Three students decide to go to the Amazonian jungle to try and disprove cannibalism. However, they encounter two drug and emerald smugglers who are forcing a local tribe to harvest cocaine for them and treating them very badly in the process. The local tribe take revenge against their oppressors and the students get to see if cannibalism is a myth or not (you can guess what the outcome of this was).

Cannibal Ferox made a lot out of the fact that it was banned in numerous countries but some say they bumped up the figure for publicity. It was this, amongst other reasons, that landed the film in hot water during the Video Nasties furure.

The film itself is fine. It makes some kind of social commentary regarding who the savages really are, the tribespeople or the Westerners as one of the drug dealers is a vile piece of work. He gets his comeuppance though, in a scene that will make every man watching it wince. Let’s just say I was instantly reminded of the case of John Wayne Bobbitt. The removed apendage is then eaten by the tribesman who removed it. How will that be written up in the graduate’s research papers? Will there be illustrations?

Cannibal Ferox really delivers the goods when it comes to sensationalism and graphic violence, which is what fans of exploitation cinema really want. Unfortunately, there is real animal cruelty in some cuts of the film which is beyond the pale for me. The version I watched had all of this edited out, a rare case of censorship that I condone. Theres no need for real violence against humans or animals in any film.

The acting of the film certainly won’t win any awards and some of the wardrobe choices were just as vile (a yellow headband, anyone?!)

But overall, Cannibal Ferox is great fun. Theres also the occasional flash of brilliance, whether it be the time capsule shots of Times Square (a different kind of jungle) or the tribesman holding one of the character’s American Express card- the perfect meeting of two very different worlds. These scenes exceed the exploitation remit of the production.

Cannibal Ferox lives up to the self-generated hype and is well worth checking out.

The film was re-released and retitled Make Them Die Slowly.

3.5 out of 5 stars