Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals (1984)

Legend has it that David Cronenberg for the idea for the torture TV channel that lends its name to his opus Videodrome from this Joe D'Amoto film, which is also known as Trap Them and Kill Them. Think of this - a film that upset Cronenberg for its mash-up of snuff, cannibalism and sex. Take it from me. This one totally lives up to its promise. Or lives down. You almost have to appreciate it for how lurid it is, as if it just screams at you, "I am the kind of movie you should feel ashamed for watching."First, a history lesson. This film isn't about the French film Emmanuelle, which starred Sylvia Kristel and had an extra "m" in the title. Nope, that series was made to cash in on the trend and features Laura Gemser, an Indonesian-Dutch actress who is more dark brown than black. But why quibble? This is exploitation filmmaking, after all. The Black Emanuelle films follow the formula of the original, all about a young woman discovering her sexual identity. But I have no idea how they morphed into a series where she becomes an investigative journalist who increasingly discovers more and more depraved behavior. Is there a thin line between swingers clubs and cannibals in the jungle? I would hope that there is. After five increasingly batshit Joe D'Amoto vehicles, Gemser teamed with Bruno Mattei for two women in prison movies starring the titular heroine.It's really Emanuelle in America that sets up the craziness of these films, as D'Amoto sets her up as a journalist that goes from learning how the rich and famous have sex to seeking out a snuff film conspiracy to giving up on journalism altogether when her story gets, well, snuffed.Somewhere in between that picture and this one, our heroine has had a change of heart and is back in the yellow journalism game.We start in a New York City mental hospital, where Emanuelle is undercover, looking for a lesbian nurse who is abusing her patients. Her idea of undercover is wearing lots of makeup and carrying around a stuffed animal. And how does she get her info? Well, once she learns about a girl who was raised by the Apiaca, a tribe of cannibals thought to be lost, she meets the girl and has sex with her. We realize this girl is a cannibal where she bites a girl's nipples off within the first minute of screen time. Yes, she makes out with a girl who just ate someone.Again - I'm warning you. You're in for some real scum here.She contacts Professor Mark Lester (Gabriele Tinti, husband of Gemser who also appeared in Enter the Devil and Lisa and the Devil), a curator at the National History Museum, and gets him to join her on a visit to the Amazon. How does she convince him? Well, she has sex with him. Come on. Get with the program.They're also joined by several others, including Isabel, MacKenzie (Donald O'Brien, Dr. Butcher, M.D.), Sister Angela and Maggie (Nieves Navarro, All the Colors of the Dark).The film alternates between Emanuelle in danger and Emanuelle having sex. There's a scene that defies logic with Emanuelle and Isabel making out while a monkey steals their cigarettes, lights one up and watches. Yes. A real, honest to goodness monkey.Look - if there's one thing I've learned from watching cannibal films. most of the white folks aren't on the straight and narrow. MacKenzie is really after some diamonds and his wife, Maggie, is just here to sleep with the natives.Soon, much like Shakespeare - if the bard had dared to make a film that combines a Cinemax After Dark film and an Italian gutmuncher - everyone dies except Isobel, Lester and our girl. She covers her body with tattoos - pay attention, Dr. Butcher, M.D. - and convinces the natives that she is a goddess. Everyone escapes on a rubber raft and gets over it, surely after plenty more sex.Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals isn't a sexy film. Nor is it a particularly good cannibal film. It's merely interesting by the fact that a movie this strange exists.

