American Cannibal

[Hootad Binky]

Yes, they tried to make a Survivor-type reality show with contestants willing to (at some point) eat each other. This is not an Onion article

AMERICAN CANNIBAL

2007, Un-rated, 91 minutes

Cannibalism is a taboo that has been explored in reality shows before (notably the hidden camera show "Spy TV"), but it has not been the focus of a reality show. For Gil Ripley and Dave Roberts, two creators who want to make narrative films, a toss-off idea to a money man (Kevin Blatt) suddenly puts them on a beach with some contestants who thought they signed up for a show called "Starvation Island." The idea is that they will be starved and tricked into thinking they will have to engage in cannibalism to survive. Naturally, television camera crews will be on hand the entire time to capture all the drama in this psychological torture.

This documentary quite successfully captures the problems involved in making a television show. Ripley and Roberts wanted to do "Virgin Territory," a show where ten "medically certified" male virgins would be tempted with sex at every turn. One by one they would be "prematurely ejected," with the winner getting to lose his virginity. When they pitched that to Blatt, who brought the world the Paris Hilton sex tape and an auction involving a surgically removed labia, he runs with it. Then the creators jokingly mention "American Cannibal," and that's so extreme that the pornographer wants to put his money behind that instead. Casting calls go wrong, and the entire thing eventually blows up in their faces as a challenge ends in tragedy...



The line between reality and fiction is so blurred now that almost anything seems possible. That's the hypothesis/message of this film, and it proves it to be correct. That line is gone. People are willing to do anything for fame, and people are willing to film anything for ratings. Needless to say, there are plenty of people willing to watch it, too. Scary, or just part of human nature? Only time will tell.

Current Movie Reviews, Independent Movies - Film Threat

[AntRobertson]

One day the fall of Western Civilisation will be traced back to the proliferation of 'reality' TV. Children in history classes will learn of the excesses and stupidity.