People often give me a strange look when I tell them that Mondo Cane 2 is one of my favorite films of all time. You mean that dated trash? That film full of scenes that were staged or at least severely misrepresented? That film with shots of dying flamingos? That film which invites its viewers to gawk and guffaw at people from different cultures? Well yes, I guess that would be the film I'm talking about.
Yet if you are similarly confused by what anyone could possibly see in Mondo Cane 2, may I humbly suggest that the problem lies not in the film itself but in the viewer. For, taken as a documentary - or even for basic laughs - Mondo Cane 2 is truly not a good film. If you think otherwise, I am deeply concerned about your mental wellbeing. However, viewed from the correct angle, Mondo Cane 2 verges on sublime.
For the true joy of Mondo Cane 2 is not in laughing at people from different cultures, but in watching the film present people from different cultures for laughs. This is meta humor at it's finest. It's hard to believe the filmmakers were not in on this joke too, for some of the scenes are just a little too over the top, the narration just a little too ridiculous, to be taken seriously (even in Mondo movie terms). I mean, was there ever really a room in which frustrated drivers could vent their road rage by throwing tomatoes at a projected driving scene? Probably not. But does that scene not excellently parody the very glimpse of "reality" a Mondo film would offer to its viewers? Undoubtably, especially if you throw in a cheeky English narrator.
And even if we accept that the filmmakers were perhaps not engaging in a meta filmmaking exercise that still feels fresh even 60 years on, it must be admitted that they certainly did know a thing or two about working a camera. While most films from the early 60s have fairly boring static shots, Mondo Cane takes the camera into the scene. You feel like you are part of the action. The film is full of interesting composition and really excellent shots.
Some of the editing is also noteworthy. One of my favorite sections is the photoshoot for the detective novels. The music is silly, but the long pan and mix of fast motion/stills is like something Kubrick would have created. I am not kidding. It's a shame that so many people over the years have dismissed Mondo Cane 2 just because it's one of those "mondo" film. No, Mondo Cane 2 is art. It may not have been created as such, but that's how I choose to view it today.
In my humble opinion, Mondo Cane II is even superior to its predecessor. The British narrator is amazing (make sure to find the cut with him), the scenes are more varied and interesting (if less "shocking"), and the camera work is excellent. Most later mondo film have none of these charms. They are poorly filmed and rely too much on shocks that no longer have much capacity to shock (hello Faces of Death!).
This ride may not be for everyone, but for a certain type of viewer Mondo Cane 2 is difficult to top.
