eastman (STAGE FRIGHT, 1990: BRONX WARRIORS) star in this depraved daddy of cannibal carnage from “Italy’s King of Trash Sinema” (Horrorpedia.com), now featuring a 2k scan from the original 16mm negative – including two of the most gut-retching scenes in horror history – and spurting with all-new Special Features.
Trashmen Rubbish Round Table
Jamie
JamieCan I just start off by saying how much I hate typing out the title Anthropophagous? Strange that the blu ray release by Severin has a title card of The Savage Island, a generic but more fitting title.
Travis
And like you said (when we watched the film), what does that word even mean?? A guy who eats anthropologists??
Jamie
This thin plot about a bunch of 20 something year old tourists who decide to take a boat to a remote island where one of the tourists (Tisa Farrow) has a friend who lives on the island that they can stay with is maybe one of the most generic and blandest plots in any horror film. But when a viewer chooses to see a Joe D’Amato film, it’s gore and nudity they want and so does Anthropophagous deliver? Not really.
Travis
I’d say it’s certainly infamous for it’s one big gore effect.
Jamie
Well, two gore effects where one is ruined by the blu ray cover. It gives away the “shocking” ending.
Travis
Besides that there are some standard bite effects and some others that are just beyond cheap looking. This is why you watch a movie like this; meaty Italian gore. If the one effect can’t outweigh the rest of this tedious and boring movie then you’d hope for some nudity. There is only some quick nip slippage, so another strike.
Jamie
Anthropophagous has been talked about as being this gore classic but aside from those few moments, it’s pretty run of the mill for me. Beyond the Darkness is by far a superior gore flick by the same director. While Anthropophagous showed promise in the very opening with the camera just focusing on blood droplets splattering on the sandy beach as the cannibal approached, but then the opening kill looked phony and downright laughable. Felt like I was watching a parody.
The actors looked bored and lost as well. Many of them didn’t evoke much emotion. Even when some of the characters were killed, they didn’t sell the death at all. I remember when we watched it you even said one of the actresses didn’t sell her death, almost sounding bored and giving a slight moan.
Travis
I’m not sure how they got a sequel out of this.
Jamie
I am curious as well but if it’s anything like Anthropophagous, I’m fucked.
Travis
The movie is so threadbare there isn’t much to talk about.
Jamie
Well we can talk about Severin’s blu ray release. The picture quality is by far way superior than the old Media Blasters DVD. While the image isn’t perfect due to the low budget, it looks pretty good. For some reason the movie played in Italian so I had to switch the audio channels but other than that, this transfer looks and sounds pretty good.
The strange thing is that the special features that were on the old Media Blaster’s DVD are not ported over to this blu ray release. There is no Joe D’Amato documentary or actors George Eastman (no relation to the Rochester legend) and Zora Kerova and a 2005 public appearance. This is rather disappointing for any fan of this film. Severin does have new special feature’s with some of the cast and crew but I wonder why the couldn’t obtain the special features from the older disc.
I don’t even know why I still owned the older disc since this movie is a bore and not worth wasting 90 minutes.
Travis
1.5 cans for me and that’s being generous.
| Jamie: |  (1.5 / 5) |
| Travis: | (1.5 / 5) |
| Average: | (1.5 / 5) |
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Special Features:
- Don’t Fear The Man-Eater: Interview with Writer/Star Luigi Montefiori a.k.a. George Eastman
- The Man Who Killed The Anthropophagus: Interview with Actor Saverio Vallone
- Cannibal Frenzy: Interview with FX Artist Pietro Tenoglio
- Brother And Sister In Editing: Interview With Editor Bruno Micheli
- Inside Zora’s Mouth: Interview with Actress Zora Kerova
- Trailers
- Reversible Wrap
