Africa dolce e selvaggia

The Mondo films are in a league of questionable entertainment all their own. As an avowed fan of these bizarre pseudo-documentaries, watching "Shocking Africa" was mandatory. But even with a weakness for grotesque exotic exploitation, you have to admit: This film is not a masterpiece, but rather a patchwork of staged sensationalism and cliché-laden voyeurism. Animal hunts, ritual scenes and questionable "medical procedures" are presented to the viewer with the sensitivity of a wrecking ball - the main thing is that it shocks and divides the audience. It's not surprising that cultural contexts are usually left behind here; after all, it's not authenticity that counts, but maximum trash factor.

A film for die-hard Mondo nostalgics, qualitatively in the lower segment of this curious niche. 5 out of 10 stars for the pseudo-documentary entertainment value.

This film acts as a documentary following a cannibalistic tribe in Africa. Though you can tell that it's not an actual documentary, the acts of the cannibals seem very, very real. I'm not going to describe the acts performed in this movie for the sake of any children who may stumble onto this page, but be warned, this is some sick stuff. It still makes me sick to think about some of it. If you want to see some less graphic depictions of death you might want to try out the Faces of Death series.