DVD Review: IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS (2004)

IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS
Directed by Bruno Mattei (as Martin Miller)
Distributed by Intervision Pictures/Severin Films

 Released along with Bruno Mattei's MONDO CANNIBAL, IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS is another great horror film in the cannibal sub-genre.  Ok, I say great in very loose terms.  In fact, I probably shouldn't have used the word great at all!  Ok, this is just a "good" film at best, but regardless I still thoroughly enjoyed it and was entertained the entire running time.  Here is the basic plot of the film from the film's Amazon.com page:

The late Italian sleaze maestro Bruno Mattei, infamous director of HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD, CAGED WOMEN, RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR and SS EXTERMINATION LOVE CAMP, here under the name Martin Miller brazenly combines CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST and PREDATOR for a whole new level of green inferno perversion: When a team of hard-ass commandos venture deep into the Amazon jungle to rescue a senator's hot daughter, they'll trigger a bloodbath of flesh-stripping, gut-ripping, limb-hacking, stock footage and sexual brutality. Cindy Matic and Claudio Morales (MONDO CANNIBAL) star in this mind-boggling hybrid also known as LAND OF DEATH and released in Japan as CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST 3: CANNIBAL VS. COMMANDO now presented uncut and uncensored for the first time ever in America!

  I love these cannibal films, I always have.  While Mattei's films can not begin to compete with the classics from the 70's and 80's such as THE MAN FROM DEEP RIVER, CANNIBAL FEROX, and the classic CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST,  Mattei's films still entertain and are fun films to watch.  The cannibal movie just isn't as popular as it used to be, so it was nice that as late as 2003-04 Mattei was putting out these cannibal films.

  This film is very similar to Mattei's MONDO CANNIBAL and I'm pretty sure they were filmed together at the same time.  Both films were filmed in the Philippines in the same year and both films share some of the same main actors.   Both films share the cuts of stock footage into the film, and both films share the sometimes ridiculous dialog and voice overs.   This is what adds to the character of these films to me, though, so that is not necessarily a knock on the film.  I just point that out because some people could be put off by the dialog/dubbing.
  While there are some negatives to the film, there are also major positives, including all the great gore you would expect from a cannibal film.  Mattei does not disappoint in the gore department!

  If you are a fan of the cannibal sub-genre of horror films, you will definitely want to check out IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS!  The film is available now on DVD from Intervision Picture Group.  I love Intervision's DVD releases...the white cases and retro cover art really makes for a sharp looking DVD that you will definitely want to add to your collection!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the Severin Films store and purchase the DVD
If the Severin Films site is down, CLICK HERE to purchase from Amazon.com