LIGHTS! CANNIBALS! ACTION!

Cannibalism, a bit of a taboo isn't it? Certainly in cinematic terms the controversial subject matter peaked in the era of the so called Video Nasty, with such titles as Cannibal Holocaust, Cannibal Ferox, the Man From Deep River, Slave Of The Cannibal Gods and Cannibal Apocalypse. These films were low on budget but actually quite high on ideas.

Then there were the films made about the Uruguayan Rugby Club plane crash in the Andes of 1972 that viewed the survivors resorting to cannibalism in a sympathetic light. 

There have also been interesting subversions of the form with Ravenous, Eating Raoul, Parents and Delicatessen as interesting entries, but generally outrage prevailed in regards to cannibal cinema but in the last few years there has been an absorption of cannibalism into other genres. Some fine examples are;

Cannibal Dystopia-The Bad Batch a bold look at a barbaric future

Cannibal Western-Bone Tomahawk a ferocious tale of the old west

Cannibal Coming Of Age- Raw a superb slow burn descent 

Cannibal Pygmalion-The Woman a study of what our true natures are

Cannibal Neo Noir-The Neon Demon a vivid view of the dark side of LA

Cannibal Transgressive-Trouble Every Day obsession viewed through a violent prism

Cannibal Musical-Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber Ye Olde flesh eating sing along

What is worth noting is that a great deal of these modern Cannibal films are directed by women with female protagonists  which is interesting as it gives a new voice to a genre previously dominated by male directors and female victims. In the right hands metaphors abound with  Cannibals, they can be seen as modern day consumers, addicts  or typifying the cult of selfishness or simply as the ultimate in the 'Me' generation. There are also nods to the old school with The Green Inferno being the best known of the updated video nasty Cannibal oeuvre that can be found in abundance on streaming services. 

I guess you could say that Cannibals, much like Zombies who are now mainstream, are here to stay.