8. Animal Slaughter
Genuine animal slaughter is an unfortunate feature of the Italian cannibal film genre. However, the precedent was set in the Mondo movie genre. Titles such as Mondo Cane, Mondo Cane 2, Africa Addio, Shocking Africa and Shocking Asia are substantially propped up by the 'attraction' of watching animals fight and kill each other. This started off as a pseudo educational stunt but rapidly descended into an orgy of brutality for no reason other than to shock and appal. I think that the killing of animals in Cannibal Holocaust is satirising and exploiting Mondo movies. The scene with the giant turtle being killed by the film crew and their devouring of its meat, is the epitome of unnecessary animal slaughter. And Ruggero Deodato knows this. The crew do not look like they are enjoying themselves and the actress playing Fay is so nauseated she vomits. The viewer will identify with Fay. This moment brilliantly brings alive the horror and waste of all of the animal slaughter in Mondo movies. Please believe me when I say I love animals and deplore their ill treatment, but from Deodato's point of view, he used the footage to make his film a more authentic Mondo Movie. He received a four months suspended sentence for cruelty to animals in his native Italy. Deodato has said that animal slaughter in his films was the one regret of his career.