Trivia

The film is considered to be the first "cannibal film", a subgenre of European exploitation films that was prevalent in Grindhouse cinema in the late seventies and early eighties.

Umberto Lenzi was heavily influenced by the American western Un hombre llamado Caballo (1970) when making this film. The plots of the two films are nearly identical, and the English title for this film, "Man from Deep River", is even supposed to echo the title "A Man Called Horse".

Ruggero Deodato's film En el infierno caníbal (1977) was originally conceived as a sequel to Río de la muerte, río del amor (1972), with Umberto Lenzi attached to direct. The project fell through when the producers refused to accept Lenzi's demands for higher payment. Deodato was eventually hired, and the project became a stand-alone film.

The film Horror caníbal (1981), also directed by Umberto Lenzi, was originally released in Australia as "Woman from Deep River" in order to draw an implied connection with this film.

The movie has been widely cited as being the first ever major theatrical cannibal feature film.