Mondo Cane

Shockumetaries are not for everyone, and I personally can't stomach them. I can handle any and every gory horror film as long as in the back of my mind I know that the director calls cut and everyone walks away just fine. Real death is all around us, and I personally don't understand watching it in a film as entertainment. Having said that, I was curious how these types of films started. After looking around, I came to the conclusion that Mondo Cane is the world's very first shockumentary.

Mondo Cane (meaning "dog's life") came out in 1962 and shocked everyone worldwide. This was the first documentary to show an unflinching look at our world. After reading about this film, I heard it was quite tame, and there's nothing too graphic in it. That gave me comfort, and I was curious how these films started, so I decided to check it out. It's definitely not a gore fest like it's reputation might claim, and it was a revolutionary film that inspired an entire sub genre of documentary film.

Unlike Faces of Death or other shockumentaries, this film actually has a coherent plot and focus. This is something that automatically had me impressed. The film is basically comparing Eastern and Western cultures, and showing us we're not too different from one another. What follows are segments highlighting different lifestyles around the world.

Now let's get to the down and dirty stuff. The gory parts of the film are mostly of animals; animals being killed for food, for ceremonial rituals, and for sport. It never shows straight up animal abuse, but it's still very graphic nonetheless. If you've seen Cannibal Holocaust, you will definitely be able to stomach this film. Segments include pigs, dogs, and snakes being killed and eaten, as well as bulls being beheaded. These segments didn't bother me because they at least had a reason for killing these animals. It wasn't just senseless violence.

Unlike the films Mondo Cane has inspired, there are no scenes of people dying in this film. We catch a glimpse of people self mutilating themselves for their religion, and we see a dead man being prepared for his funeral. Other than that, there are no "snuff" elements to this film. I don't mind this at all, because I'd rather not watch real death on camera. 

The rest of the film just shows the customs of different places around the world. It's actually a very interesting look at how things were in the 1960's. The narrator has a very deadpan delivery, and often adds a bit of dark humor to the segments. That made this film very enjoyable to watch for me.

Overall, if you're expecting snuff, or things like Faces of Death or Faces of Gore, look elsewhere. While there are some gruesome scenes, they are never exploitative and they don't destract from the main theme of the film. Mondo Cane is a very interesting look at our world, and I don't think it's fair that people choose to focus on the gore. If you're not really into shockumentaries, but you're curious like I was, I say check it out. I may not like the films it has inspired, but on its own, Mondo Cane is a well put together documentary, and a very entertaining watch.