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Jungle Holocaust - Blu-ray Review

There is a sudden peace next to the river here.  Amidst all the brown colors in this barren jungle of mud, this one moment of fertile green breaks through: a native woman cradles her newly born baby.  A man and a woman, seconds earlier, were racing for their lives and now, caught off guard by the miracle of nature in front of them, they pause in respect for the event unfolding before them.  They are silent.  They are still and they watch as a new mother, having just given birth to her baby, BITES through her own umbilical cord and then stands up.  She has her newborn baby in her arms and then TOSSES it into the river.  The screams of the baby are stopped only by the alligator’s chomp.

"comes highly recommended for those who aren’t bothered by silly things like ethics and meat eaters"


Oh, snap!  There will be no nursery rhymes tonight for this new mother.  Jungle Holocaust, now on blu-ray for those who are morbidly curious about cinematic cannibalism, has arrived!  Full of scenes of graphic cannibalism and a scene in which a man’s arm is eaten by ants, Code Red’s 2017 HD scan – now with extensive color corrections – looks remarkably fresh AND tasty. 

If you have EVER wanted to know how to quickly SKIN and EAT an alligator that was, minutes before, still among the living, then Jungle Holocaust is the movie for you.  Of course, you have to get through all the raping and mishandling of newborns first and then there is that scene in which a woman is, well, sliced and diced and EATEN.  Ouch.

Directed by Ruggero Deodato, Jungle Holocaust is yet another Italian exploitation flick concerning cannibalism.  Most remember it for the Planet of the Apes-like scene in which Massimo Foschi is strapped to a massive rock and humiliated by a tribe of cannibals.  He is soon stripped of his clothes, even his underwear, and is mocked for his decency by the tribe.  They fondle his genitals, attempt to wear his now ripped clothes, and then lifted high into the air . . . before being dropped and suspended in the air. {googleads}

And yet the poor bastard isn’t even dead yet.

Supposedly based on a real story, this is what happens when a small plane makes an emergency stop in the jungle.  A group of “hunters” on the scent of oil and their next big score are, ironically, hunted down themselves by this tribe.  How is that for table turning, folks?  While it may seem the usual graphic fair for a cannibal movie, there are some interesting moments.  Foschi gives a great performance here as, after being stripped of his sense of decency and his moral code, becomes savage himself, enslaving the woman (played by the gorgeous Me Me Lai) who helps him escape and forcing her into all sorts of positions as his captive. 

Jungle Holocaust - Blu-ray Review

Co-starring Ivan Rassimov, there are moments of this almost dialogue-free movie that are quite striking and not just for their barbarity.  This movie might not get a lot of credit but it did start a movement that other cannibal flicks perfected: the blood, the guts, the chomping, and the chewing.  Here, though, thanks to the screenwriting efforts of Tito Carpi, Renzo Genta, and Gianfranco Clerici, we have a narrative that attempts to tell a tale of transformation and not just survival. 

Jungle Holocaust, now on blu-ray with a Limited Edition Slipcover with artwork by "Kung Fu Bob" O'Brien at Ronin Flix, comes highly recommended for those who aren’t bothered by silly things like ethics and meat eaters. 

4 beers

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Jungle Holocaust - Blu-ray Review

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime:
88 mins
Director
: Ruggero Deodato
Writer:
Tito Carpi, Gianfranco Clerici
Cast:
Massimo Foschi, Me Me Lai, Ivan Rassimov
Genre
: Horror | Adventure
Tagline:
A GORE-RAMA for those with a thirst for blood!
Memorable Movie Quote:
Theatrical Distributor:
American International Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date:
March 24, 1978
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
January 5, 2019
Synopsis: When Robert Harper's plane goes down in New Guinea and he is separated from his companion, Robert finds himself stranded in the jungle. He soon discovers a native civilizaton there. But they are a cruel group of cannibals. Tortured and humiliated, Robert is taken to the edge of sanity.  {googleads}

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

Jungle Holocaust - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Ronin Flix
Available on Blu-ray
- January 5, 2019
Screen Formats: 2.35:1
Subtitles
: None
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Offered from Code Red, the new 2017 HD scan of the International cut with extensive color corrections looks INCREDIBLE.  All memories of the VHS release will be wiped clean.  The restoration, now presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, and new scan is to be commended. Sure, nothing about this production looks pretty when do comparisons to other genre films but this tale of cannibalism sure cleans up well. Having acknowledged all that, though, this release is seriously how good this film is ever going to look. Grain is high, the colors are pumped up and so too are the black levels. The sound, presented here in a crisp DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, is solid enough for the lo-fi feel of the movie.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • There is a detailed commentary from Ian Jane and Horace Cordier.

Special Features:

  • Bonus U.S. Version in HD
  • Massimo Foschi Interview
  • Ivan Rassimov Interview
  • Still Gallery
  • Trailer

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Jungle Holocaust - Blu-ray Review

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