No idea. I'm surprised these films were even produced in the first place. They pretend to be serious documentary's but it's obvious to me that they are nothing more than exploitation films intended to do nothing more than shock.

I do think the films of Jacopetti and Prosperi do have a little more going for them but that doesn't mean I'd ever watch them again though. Once was enough.

They had no serious intention whatsoever, as you say Pete, and were produced in order to shock and court controversy; which I imagine they did. Mind you, I suppose that it the basis of all exploitation films.

I have both the English and the Italian versions of Addio Zio Tom and I think that, along with the recently released film of theirs on the Camera Obscura label, they are the only Jacopetti and Prosperi films that I have any wish to to see.

Yeah, it is the basis of all exploitation films but they (mostly) simulated their violence. Those crappy Mondo films just exploited real life pain and suffering for nothing more than a quick buck. It obviously worked though as their are loads of them.

Of course some of it was simulated - the man eaten by a lion in SAVAGE MAN, SAVAGE BEAST - but a LOT of it wasn't.

I do find J&P fascinating and, like I said, I think their films had more to them than just simple exploitation (aside from WOMEN OF THE WORLD). The cinematography on AFRICA ADDIO and GOODBYE UNCLE TOM is excellent and I think those two films need to be seen at least once. But only once.


This would make an interesting thread. Any chance the mods could take these posts and give them their own thread?

Mondo movies
 

As there isn't a designated thread, this is for discussing the merits (or otherwise) of Mondo films.

I'm not a fan of Mondo movies but I do find Jacopetti and Prosperi fascinating people who at least seemed to believe in what they were doing. Their films had more to them than just simple exploitation (aside from WOMEN OF THE WORLD) and should seen as serious documentary work. I think AFRICA ADDIO and GOODBYE UNCLE TOM should be seen at least once.

On the other hand you get other 'Mondo' filmmakers such as the Castiglioni brothers and Antonio Climati (who started off as cinematographer for J&P before turning director) who seemingly had no intention of creating a serious documentary and simply set out to make a cheap buck by exploiting real pain and suffering. Of course some sequences, such as the infamous scene showing a man being eaten by a lion in SAVAGE MAN, SAVAGE BEAST were simulated, the majority of them weren't. Also, unlike Jacopetti and Prosperi, Climati and Co didn't know when to stop and the films just got more and more unwatchable into borderline snuff.

Yes, exploitation films such as the Nazi death camp films, exploit real pain and suffering but it was/is all simulated, the filmmakers didn't stick a camera into some poor dying guys face.


Just my two cents - be interesting to see what others think. :)

I haven't seen many (if any) Mondo films, but have Mondo Cane (1 & 2) on my pile of unwatched discs which I really want to see and want to check out some of Jacopetti and Prosperi's films as part of my ongoing film education!

Bloody hell, when I made that last post there were no other posts in this thread!

I moved all related posts from the What films have you seen recently? thread to this one.

J&P's are the one's worth watching.

Blue Underground produced a documentary about them, which I have but haven't watched, called THE GODFATHERS OF MONDO which is supposed to be really good.

Thanks for the recommendation. I might pick up a copy next month and see if it gives me some pointers about the best place to start with their films.