4. Exploitation
Mondo movies are fundamentally based on exploitation. They exploit our fascination with various themes - what indigenous people all over the world get up to, sex, drugs, violence, bloodshed, gore, death, mutilation and murder. Cannibal Holocaust is at heart the ne plus ultra of exploitation films. It is crafted by Deodato so carefully, it would win an Oscar if there was one for exploitation film making. First of all it exploits the found footage arc to maximum effect. Read it and weep Blair Witch Project. The footage is uncompromising viewing showing the documentary team exploiting the natives for maximum shock value. The movie then exploits the natives' revenge, which is highly disturbing and horrific to watch. The animal snuff is pure exploitation of native animals - particularly the turtle scene which exploits the viewer's tolerance for disgust. Cannibal Holocaust exploits real life footage of deaths to try and prove its image as a Mondo movie gone awry. Cannibal Holocaust exploits every angle of the Mondo movie so well - the natives, real death footage, clueless Westerners - it becomes a Mondo movie itself.