I sopravvissuti delle Ande

Survive! (1976)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

American version of the Mexican film SUPERVIVIENTES DE LOS ANDES, which is based on the true story of the soccer team whose plane crashed in the Andes Mountains and those who survived had to resort to cannibalism in order to live. SURVIVE! was cut down by 26-minutes, had a documentary style narration added and of course was dubbed in English. When I saw director Rene Cardona's name I was expecting some major exploitation and while there's certainly some, this here is actually fairly well-made when you consider how small the budget is. Most people are going to know this story from the American film ALIVE and if you're looking for an uplifting look on the subject then that's the film to see. This one here was obviously rushed into theaters to try and capture some of the hot buzz around the story and apparently both version were a major financial success. I was surprised to see how effective the plane crash sequence was here as they had to use some good editing to sell it. The performances aren't all that bad and there's no question that the story itself keeps you interested. There's a lot of focus on the cannibalism in the film and there are several rather graphic moments where we see the skin being removed and eventually eaten. These scenes aren't nearly as bloody as the film's reputation would have you believe but they're still going to turn some off. The American version runs 85-minutes and features some narration added to the material just so they could cut out a bunch of dialogue sequences that I'm sure set everything up. The original Mexican version clocks in at 111-minutes and contains more scenes of the military trying to locate the down plane and one survivor's father has a much bigger role in the Mexican version.

Recounts the true-life story of a group of Uruguayan Rugby players and other people travelling to Chile to play a game in 1972 .After their airplane crashes in the remote , snowy Andes , they are forced to turn to cannibalism during a 10-week struggle to survive. Despite sub-zero temperatures, famine and scarce supplies they will do anything to survive , even if that means they have to eat their loved ones who are dead as food .The most shocking episode in the history of human survival . They survived the impossible...by doing the unthinkable . They were the ordinary young men driven to the very limits of human endurance. The triumph of the human spirit . Caution: The recreation of the 1972 Andes plane crash and the Survival Scenes may be too intense for young teenagers ¡

Thilling and exciting film concerning the famous batle for survival including gore and blood . The best scenes are the immense efforts the group have to carry out , forced to do anything and everything they could to stay alive on meager rations , ultimately eating human food through the freezing cold , as well as the stirring , moving final scenes . Skillfully crafted and doggedly played by an unknown cast , exception for the partially famous Mexican actor Hugo Stiglitz who has developed a long career as national as international . Special effects are passable , but other parts of the movie are never fully realized . The movie pushes too hard and too far , and no apt for squeamish . It strives for being some inspirational but falls well short of inspired and marred by some exploitation scenes . Director Rene Cardona focus the fight for survival , but at times chooses the gruesome idea of cannibalism by showing gory images . However , the Walt Disney version 1993 by Frank Marshall with Ethan Hawke , Vincent Spano, Josh Hamilton chose instead to focus on all aspects of the deseperate fight including deep relationships among them and brief remarks about cannibalism with no gore .

In spite of receiving awful critics, this "Survive!"results to be an acceptable and decent film professionally directed in medium budget by Rene Cardona (SantaClaus, Don Juan Tenorio, Asesino invisible , El Enmascarado de Plata , Blue Demon, El Pueblo del Terror , Santo y tesoro de Dracula , Tesoro de Moctezuma and many others) .Rating 6/10 . Passable and watchable .

The father and son directors Rene Cardona Sr. and Jr. (the king and prince of Mexican exploitation!) first international hit movie. The Cardonas has given me hours and hours of quality entertainment and my expectations for Survive! was naturally mountain-high, being their most talked about and hyped efforts (amongst exploitation fans that is). I was really surprised to find out that the movie is actually a pretty dull affair. I suppose the negative imdb reviews should have scared me off, but the Cardona-flicks always get bad reviews, and hey - I would have seen it anyway. You all know the story, based on an actual incident: A plane crashes in the Andes and the survivors are forced to eat parts of the crash victims in order to stay alive. Much of the running time is filled up with endless talking and the moral issue of their survival is stretched out far too long for it's own good. The movie is not at all as gory as they say - I saw the uncut version and still feel that Alive was much gorier. I'm no real gorehound, but in such a slow moving picture as this a little more flesh and blood really would have spiced things up a bit. I would not say the movie is a complete waste of time, it does have its moments, but unfortunately it lacks the speed and charm of movies like Carlos, Hostages!, Night Of The Bloody Apes and Guyana (amongst others). See them before you see this.

When this picture came out in 1976 on theatres I and my father went to watch it, sadly due my tender age they didn't allowed me enter to see so disturbing picture, thus I'd beg to him watch it as long as he report the whole picture aftermaths, the time goes by and just in 1984 I'd another opportunity to watch it on TV, everything what my father told to me were still fresh at my memory, over this terrifying accident at Andes mountains.

The fatal flying from Uruguay toward Chile taking on board a rugby team among passengers crashed at frozen mountain at winter season in 13 October of 1972, afterwards the survivors stranded at mountain trying to a radio contact, meanwhile at ground strong efforts were made for a searching and possible rescue by several countries led by Uruguay Air Force and even by civil aircrafts without success, the helpless passenger between the starvation had a hard choice to do cannibalism to survive.

This Mexican poduction had a smashing box-office in Latin America, featuring the great Hugo Stiglitz whom Tarantino has great regards, based on the book wrote by Clay Blair Jr, adapted by Rene Cordona Sr. It astonished the world and the audience, therefore it wasn't easy to watch so unsetting cannibalism sequences, I'd to skip these loathsome scenes, among 45 passengers and crew just 16 have been survived in 73 longest days at freezing spot, due the heroic deed of two youngest self-sacrificing survivors.

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First watch: 1984 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 6.5.

After reading somewhere that this film was never released in the UK, I thought I'd write & let you know that after reading the book by Piers Paul Reid ( which was the only book ever to make me cry ) full of emotion, My friend & I went to the Odeon in York to watch this film which in the 70's was very graphic for the time, you have to put it into perspective of the time, we had St Johns ambulance active in the cinema when the Exorcist was shown, sex & violence were censored heavily let alone cannibalism, anyway my mate fainted but to this day Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa have been hero's & an inspiration to me since the 70's