Given world events at the time, it was seemingly all but inevitable that the 'Jonestown Massacre' would permeate into the 'Cannibal' genre eventually...While the events of Jonestown would be more fully realised in 1979's 'Guyana Cult of the Damned' Umberto Lenzi would put his own skin into the game with 1980's 'Eaten Alive!' a film that...doenst quite feel as powerful as his next Cannibal effort 'Cannibal Ferox' But in others feels a little more interesting.
The plot follows a young woman by the name of Sheila who's sister has recently gone missing in the jungles, a string of 'cobra venom' related deaths brings the detectives to her door as they believe the abduction and the murders are in some way interconnected. And so Sheila is given the chance to fly out to her sisters last known whereabouts to try and locate her. On landing she finds a mercinary for hire by the name of Mark, who she promises a significant pay day to if he can help her find her sister.
While on their journey, their canoe capsizes and they're rescued intot he care of...What at first seems like a fairly ordinary tribe...That is until it's revealed that this is actually a pretty far gone religious cult who's charismatic leader has been doping his congregation in order to manipulate them and use them how he wishes.
It's revealed that Sheilas sister was taken to the cult some time ago and that she's been held largely in a drugged out state for the past few weeks. With our protagonists facing the possibility of having to take down a large, organized and heavily armed malitia protecting the cult. It may in fact be the crazed cannibals who live on the outskirts of the village who'll help to save the gang.
The script for this ones a bit of a mixed bag, given the proximity to Jonestown, I feel it handles the 'cult' element fairly well...but given this is sold as a 'cannibal film' I feel theres a distinct lack of Cannibalism presented here.
Of course, the tropes are all here, expect PLENTY of VERY graphic animal cruelty (ugh.) lots of very fake simulated rape scenes, gore, torture, genitle mutilation...all the stuff that appears in your bog standard Cannibal flick...its just really missing the ACTUAL Cannibals...who do get a few scenes, but really arnt the central point of this feature.
And I feel that works agains the film really as, while it is refreshing to see a 'cannibal' movie that isnt just 'A load of folk get lost in the jungle and slowly get hunted down by tribesmen and tortured graphically to death' its also dissapointing that the 'cult' angle they replace it with is actually quite underwhelming and doesnt really offer much.
A few rape scenes, a few fight scenes and repetative shots of people drinking mind altering drugs from coconuts alongside lengthy sermons on the mount is about as interesting as it gets and it really impacts the overall pacing of the picture for me.
The film opens fairly strong, but around the mid point (when they arrive at the compound) it basically slows down quite significantly and becomes MUCH MORE about them setting the tone and atmosphere of the creepy cult. theres a lot of 'runaround/get captured/escape/get captured again' moments that populate the 2nd and 3rd acts, if you know much about Jonestown you'll spot how this ends from a mile away. Its just kind of flat in that sense.
The directions a bit of a mixed bag as well, while its a coherent picture, I wouldnt say this was anywhere near as developed as 'Cannibal Ferox'...the gore and practical effects are lacking the rawness Lenzis Later works had. its technically on the level and does show a coherent vision...But I just feel like it really struggles to bring the energy it SHOULD be bringing to the forefront.
Direction of the cast is solid, actually probably one of this films better qualities. But there are times where I feel again like the energy thats being bought into this film is the wrong kind, going more for hammy over the topness than a more real feeling for what it must be like to be in that situation. The cast hit their marks and deliver their lines fine enough. I just wish there was a little more subtlety thrown in to help give a little more contrast against the hamminess.
The cines basic, but functional. shots are a little mixed in terms of composition. It feels like Lenzis concept of 'filming madness' is just to basically swing the camera around like a lunatic and chop it all together in post. Colour is a little muted here but i'd say just about does the job (its certainly not a washed out picture by any sense)
I feel its the edit that really kind of lets this one down, sequences dont feel particualrly consistent or precise. It feels at times like they've been cut in a hurry, or maybe need another couple of passes to really get it over the line. Its not abysmal. But it feels like a workprint that had a soundtrack slapped on it in places rather than a finished product.
Speaking of soundtrack, that IS one element this film really has going for it. The scores superb! a really solid funky 70s bob intercut with...basically a score eerily similar to 'Cannibal Holocaust'. I liked the 'Cannibal Holocaust' OST...and I liked this one.
I wouldnt say 'Eaten Alive!' was a bad movie. Far from it. But I will say that I struggled a bit with it. Its overly long and really would have benefitted from losing about 20 minutes or so. the amount of needless runarounds and padding had me clockwatching by the 3rd act and the lack of 'edge' and 'rawness' that would later be seen in films like 'Ferox' and 'Holocaust' just kind of left me wishing this film had gone just a tiny bit harder in 'shock factor'
The 'Cannibal' subgenre is notoriously a mixed to poor quality area. And i'd say that 'Eaten Alive!' was probably one of the better offerings out there! But its far from being a peak representative of the genre. It'd probably pair up really well with 'Cannibal Ferox' honestly. So i'd say, if your just getting into the 'Cannibal' genre, this one should probably be on your list of films to check out. If you've seen a few but havent got to this one yet. Its one of the better ones in my opinion and may well be worth your time.
source https://letterboxd.com/tytdreviews/film/eaten-alive-1980/
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