CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST 4K UHD (1 Viewer)

[titch]

I suppose there now simply is no excuse for studios like Paramount to be releasing terrible 4K UHDs of their own films, when something like Cannibal Holocaust gets what Robert Harris would probably declare to be a "night and day" reference-quality release No, wait! Don't leave! It really is an incredible, lovingly restored package, for what is considered to be the film world's worst-ever film! Go figure! And the only reason to purchase a new 4K UHD version of the most notorious Video Nasty of them all (unless you absolutely have to have a row of notorious video nasties next to the Criterion Collection section in your library), is that is has a terrific commentary by erstwhile horror/cult film legend Kim Newman and author/broadcaster Barry Forshaw. You can just sit and watch the horrors unfold on a transfer to rival the just-released 4K UHD of Wings Of Desire for picture quality, while being entertained by a jovial commentary, putting the whole wretched experience into perspective. Much better than the Ruggero Deodato one on the Grindhouse Releasing blu-ray - you don't want to listen to the director, or anyone who had anything to do with the production, believe me.

Quite astonishing that the British Board of Film Classification now passes this for home video release!

Cannibal Holocaust

caps-a-holic.com

 

[Ross Gowland]

The killing of the small mammal remains cut.

 

[Robert Harris]

I suppose there now simply is no excuse for studios like Paramount to be releasing terrible 4K UHDs of their own films, when something like Cannibal Holocaust gets what Robert Harris would probably declare to be a "night and day" reference-quality release No, wait! Don't leave! It really is an incredible, lovingly restored package, for what is considered to be the film world's worst-ever film! Go figure! And the only reason to purchase a new 4K UHD version of the most notorious Video Nasty of them all (unless you absolutely have to have a row of notorious video nasties next to the Criterion Collection section in your library), is that is has a terrific commentary by erstwhile horror/cult film legend Kim Newman and author/broadcaster Barry Forshaw. You can just sit and watch the horrors unfold on a transfer to rival the just-released 4K UHD of Wings Of Desire for picture quality, while being entertained by a jovial commentary, putting the whole wretched experience into perspective. Much better than the Ruggero Deodato one on the Grindhouse Releasing blu-ray - you don't want to listen to the director, or anyone who had anything to do with the production, believe me.

Quite astonishing that the British Board of Film Classification now passes this for home video release!

View attachment 168478

Cannibal Holocaust

caps-a-holic.com

That's precisely what we need in 4k, is more 16mm product.

And I'll say it before anyone else does. People have a God-given right to purchase what they desire. Personally, I'd prefer an nice 4k of Behind the Green Door.

 

[RolandL]

That's precisely what we need in 4k, is more 16mm product.

And I'll say it before anyone else does. People have a God-given right to purchase what they desire. Personally, I'd prefer an nice 4k of Behind the Green Door.

And zoomed in.

 

[SD_Brian]

4K is 5K too many for this POS.

 

[titch]

The point being: if it is now profitable to make a brand-new 4K scan and release this squalid little film, again, on a disc, then we can reasonably expect the floodgates of more-deserving, newly mastered 4K discs to open and fill our aisles. It's not as though legions of chin-stroking film connoisseurs have been demanding a state-of-the-art Cannibal Holocaust copy for their personal libraries. I would guess this will sell a couple of thousand. So - why not North By Northwest?

 

[Ross Gowland]

Horror and kung fu film fans are ideal consumers for boutique labels. They pre-order discs, often directly from the label, and like expensive limited editions and slipcovers. They don’t sit back and announce that they’ll get it in the next Barnes and Noble sale for 50% off.

 

[darkrock17]

The killing of the small mammal remains cut.

A turtle isn't a mammal

 

[Ross Gowland]

A turtle isn't a mammal

But a coatimundi is.

 

[darkrock17]

But a coatimundi is.

Only heard about the turtle being killed during filming.

 

[SD_Brian]

Only heard about the turtle being killed during filming.

It's been about 20 years since I saw it, but my recollection is that at least 8 animals were killed, for real, on screen. The turtle scene was the most prolonged.

 

[Worth]

I turned it off after the first few minutes because of the animal torture - not exactly my idea of entertainment.

 

[SD_Brian]

I turned it off after the first few minutes because of the animal torture - not exactly my idea of entertainment.

Wish I had done the same. Aside from the appalling animal-cruelty, it's just a plain old bad movie: Poorly shot (even for a "found footage" movie), poorly written, poorly acted, sanctimonious, and offensive on just about every conceivable level. All of which adds to the movie's notoriety, and makes it a must-see that you'll never be able to un-see. There are a handful of movies that I wish I could have completely wiped from my memory, Eternal-Sunshine-of-the-Spotless-Mind style. This is one of them.

 

[titch]

Wish I had done the same. Aside from the appalling animal-cruelty, it's just a plain old bad movie: Poorly shot (even for a "found footage" movie), poorly written, poorly acted, sanctimonious, and offensive on just about every conceivable level. All of which adds to the movie's notoriety, and makes it a must-see that you'll never be able to un-see. There are a handful of movies that I wish I could have completely wiped from my memory, Eternal-Sunshine-of-the-Spotless-Mind style. This is one of them.

Actually, it was very interesting listening to Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw, while it ran. It is still a reprehensible and notorious exploitation film 40 years after it was made and they offer some good perspective. I had the Grindhouse blu-ray since it was released, but never felt the inclination to sit down and watch it. Listening to a decent lecture on the film, by two entertaining and knowledgable experts was my justification for adding it to my shelf. I was surprised that such a low-budget, independent Italian film, made to capitalise on the VHS revolution, had elements that enabled a restoration of this quality.

 

[SD_Brian]

Listening to a decent lecture on the film, by two entertaining and knowledgeable experts was my justification for adding it to my shelf.

While that is not enough to make me want to bite on this particular title, the separate commentaries by Malcolm McDowell and Helen Mirren on the Caligula Imperial Edition DVD made that cinematic atrocity into one of my all-time favorite DVDs.

 

[WillG]

Director announced dead today

 

[Vincent_P]

The music score is quite beautiful.

Vincent

 

[cineMANIAC]

I was surprised that such a low-budget, independent Italian film, made to capitalize on the VHS revolution, had elements that enabled a restoration of this quality.

You'd be surprised how well many of these exploitation films have been protected - and rightfully so. It's true that a lot of this stuff is junk, churned out by people desperate to recapture successes of other, better Directors in other countries, but that doesn't make these films any less worthy of preservation. They're products of their time, more than anything, that have large fan bases worldwide - those of us who collect films of all kinds want the best possible presentation regardless of how "reprehensible" they may be. 88 Films have been around long enough so it's safe to say they knew what they were doing when they decided to give the film a great restoration. Thankfully the elements were in great shape.

 

[titch]

And I'll state again, that the commentary by Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw is worth the price of the disc, and enabled me to watch the film. The two really hit it off together and I could listen to them for hours. In fact, after I had finished listening to them on Cannibal Holocaust, I immediately put on the 4k UHDs of Arrow's Silent Running and the BFI's Get Carter, in order to listen to their commentaries on those two films. I haven't listened to commentaries for a long while - not since Julie Kirgo's and Nick Redman's excellent commentaries on many of the Twilight Time releases.

 

[haineshisway]

What a joke - a 4K release off a 16mm negative. And people buy this crap. What's next, some 4K releases of 8mm home movies? As to the film itself, yes every piece of unmitigated trash has fans. Go know.