Ravenous pretty cool, but the Cannibal! The Musical is the best:)
Trouble Everyday is a good choice, specially for a topic like cannibalism.
I love Claire Denis but I hated Trouble Every Day. I haven’t seen it in years but I recall enjoying Parents quite a bit, Bob Balaban’s Lynchian take on 50s suburbia starring Randy Quiad that came out in the late 80s. Underrated film. Like Ravenous, it uses the cannibalism theme for satirical commentary on its era. But I think I agree with the premise of the film. Ravenous is also an underrated film. Great performances, as already mentioned, and good use of cannibalism as a satirical commentary on US expansionism.
Ravenous is actually an awesome movie. I’m not sure why so few people seem to have seen it/enjoy it out there in the real world.
I just finally watched it after years of loving the soundtrack, and I was pretty floored. I think the first 40 minutes are among the best movie-time I’ve ever been in, but then I think it gets…repetitive, predictable, droll, steadily abandoning its narrative drive to foreground the allegorical relationship between conquest and cannibalism. I was a little baffled, frankly.
But, still, I have been highly recommending it to folks ever since. It’s not often that you come across a cannibal/ vampire, western/horror, perfectly-cast ensemble piece, critiquing American Manifest Destiny. Oh, that also happens to be a….stoner comedy?
Like, wow.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Ravenous. The music alone is extremely good. I agree that the first half is better than the last.
Anyway, I think there should be more films with a cannibalistic theme.
I don’t know why people don’t pay this movie more attention either. I’ve always enjoyed the hell out of it, but then again, I love Guy Pearce.
The best movie about cannabalism is FIRES ON THE PLAIN, If you haven’t seen if—look for it! A true masterpiece.
Just watched this movie last week on IFC. HUGE disappointment…….It had the potential to be truly creepy and macabre but instead turned into a ridiculous game of “Come join the dark side!” If they had left more questions unanswered it would have been better. It had some good things in it, like the editing and the music, but I expected more.
Cesar I agree, Ravenous is a footnote. At least Cannibal Holocaust is worthy of historical mention, an early precursor to Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity blah blah blah but as for films about cannibalism I would say Texas Chainsaws gotta be up there and Alive, faced with the cold stark reality of having to eat one of your buddies or die of starvation, what would you choose? Hannibal Lector has gotta rank as the most famous fictional cannibal but saying that there isn’t a lot of competition.
@Cesar: You completely missed the point of Ravenous. It’s not supposed to be “creepy,” it’s a dark comedy (I would’ve thought that was obvious). And what questions about cannibalism should “remain unanswered?”
I f the writers of the movie had decided give no explanations as to way the guy liked to eat human flesh i think it would have been better. The audience could then just think the dude was totally bonkers. But instead they fed us that ridiculous story that eating human flesh made them feel stronger and then keep trying to lure Guy Pierce into their lifestyle…. i didnt buy that.
Cesar, it’s based on a real myth, ‘buying it’ is neither here nor there. It’s like criticizing Dracula for not being realistic, it’s just a myth/legend.
I’d vote for Delicatessen, The Cook, the Thief, His wife, and Her lover…
And I quite liked PARENTS (1989) , a film about a kid in the 50’s who’s suspects that his “Leave it to Beaver”- type parents might be cannibals. Also, I thought DAHMER (2002), staring Jeremy Renner was quite good.
WEEKEND.
I love Michael Nyman…. His scores for Peter Greenaway are amazing. And for “Ravenous”, he paired up with Damon Albarn. The result is wonderful and fuels the movie. I don’t know if this movie would be as good without the score.
Peter Greenaway’s “The Cook, the Thief, His wife, and Her lover” is great.
I remember walking into Ravenous knowing nothing about it and being so delighted! You are right that the score from Albarn puts the movie on a higher level. For me it puts it on the top shelf. I think the juxtiposition of the quotes at the beginning of the film set the tone:
“He that fights with monsters should look to himself that he does not become a monster.”
—Nietzsche
“Eat me.”
—Anonymous
@ Risselada: Michael Nyman and Damon Albarn… both of them composed the score… :)
If you liked the score for Ravenous, check out Peter Greenaway’s films, Michael Nyman is responsible for the brilliant music. Also, “The Piano” Jane Campion; features the music of Nyman, he composed the score.
Though a good film, “The Piano” has become just too much of a massive thing for me, the soundtrack becoming a bestselling album.
To me, Nyman in collaboration with Peter Greenaway is one of the best listening experiences you could ever have.
http://www.michaelnyman.com/music/soundtracks
“I think the juxtiposition of the quotes at the beginning of the film set the tone”
Yeah, it’s really hard to mistake how sarcastic everything after that is going to be…I guess that’s a big reason why the last third of the movie blows it for me…loses the biting edge of that tone established very succinctly and intelligently from the absolute get-go with those quotes. The movie’s at its best when there’s a LOT of effectively creepy stuff and tone alternating with very, very goofy stuff.
SPOYLOR!!!
It’s all downhill (pardon the pun) from the insanely long fall down that insanely long hill. But WHAT A FALL! Best fall in movie history.
best film specifically about cannibals, Parents by Bob Balaban
chaos-rampant
No, that would be the indomitable CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST.