Antropophagus (1980)

Director:

Joe D'Amato

Writers:

Joe D'Amato (writer)
George Eastman (writer)

Release Date:

9 October 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

...He's coming for you

Plot:

A group of tourists become stranded on an uninhabited island where they are stalked by an insane, violent, and grotesque killer that slaughtered the town's former residents.

Plot Keywords:

Island | Tourist | Boat | Mansion | Killer

Cast

Tisa Farrow	...	Julie
Saverio Vallone	...	Andy
Serena Grandi	...	Maggie (as Vanessa Steiger)
Margaret Mazzantini	...	Henriette 'Rita' (as Margaret Donnelly)
Mark Bodin	...	Daniel
Bob Larsen	...	Arnold
Rubina Rey	...	Irina Karamanlis
Simone Baker	...	First Victim
Mark Logan	...	Second Victim
George Eastman	...	Nikos Karamanlis
Zora Kerova	...	Carol
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe D'Amato	...	Bearded man exiting the cable car (uncredited)
Carolyn De Fonseca	...	Julie (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Ted Rusoff	...	Andy (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Susan Spafford	...	Maggie (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Pat Starke	...	Carol (voice: English version) (uncredited)

Directed by
Joe D'Amato

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Joe D'Amato		writer (as Aristide Massaccesi)
George Eastman		writer (as Louis Montefiori)

Produced by
Joe D'Amato	....	producer
George Eastman	....	producer
Edward L. Montoro	....	executive producer: Film Ventures International
Oscar Santaniello	....	producer

Original Music by
Marcello Giombini

Cinematography by
Enrico Biribicchi

Film Editing by
Ornella Micheli

Set Decoration by
Ennio Michettoni

Costume Design by
Ennio Michettoni

Makeup Department
Pietro Tenoglio	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Tommaso Pantano	....	production supervisor
Oscar Santaniello	....	production manager

Camera and Electrical Department
Antonio Benetti	....	still photographer
Enrico Biribicchi	....	camera operator
Enzo Frattari	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Bruno Micheli	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Giovanni Ferrucci	....	production secretary
Daniele Tommaso	....	continuity
Walter Zoi	....	administrator

Production Companies

• Filmirage
• Produzioni Cinematografiche Massaccesi (PCM) International

Distributors

• Cinedaf (1980) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Film Ventures International (FVI) (1981) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Eurogroup (1982) (France) (theatrical)
• Filmhansa (1981) (West Germany) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Cinépix Film Properties (CFP) (1982) (Canada) (theatrical) (Québec)
• Monterey Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Fries Entertainment (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Astro Distribution (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Big Fish (2005) (Italy) (DVD) (uncut)
• Cinefear (????) (USA) (video)
• Hollywood DVD Ltd. (????) (UK) (DVD) (as "The Grim Reaper")
• Media Blasters (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Shriek Show (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Threat Theatre (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Alsen (????) (Greece) (VHS)
• Video Film Promotions (VFP) (????) (UK) (VHS) (Betamax) (as "Anthropophagous: The Beast")
• Video Shack Productions (????) (UK) (VHS) (as "Anthropophagous: The Beast")

Also Known As:

Anthropophagous: The Beast (UK) (video title)
Anthropophagus: The Grim Reaper (USA) (DVD box title)
Antropofago (Italy)
Man Beast
The Grim Reaper (USA) (censored version)
The Savage Island
The Zombie's Rage (USA) (reissue title)
L'anthropophage (Canada: French title) (France) (TV title) [fr]
Anthropophagous (France) [fr]
Anthropophalus (Canada: French title) (alternative spelling) [fr]
Der Menschenfresser (West Germany) [de]
Gomia, terror en el Mar Egeo (Spain) [es]
Man Eater - Der Menschenfresser (West Germany) (X-rated version) [de]
Man-Eater (West Germany) [de]

Runtime:

90 min | USA:87 min (R-rated version)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | UK:18 (heavily cut) | UK:(Banned) (1984-2002) | Norway:(Banned) | USA:R (heavily cut) | USA:Unrated (uncut) | Italy:VM18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Germany:(Banned) | Chile:14 (uncut DVD version) | Australia:R | France:-16 | Singapore:PG | Canada:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Athens, Greece

Company:

Filmirage

Trivia:

When submitted for re-classification in the UK (after being banned for 18 years), the uncut version of this film was never brought before the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification). Rather, the heavily cut, R-rated version was submitted, possibly by mistake.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Nikos (2003) (V)

Not bad slasher opus with memorable bad-taste gags.

A group of friends make a new acquaintance in Julie (Tisa Farrow) while vacationing in Greece; as they travel by boat, she convinces them to make a stopover on an island where she's supposed to meet some friends. But when they get there, the local town is deserted, and there are no real clues as to what happened. When night falls, they will start falling victim to the depraved monster responsible.

I'll get some of my minor beefs out of the way so I can get to the good stuff. It drags in some places, although the build-up of suspense that would have been created by director Joe D'Amato is largely diminished by a music score that most of the time is just plain bad.

That said, this movie doesn't make a tired old plot seem fresh and new, but what it does do is create a real sense of mystery and foreboding. The deserted island truly does look intimidating. The exotic locale is most welcome; the scenery and location work are impressive and it's all very well photographed by Enrico Biribicchi. Characters are reasonably likable; however, it's George Eastman, definitely very creepy here, that comes off the best as the hulking killer.

What really makes this movie are the outrageous scenes - one in particular is very memorable - taking place near the end, which I dare not spoil for those yet to see this. Gore fans are bound to get a real kick out of these.

This foray into horror for the late prolific sleaze director D'Amato is overall a worthy viewing for die-hard fans of the genre. Suffice it to say, it definitely has its moments.

7/10