Italy, 1980
81m (Italy, USA – theatrical), 87m (Germany), 88m 14s (UK – video), 92m (Italy – video)
35mm, Technicolor
mono, Italian
A violent Italian gore film directed by Joe D'Amato and written by his regular collaborator George Eastman. Released in the USA as The Grim Reaper and in the UK as Anthropophagous: The Beast, where it wound up on the UK's “video nasties” list due to numerous scenes of violence. It was D'Amato's first proper horror film and in the documentary Joe D'Amato Totally Uncut 2: The Horror Experience (1999) he claimed that the film was made solely for non-Italian markets and acknowledged that the film was a flop on native soil. Antropophagus was followed by a semi-sequel, Rosso sangue (1981), also known as Absurd and Zombie 6: Monster Hunter and was remade as Anthropophagus 2000 (1999) by German director Andreas Schnaas.
Plot Summary
On a Greek island, a group of tourists come across an apparently deserted village. But they're not alone and are soon being stalked and messily killed by a huge cannibal.
Credits
* = uncredited
Crew
Director: Joe D'Amato
© [not given on Italian prints]
© 1981 Film Ventures International, Inc. [on US prints]
P.C.M. International and Filmirage presents
Screenplay by: Luigi Montefiore [Montefiori on UK prints] [aka: George Eastman]
Story by: Luigi Montefiore [aka: George Eastman], Aristide Massaccesi [aka: Joe D'Amato]
Director of Photography: Enrico Biribicchi
Editor: Ornella Micheli
Music: Marcello Giombini
Sound Technician: Goffredo Salvatori
Costumes: Ennio Michettoni
Make Up: Pietro Tenoglio
Art Director: Mario Paladini
Locations: R.P.A. Elios, Roma; Greece
Cast
Tisa Farrow (Julie)
Saverio Vallone (Alan)
Vanessa Steiger [real name: Serena Grandi] (Maggie)
Margaret Donelly (Henriette)
Mark Bodin (Daniel)
Bob Larson (Arnold)
Rubina Rey (Harriet)
Simone Baker, Mark Logan (German tourists)
George Eastman (Nikos Karamanlis (Klaus Weltman in some versions))
Zora Kerova (Carol)
Joe D'Amato [man in cable car] *
Alternative Titles
Anthropofago
Anthropophagous – alternative spelling
The Anthropophagous Beast – UK title
Anthropophagous the Beast – UK advertising title
Anthropophagus – alternative spelling
Antropophagous – French title
Atropofago – Portugese title
Gomia, terror en el mar egeo – Spanish title
The Grim Reaper – US title
Man Beast
The Man Eater – alternative US title
Man-Eater
Maneater der Menschenfresser – German title
Der Menschenfresser – German title
The Savage Island – Venezuelan title
Links
Remake
Anthropophagus 2000 (1999)
See also
Rosso sangue (1981)
References
Periodicals
Book of the Dead no.4 p.21 – credits
Cinefantastique vol.12 no.1 p.53 – review
Cold Sweat no.1 p.28 – review
The Dark Side May 1992 pp.13-14 – review
Delirium no.3 pp.7-8 – credits, review
L'Ecran Fantastique no.22 pp.48, 79 – review
Fangoria no.15 p.61 – review
Foreign Sales Italian Movie Trade no.4/5 (April/May 1980) p.2 – advert
The Guardian of the Abyss no.1 – review
Halls of Horror no.27 p.16 – note
Halls of Horror no.30 p.12 – note
In the Flesh no.1 p.5 – review
Mad Movies no.37 p.56 – review
Monthly Film Bulletin November 1984 pp.352-353 – credits, review
Monthly Film Bulletin March 1986 p.90 – note
Rats in the Cellar vol.1 no.4 – review
Samhain no.1 (November-December 1986) p.12 – review
Samhain no.5 p.25 – review
Samhain no.8 pp.9, 11 – review
Shock Xpress no.2 (September-October 1985) p.7 – review
Shock Xpress no.7 – review
Spaghetti Cinema no.28 pp.33-35 – synopsis, review (by Bill Connolly)
Starburst no.24 p.7 – note
Starburst no.41 p.7 – note
Starburst no.72 p.35 – note
Variety 13 May 1981 p.160 – credits, review
Variety 21 October 1981 – note
Video Watchdog no.26 p.8-9 – review (by Tim Lucas)
The Village Voice 7 October 1981 p.52 – review
Yeeeuuch! no.4 – review
Books
aka: Joe D'Amato p.22 – credits
The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror p.334 – credits, review
Elliot's Guide to Films on Video p.32 – credits, review
Horror and Science Fiction Films III p.116 – credits
The Seduction of the Gullible (2nd edition) John Martin p.13 – illustrated review
Spaghetti Nightmares p.163 – credits
