Antropophagus (1980)

Going into Antropophagus aka Man-Eater (man i have a tough time, pronouncing that) I knew a couple things about it. I knew it was a classic of euro horror and I knew that it was supposed to be pretty gory. And I would say both are true. While watching the opening credits I also found out that it was directed by Joe D'Amato, big time sleaze/horror director. After seeing Buio Omega and this one really gets to know his style of directing.

Antrophoghagahasus....Man-Eater is about a few wealthy people taking a vacation and visiting an island. What they don't know is that the island people have all vanished, thanks to one of the coolest villains in horror history. No joke. So obviously they arrive to the island, and bad things start to happen. Simple but fun.

I hear people find this movie dull, and I can totally see where they're coming from. In the beginning especially there were a few instances I caught myself not even paying attention. But these day-dream episodes didn't happen again and I was pretty happy with the following results. The movie (uncut) isn't full of gore, but it has it's fair share, especially the ending which was funny as hell. It's one of those moments where you're telling yourself - He's not gonna...he's not...Awesome! - Actually there are two moments in this film that gage that type of reaction.

If you're into euro horror, you've most likely already checked this out, but if you're just a horror fan looking for something different, this is one flick I would definitely recommend. It has D'Amato directing, pretty girls, cool gore, some nice suspense and a pretty badass villain. 8 outta 10

Fmovies: The thing about D'Amato, is he can take the most straight-forward film and make it over-the-top and sleazy...and that's why he's one of my favorite directors. He always goes just a little "too far" and I commend him for that. In ANTHROPOPHAGOUS - ol' Joe is up to his old tricks - but this time, he saves his over-the-top elements til the end for maximum impact, and otherwise weaves a pretty atmospheric (yet admittedly slow-paced) horror film. Not the constant shock-fest of BUIO OMEGA, nor the all-out sleazy exploitation of EROTIC NIGHTS OF THE LIVING DEAD - ANTHROPOPHAGOUS is more of a serious horror film with some "shocking" scenes thrown in for good measure.

This one starts with a group of vacationers who decide to head to a secluded island for some R&R. Turns out the island is nearly uninhabited, and when the vacationers get stranded there - they start to piece together what happened to the original inhabitants of the island. Turns out a cannibalistic weirdo still roams the island, just waiting to pick off anyone who crosses his path. And soon enough, the vacationers will get to meet him face-to-face...

A lot of people down ANTHROPOPHAGOUS for it's slow pace - which I can't really argue - but overall, the film is handled competently. The story is drawn out slowly and the island sets and backdrops are simultaneously beautiful and yet still creepy and atmospheric at the same time. The "bad-guy" is also suitable creepy and bugged-out looking - and the gore scenes at the end make up for the slow pace as the last 20 minutes or so are pretty fast-paced. There are some decent throat-bitings with tons of blood - a decent intestines-eating, and of course, the notorious fetus-eating scene which is the reason that the un-cut version of this film is so sought after. That scene is pretty cool - but is very short and still appears to be cut down. Overall, not my favorite D'Amato film - I'll still stick with BUIO OMEGA or EMANNUELLE IN America - but ANTHROPOPHAGOUS is worth a look too, if you go into it knowing that you'll have to wait a while for the "pay-off"... 8/10

I tend to shy away from Joe D'Amato's more sleaze & sex orientated efforts. But I don't mind giving his horror outings a watch. Up until now, I thought "Buio Omega" (aka "Beyond The Darkness") was about the only film I found to really live up to its notorious reputation, while still being a reasonably good film. And as far as I'm concerned, after just having watched "Atropophagus", it still is the only one. Plain and simple, "Antropophagus" was a mild disappointment of the boring kind. It couldn't fascinate me the way "Buio Omega" did, mainly because it drags in so many places, it becomes tedious very quick. So, a bunch of characters on a holiday - all good folks, as they don't drink alcohol, they don't smoke, do drugs or have sex either - get stranded on a Greek island. Not ship wrecked, just stranded as they loose their boat. They find an abandoned village, decide to spend the night there, and rather later than sooner, some mysterious killer starts abducting and killing them off one by one. It takes even longer for them to figure out exactly what's going on behind their backs.

Now, D'Amato sure knows how to present us grisly images, creepy settings and at times inject his film with a bit of atmosphere. He also knows how to make gore look good on screen. But building up tension, clearly isn't his strongest skill (he does try, but doesn't really succeed). Also, the man has absolutely no clue how to make a decent film (with an interesting plot or how to construct a proper mystery) nor does he know how to get on with the story. The acting is awful, the dialogues are close to moronic and the movie suffers too often from scenes in which nothing is going on, really, and even senseless & illogical things occur. Like for instance, those two guys deciding to leave the village to go down to the beach to try and look for someone who was still left on the boat. Now, instead of walking down the hill, to the sea, one of them is suddenly seen walking up the mountain for no apparent reason, only to find some ruins of a castle. Him finding them by coincidence, is very convenient to the plot, of course, as it proves to be one of the hideouts of George Eastman, our demented Cannibal Man from the title of this film. And when it comes to his character, I'll admit I was thankful they gave him some sort of background story, as to why he became what he is. Though it was a very thin explanation, with little info and no elaborations, at least there was one. That did put my fear for this being merely a film about an unknown cannibalistic lunatic (of whom we learn nothing) on some island to rest.

On the other hand, the subplot about the mysterious woman in black was severely - shamefully, even - underused. Of course, you suspect from the get-go that she has certain ties with Eastman's character, but all she ever does, is stand behind a couple of windows. Well, actually, she does something else too (later on in the film), her act making up for a fine, short-lived scene. But what she does, doesn't add anything to her character, nor the story. To switch to a positive note again, Eastman's make-up was good. It really succeeds in making him look gruesome and menacing.

