Director: Sergio Martino
Year: 1978
Country: Italy
Alternate Titles: La montagna del dio cannibale; The Mountain of the Cannibal God; Primitive Desires; Prisoner of the Cannibal God
Genre: Jungle Cannibal
Plot:
After arriving in New Guinea, a woman hires an expert tracker to help look for her missing husband on a small offshore island nearby, which contains a large mountain sacred to the natives and is also home to an explorer fighting off a ravenous cannibal tribe in the area.
Review:
This is a very solid entry in the cannibal genre. One of the better aspects to be had here is an intriguing enough storyline that provides a great way to get the group out into the jungle and get involved with the various tribes here. At its heart, a safari picture, there are a few animal attacks within as the group heads deeper into the island due to the jungle location, playing up more with the trials of the land almost as much as it does the exploitation angle at play involving the different animal and cannibal attacks along the way. With the series of interactions here involving not just the group trekking through the wilderness, encountering a variety of animals or other natural creations, but also the traps left behind that have to be worked out or the obstacles that have to be taken as they come, leading to a great sense of danger from the forest itself. The location helps this out as well, which is shot primarily in jungles that are beautifully photographed, from the large trees overhead to the scenic waterfalls and the plants and bushes. This makes the scenery really come alive and adds a sense of beauty to the opening of the picture.
Since the film keeps moving at a good clip, with the only real lagging spots being the animal death sequences, this really doesn't seem as slow as it actually is due to the inclusion of these encounters. The highlight is when a python tries to coil around one of the group, which is certainly intense but not really a frenetic attempt to get a stranglehold on the victim and the subsequent fight to remove it. Part of what works so well about this sequence is the resolve to try to extricate her without killing the beast, as it’s stated earlier that he doesn't kill animals, making clear that he won't punish these beasts for doing what Nature intends them to do, and that resolve is steadfast throughout the film. A crocodile vs. native bearer sequence is vicious, and what is not seen is as horrendous as what is seen, as the editing on the scene is tight and the scene is frenetically paced, while the series of escapes through the jungle running into the various traps offers up a genuinely solid and enjoyable time.
When it comes to the end, the film has some really spectacular scenes. The costuming of the cannibals, specifically the choice to have the cannibals wearing wooden masks, makes for some memorable antagonists as the warriors are made to appear less human, and thus less vulnerable, more akin to spirits of the jungle than native dwellers in it. As with any cannibal film, it largely exists as a means to focus on decapitations and human entrails amounting to some quite impressive shock effects, as one of the bearers caught in a trap that slams him between two cage sides mounted with sharp rocks and the others returning to only find a gnawed arm, a quick beheading, several spears into bodies, a brutal arm being ripped off, one victim being disemboweled and devoured and another falling down a large waterfall and bashing their head open on the way down. The makeup effects are also, for the most part, well done and aren't dwelt on. The temptation, including a scene where a cannibal's head is busted open on a rock, is hardly shown, making the sporadic appearance and shortness of effect all the more realistic. It even has some nice sleaze in here with a couple of nude scenes and an extremely erotic striptease that's quite pleasing and really helps balance out the film.
However, there are still some problems with the film. While the jungle is photographed beautifully, it isn't as claustrophobic or dark as it might have been, and this does cut down the tension factor. Most of the film is done in daylight, and it would have benefited greatly if the reverse were true or if jungle areas with more overhead coverage were selected to shoot in. This also limits the threat from the forests since the jungle predators are strictly reptilian, with a single spider thrown in for good measure, and makes it feel like this could have benefited greatly from a more direct threat from the wildlife to up the tension factor. Lastly, it's hard to get around the animal carnage. It isn't abundant, but it is there, and one sequence in particular is both grueling and needless. There are other sequences involved where the animals are being consumed, flayed, cut open, and so on, which is not for everyone and makes it a pretty hard film to get around, no matter what. It's not as intense as other films, but it is there, and is something to get around. Otherwise, this is a solid, straightforward entry in the genre.
Overview: ***.5/5
Basically the same as any other entry in the genre, this has a lot to like and a lot to get around, which gets plenty of enjoyable elements alongside some big flaws. It's quite tame by most standards, enabling it to be an excellent introduction to the genre for those who are curious, while only a few small problems harm it for the more experienced cannibal viewer.
This review is part of our ongoing series of reviews for Italian Horror Month, every November on the site:
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