Perro mundo

Uneven but fascinating documentary on bizarre customs around the world. It has a few dull stretches (the auto junkyard scene) and the narration sometimes gets a little too condescending. But there are also unforgettable scenes (the giant sea turtle that has lost any sense of orientation, great bullfighting footage) that make "Mondo Cane" essential viewing for anyone who is even mildly interested in cult films. (***)

Whether or not the narrator has all of the facts straight (as he has been accused of not having), the team of directors Cavara and Jacopetti have captured some of the most amazing footage ever featured in a documentary. All of these traditions probably do not still go on today, making this a truly fascinating glimpse into the history of how different cultures viewed and dealt with death. Presented in a totally unbiased nature, Cavara and Jacopetti simply show the events, and let the viewer decide whether or not the footage is shocking; in my opinion the best way to shoot a documentary. No disrespect is paid to any of the featured cultures, rather a strange reverence and respect for. Any amount of shocking footage is intended not to be shocking, but instead, I feel, to show the absurd amount of dedication we have to tradition. In an unbiased, unflinching way, we're showed death of everything from animals and humans, all the way to automobiles. Cavara and Jacopetti should be applauded for the influence they have had in the documentary genre, and for this great film that started it all. Rating: 30/40

A bizarre film narrated by Gualteiro Jacopetti. All sorts of bizarre and disgusting things are shown on film. There's real documented scenes by Jacopetti around the world about nudity, sex, orgies, naked sketching, bullfighting, shark attacks, drunken Germans, witchcraft, cannabilism, a chicken that smokes (!), and even a look in an asian restaurant where dogs are served as the special of the day!! This is just like a big newsreel montage that lasts ninety minutes. It's pretty amazing. It's another one of those other than Japanese films that I thought was really appealing because it's SOO bizarre. Not for the squeamish.

"Mondo Cane" of 1962 is the first of a bunch of Italian 'Mondo' Shockumentaries and, without any doubt, an immensely influential piece of Exploitation cinema. Gualtiero Jacopetti and Paolo Carva came up with an entirely new style of film-making with this, and back in 1962 it must have made even greater an impact on audiences, and also been more shocking than it is now. While some folks might point out that "Mondo Cane" may seem slightly dated, one must not forget that this was revolutionary and ground-breaking for its time and highly influential for many films to come. "Mondo Cane" has spawned quite a bunch of other 'Mondo' films including the sequel "Mondo Cane 2" as well as the notorious "Addio Zio Tom" (1971), and furthermore served as an influence to countless exploitation classics including masterpieces such as Ruggero Deodato's "Cannibal Holocaust" (1980). But it is not merely the film's classic status and influence that make this worth watching. "Mondo Cane" is a highly interesting, and often bizarrely ironical film as such, and everybody interested in Exploitation cinema should see it at least once.

"Mondo Cane" shows more or less unrelated scenes from around the world, some of which are shocking, others comical. To label the film as sensationalist may be justified to a certain point, but people who are bothered by this are probably not best advised to watch Exploitation cinema anyway. The scenes include such different things as drunk people behaving like drunk people do, or scenes in a massage parlor, the slaughtering of animals (these are real documentary shots, so Peta and pals are probably best advised not to see them), or bizarre religious rituals. While the film is a documentary it is not to 100 per cent. Inbetween real scenes there are some which are obviously fake, and several with which neither is obvious and which cold be either staged or real. Some might label the premise of "Mondo Cane" voyeuristic or sensationalist, but the film never looks down upon the depicted people, especially not tribesmen of so-called primitive cultures. Some of the scenes are actually quite funny, and make it harder to take the whole thing seriously, but then, some of them are highly interesting, some of them shocking (in a comparatively un-explicit manner), and in some parts, especially in the second half, the film becomes downright fascinating. The brilliant score by maestro Riz Ortolani adds a lot to the atmosphere and overall value of the film. "Mondo Cane" is narrated, and the voice-overs are actually quite interesting without seeming too serious for the films own good. One may look at this film in one way or another, but the least one can say is that Giacopetti and Cavara deserve great respect as pioneers. Not to be missed by fans of Exploitation/Cult cinema!

please, as you watch this documentary, realize that although the narration is spoken in a straight, scientific tone, in actuality the narration is full of hyperbole, invention, and jokes. sometimes, the narration is close to the truth; sometimes, the narration is campy and silly. the tone does not change, however, and you are left on your own to decide what is real and what is not. it must be said that anthropologists and scientists were not closely consulted for this film. the fish found on tree branches and out of water have done that for 1000s of years. the atom bomb test did not suddenly cause that behavior.

one must even question whether or not the crew manipulated some of the scenes. for example, if a sea turtle is dying in the sun, how could it end up dead on its back?

please, watch this alleged documentary with a careful eye.