Then there was that one scene, earlier in the film, when a couple was investigating a basement. Another highlight, that's at the same time also a low-point. Suddenly and very obviously, some set assistant out of frame, just throws a kitten on a piano. A fa

Antropophagus fmovies. Antropophagus from director Joe D'Amato is a pretty notorious movie, mainly for making it's way onto the infamous UK "Video Nasty" list. When your hear about this movie you probably hear about its gore, mainly 2 infamous scenes that cemented its place in the list. I think this reputation hurts the film though because, in all honesty, the gore in this movie is pretty weak (except one scene that I will get to). People go into this movie expecting a very nasty and extremely gory horror movie but come out pretty disappointed at the shoddy gore effects and extremely slow pace...Well, that's because they overlooked all the great and more subtle things that the movie DOES deliver on.

First off, this movie is creepy, a combination of atmosphere, music and a wonderfully over-the-top performance from George Eastman make this movie one of the spookiest Italian slasher flicks I have ever seen. Scenes of characters exploring darkened corridors by candle light are some truly creepy scenes and sort of remind me of more classic horror movies from decades before. There are also some really great jump-scares too. The cat is cheap, but effective, the girl popping out of the wine barrel is definitely effective and lastly, the scene at the end where Eastman's character emerges from the well nearly stops my heart every time I see it! There is some fantastic atmosphere in this movie as well, the deserted Greek town is beautiful but haunting, whether they are walking through the halls of a house or the streets of the town there is always a feeling of something not quite being right.

The Music heightens the creepiness of all the scenes so well. Some might consider it to be annoying but I would call it nerve-wracking. Finally, and most important, is Eastman's character... this man is disgusting, disturbed and definitely somebody you would NEVER want to meet in real life. He towers over everyone with his immense stature, the make-up is excellent in giving him a monster quality. His performance is so over-the-top but it provides the energy the movie needs to keep it going.

If there is one thing that I think sets Joe D'Amato apart from the rest of the Italian horror directors, it's the way he ends his movies. All his movies I have seen contain a wonderfully shocking and over-the-top climax. I think Antropophagus has the best climax of all too. I will try not to give too much away but basically Eastman's character reveals how truly mad he really is (as if he could be any madder) and in a fit of insanity we finally get rewarded with the one truly excellent and extremely disturbing gore effect that wont leave your mind for days to come.

Everything else is pretty standard when it comes to Italian exploitation but I do think it's worth mentioning that there are some above average performances from Tisa Farrow (Zombi 2) and Zora Kerova (Cannibal Ferox) that make the characters a little more likable than your average slasher.

In the end, I think Antropophagus is a really great Italian horror that should be appreciated for it's scares, not its gore. Don't listen to the hype, cause it's misleading.

This is a pretty cool movie, although I do reckon that you need to be a little sick in the head in order to truly enjoy Joe D'Amato's wicked imagination. "Antropophagus" (LOVE the title!!) is a notorious video-nasty because it contains shock-sequences that ...well...aren't exactly for the squeamish! The pivot figure is a savage and bloodthirsty man that prowls a Greek island (Greek islands are dangerous tourist places apparently...anyone remember 'Island of Death'?) and devours pretty much everything and everyone that crosses his path. The film focuses on the encounter between this maniac and a group of young tourists that coincidentally strand on the island. Apart from the downright nauseating gore (he eats a fetus, for Christ's sake!), this is a rather suspenseful and atmospheric Italian horror film that surely ranks among D'Amato's best work, alongside "Beyond the Darkness" and "Death Smiles at Murder". In case you're a fellow Italian horror fanatic, you'll love the cast that includes George Eastman, Tisa Farrow and Serena Grandi. True, there are some really tedious moments to sit through but the gore is rewarding and the music is terrific. There equally is some gratuitous sleaze to enjoy, as well as some nice photography. Due to its violent and raw nature, "Antropophagus" is one of the most cut films ever. Avoid any version that says "Grim Reaper" on the cover because that's the version that leaves out all the sweet nastiness you're so desperately looking for :)

I first watched this movie under the title of The Grim Reaper. Most of us fans of the movie probably have as well. Surprisingly, I had never heard about this movie until a few years ago. I remember watching it and think that there was something about this movie that was above most of its competition. Of course, I hadn't seen the uncut version of the film yet so I was just going off of the atmosphere. When I was told what I was missing in the uncut version I had to find it. Obviously, I did. And it wasn't through Shriek Shows new DVD.

A group of people, including Tisa Farrow of Zombi 2 fame, set sail to a secluded island. Upon setting shore, they notice that no one is in site and begin to find dead mummified bodies throughout the town. They don't realize that an extremely impending figure has murdered everyone on the island and they are next.

Sounds simple and it is. George Eastman who plays The Monster even says in an interview that this movie was only made to make money. There was nothing artistic about it. But, nevertheless, the movie is great. Obviously, this movie is not for everyone as some find it boring and over-hyped. I happen to love this film. The sense of impending doom covers this movie from top to bottom. And the 2 particular controversial scenes are great. Sure, the special effects are terrible but it is the thought of what is happening that makes you realize how sick this really is.

I am not a huge fan of D'amato's works but this movie is excellent. For any real collector of horror, this is a must have. By the way, I did end up picking up The Shiek Show release of the movie. It is well worth having. But, if you can find the original American version of the movie I would get it also, under the title of The Grim Reaper. The music selection in certain scenes are different. 10/10