Well, I'll tell ya one thing. Considering it's only 1976, these ain't the last cannibals, by any means. However, the legendary Emanuelle, along with her love scenes are present and ready for anything these bloodthirsty primitives throw at her! I've always been a fan of the films of Joe D'amato. Films like Beyond The Darkness and Anthropophagus are some of the most disturbing, and all around best that vintage Italian Exploitation has to offer. But I didn't realize until recently that D'amato's body of work extends to yet another sub-genre. Anyway, welcome back to the jungle.Emanuelle, Journalist/nympho, is working undercover in a hospital. She comes across a girl who was evidently raised by a tribe of Amazonian cannibals. Emanuelle and pals somehow end up in the Amazon. As if that's gonna help anything. As usual, they end up regretting their adventurous nature. And I'd just love to tell you that Emanuelle And The Last Cannibals is some kind of a gruesome, gory bloodbath, which includes mutilations and castrations like its counterparts, but sorry, not today. And not the usual trapped/hopeless/nightmarish vibe, either. This one is about the love scenes.Yet, the movie is still semi-gory. So, ultimately, everyone wins... Ya know what? I take that back. And here's why. It just occurred to me that Joe D'amato has thrown xxx love scenes in a number of his films. Not to mention he's made a lot of gore flicks that would put this particular one to shame.So, tell me, what exactly stopped the man from making Emanuelle And The Last Cannibals a gore-drenched Jungle-Porno... The cannibal masterpiece! But no! Wasn't meant to be. I was ready to give this one an 8/10, but I guess that wasn't meant to be, either. So, 7 it is!Now,don't think I'm not recommending this, as 7 is still respectable, but it just happens to be lacking in the obvious jungle gore qualities. But, see it!. By all means, definitely see it! Just make sure you see the others, too. Jungle Holocaust and Cannibal Ferox would be a good start. But if it's the love scenes that you're all about, then you might be happy to know that there's an actual Emanuelle series. Emanuelle In America, Emanuelle In Bangkok, Women's Prison Massacre. So, if you're looking for Sexploitation, only. There you go. Otherwise, the last cannibals are waiting! 7/10

Sultry bisexual journalist Emanuelle (the ever luscious Laura Gemser) travels with several friends to a dangerous Amazon jungle to track down the last existing cannibal tribe for a scoop. Naturally, everyone gets more than they bargained for when they find said tribe. Director/co-writer Joe D'Amato scrupulously covers all the essential pleasingly lurid bases: abundant gratuitous female nudity and raw carnality, masturbation, lesbianism, straight copulation, a boa constrictor attack, a fair amount of grisly (and amusingly shoddy) gore, a close call with quicksand, gross gut munching, and an exciting last reel rescue and escape from the vile flesh-eating primitives. Gemser's smoldering erotic presence positively burns up the screen; she bares her beautiful slender body as often as possible and performs her sex scenes with admirable uninhibited aplomb. Lovely buxom redhead Nieves Navarro as the horny Maggie McKenzie and cute slim blonde Monica Zanchi as sweet innocent Isabelle Wilkes are likewise very alluring and attractive. This movie further benefits from familiar B-flick faces Gabriele Tinti as hunky anthropologist Professor Mark Lester and Donald O'Brien (the titular mad medico in "Dr. Butcher M.D.") as macho hunter Donald McKenzie. D'Amato's vibrant and agile cinematography gives the picture an impressive slick look. Nico Fidenco's groovy throbbing score hits the right-on happening spot. The insanely funky theme song "Make Love on the Wing" totally smokes in no uncertain terms. Recommended viewing for devout fans of 70's exploitation cinema.

I once made the mistake of picking up a feral kitten and found razor sharp teeth buried in my hand. This movie opens with a feral girl (Dirce Funari) in a mental facility that bites off and eats a breast of a nurse. Emanuelle (Laura Gemser) is in the facility for a story and immediately starts to investigate. This results in a trip to the Amazon to look for a reportedly extinct cannibal tribe.I'll say one thing for Emanuelle, she is insatiable. She doesn't go one day without having sex. She also seems to have an eye for Isabelle (Mónica Zanchi - last seen with Emanuelle in Sister Emanuelle). Even a snake wants a piece of the action.But Emanuelle is not the only one getting action. They run into a hunting party in the jungle and the wife (Nieves Navarro) gets it on with the muscular native guide (Percy Hogan) in the bushes, while the husband (Donald O'Brien) spies on them.There is even a little nunspoitation as one of the party, Sister Angela (Annamaria Clementi), is the first one caught by the cannibals and gutted for dinner.Sex takes a backseat for the rest of the movies as the cannibals start gutting victims and having a feast. They save Isabelle for a special sacrifice after taking turns raping her. Emanuelle has a plan to save her and, as you might expect, it involves getting completely naked.Cinematography was good and Nico Fidenco's sometimes strange score really added to the atmosphere.