A film so brutal that its director faced legal scrutiny and had to prove his cast was still alive? Yep, we’re talking about CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST. Even with a name like TrulyDisturbing, this 1980 shocker from director Ruggero Deodato fits the description perfectly. Now, physical media collectors, you might want to sit down before looking at what MVD has planned, because this deluxe set could do some serious damage to your wallet.
MVD is giving the controversial classic a major physical-media upgrade with a six-disc deluxe edition featuring one 4K UHD disc, four Blu-rays, and a soundtrack CD. The release includes a new 4K restoration sourced from the original 35mm and 16mm camera negatives, presented in Dolby Vision UHD. This set gets released on November 24th, right before Thanksgiving; you know your appetite for death will be at its peak when this one drops.
Deodato’s film became infamous for its graphic imagery and convincing found footage presentation. The realism was so effective that audiences questioned whether the violence was genuine, leading to a notorious legal controversy in Italy. The film’s legacy remains deeply complicated, particularly because of its real animal cruelty, which continues to draw criticism decades later.
WATCH THE TRAILER FOR “CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST” BELOW
Official Synopsis: One of the most notorious and controversial horror films ever made, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST follows a rescue mission into the Amazon rainforest after four documentary filmmakers disappear while investigating a remote Indigenous community. When a professor retrieves their remains and the footage they left behind, the recordings reveal a horrifying account of violence, exploitation and the filmmakers’ own disturbing behavior.
EXTRAS A PLENTY
But wait, there’s more. This edition includes three different versions of the film: the original uncensored theatrical cut, a new Special Edition featuring the Green Inferno documentary footage presented from the original 16mm camera negative in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio, and a previously unreleased unseen version. An animal cruelty-free viewing option is also included for those who want to experience the film without those pretty brutal scenes of animals dying.
The extras are just as extensive as the package itself. Two feature length commentary tracks feature Deodato and star Robert Kerman, along with stars Carl Yorke and Francesca Ciardi. Documentary offerings include SEARCHING FOR CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, a new feature length production by Calum Waddell, and IN THE JUNGLE: The Making of CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, directed by Michele De Angelis.
Collectors will also find in depth interviews with members of the cast and crew, including cinematographer Sergio D’Offizi, composer Riz Ortolani, production designer Massimo Antonello Geleng and assistant director and co-star Salvatore Basile. Still galleries and theatrical trailers round out the archival material.
The physical extras are where this package really starts flexing. A 100 page book by Euro horror expert Martin Beine accompanies the set, alongside a remastered and expanded Riz Ortolani soundtrack CD featuring ten additional tracks, including three previously unreleased cues. The packaging includes a super deluxe rigid slipcover featuring banned artwork from the original 42nd Street release by Marcus Boas, plus an inner cover showcasing a specially commissioned painting by underground artist Winter Anders Fiddes, printed on Japanese art paper.
And because apparently six discs and a 100 page book weren’t enough, the set also promises more than two and a half hours of Easter eggs scattered throughout, along with additional surprises.
For fans of controversial cinema and collectors who appreciate a properly loaded physical media release, this is one worth keeping an eye on. CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST remains a difficult film to recommend without acknowledging its troubling history, but its influence on found footage horror and extreme cinema is hard to ignore.
Just remember, this isn’t exactly the kind of movie you throw on when the family comes over for dinner. Then again, if your family requests this one, you might have a few questions of your own.