[Dr.Kelvinstein]

I've seen every Italian cannibal movie from Slave of the Cannibal God (the first) on up to the hybrids like Dr Butcher MD, and I have to say that this sub-genre is really more of a geek show than anything else. I've outgrown watching horror movies simply for gore effects, and the killing of real animals on film is just sick. It's no longer art when you have reached this final Grand Guignol excess. Plus it's an insult to horror fans, filmmakers thinking we're all drooling, illiterate seriall killers in the making. Slave of the Cannibal God even shows a close-up of a monkey's fear-crazed eyes as it is slowly squeezed to death by a boa constrictor. Theses movies generally showcase how inept a director truly is--bad zooms, choppy editing, horrible framing, etc...all the trademarks of a hack. If they had any talent they would have been doing real horror movies like Argento and Fulci instead of slowly mutilating turtles for a leering camera.

Fulci was repulsed by this genre. Argento is a vegetarian, and has said, "Nothing should die so that I may live."

The only films I'll watch that showcase actual animal death are the works of Sam Peckinpah--not because I approve, but because to deprive yourself of the Wild Bunch or The Ballad Of Cable Hogue would be a true injustice. (Peckinpah's daughter attacked him after he wired a gila monster's head to explode in the latter film, and the special effects guy says he's still depressed over the whole experience)

Some filmmakers have edited into their work stock footage of slaughterhouses. Though unpleasant, at least this is bought footage of actual slaughterhouses, the slaughtering not being done simply for the geek theatrics of murder on film.

I should point out that though Dr Buthcer MD is truly an inept film, at least no animals were killed in its making (and I do have the Anchor Bay DVD filling a niche in my zombie collection). The only claim to fame Cannibal Holocaust can boast is being the inspiration for the documentary-like framing device of Blair Witch.