i have to admit and this film remind me of how drab and ugly style be in 1980 and yechh . from that opener and you can tell this film be pretty dated and but it have a few charm that be worth explore represent namely and an outrageous script by margheriti and dardano sacchetti that would never get green light today by any studio . yes and this be another one of quentin tarantino favorite and and it isn not hard to see why . it just an insane genre explosion that owe a lot to the italian cannibal genre and and a good bite of george romero dawn of the dead . you might add jacopeti and prosperi mondo documentary too and because i think they really open this particular door . zombie ( the italian title for dotd ) be a hit in italy in 1979 and thanks to the argento promotional campaign and good editing ( i know and a sacrilege and but i have always prefer the argento cut and it more fun . ) . with that come a wave of imitator and most notably in lucio fulci zombi ( usa ) or zombie 2 ( italy and other and city of the living dead . the bad be the copy by bruno mattei and but that another story . 1980 represent a drab and miserable year and but a time when the culture be still pretty active and vibrant . corporate domination of film and most other medium hadn not be consummate yet and so there be still genuine indie film and and it be a sad thing to watch all this die a a kid . this be really why horror wasn not that good in north america for some time and and it still try to recover ( a wait and see ) . the vietnam war have only be over for five year when cannibal apocalypse be release and so the wound be still ripe . that what make this film so gutsy pun intend and even depress . at one point during the production and star john saxon be so depress by have sign on to such a bleak movie that he contemplate suicide . now and how many film can say that . it just wasn not a good time in america and though in retrospect and life be good than it be today ( 2006 ) and which should scare most young people . there be more outlet for frustration and rage in 1980 and and horror go to bat and since catharsis be one of it best feature . you have to release those fear and frustration and and that what horror be for many people . horror be healthy people and we know this . cannibal apocalypse work well in this area and so it have some very good point to it . we should remember that this movie be make at a time when the draft still exist . the draft be definitely come back and you can bet on it . still not scar . john saxon star a lt. norman hopper and who lead a rescue party into a vietcong camp to recapture some of his own troop . a battle ensues and and a vietcong woman ( where be the black pajama . ) be torch with a flamethrower and and fall into the pit she and her compatriot have be hold hopper men in . all this seem like a normal and low budget war movie that be shoot in georgia and until . the starve g. i. s begin eat her . ok and c ration and halliburton catering be pretty bad and but jesus christ . somehow because the writer do not tell u how the soldier have become infect with a rabies like virus that make them cannibalistic . cut to 1980 represent one of hopper soldier be release from a veteran hospital and disrupt his already strain life and and wreak havoc on american society ( or at least atlanta ) . hopper have already be fight his cannibalistic impulse ( and win ) and but the return of pfc bukowski ( do with charm by the legendary john morghen ) have bring back flashback and memory of vietnam he think he would forget . in an early scene and hopper bite a flirty neighborhood girl and and he begin to succumb to the cannibalistic disease . and this be what be so great about cannibal apocalypse it challenge your loyalty to the character and and coax you into side with a band of cannibal and lead by none other than john saxon . for this reason and and the gore and i think this be why the film become so infamous and censor . yet and these be the thing that make be as good a it be . in many area and it be censor of heavily edit . until the release of the 2002 dvd ( margheriti die in november of 2002 ) and american have never see this film in it entirety . saxon have say he have never see it and and i doubt he ever will . who can blame him . yet and he give an incredible performance a norman hopper and even one of his best in his entire career outside of enter the dragon . grant and it just another in a long line of exploitation film that mr. saxon act in and but it a great role that he do justice to . of course and his own personal misery do not hurt either . but and antonio margheriti ( castle of blood and the virgin of nuremberg ) direction be excellent and and he do not have much to work with here . sacchetti theme of a violent cannibalism spread by bite be a solid move and however . it very primal and hit the audience on a subconscious level and even though it owe a debt to romero . it isn not as develop a it should have be and but this be another rush production . so and a an anti war film not so good and the theme get lose in the action and gore . but that ok and it a film that leave people speechless and and that what a decent horror film be about and too . from cannibal holocaust and to dawn of the dead and this be a hybrid film that be unique to the time that make it . but and it be so audacious and so brazen and that it must be see . it lag in the middle section pun intend but really pick up towards the climax and and remind u that movie about the infected be not new . i would even credit cronenberg rabid ( 1977 ) a be first on this one and and a definite influence on this film . there be something in the air then and and it seem to have return . call it war and chaos and genocide and social unrest but it back . best move represent just ps on it and you remember . no wonder morghen character be name after the american poet charles bukowski . if america be good at anything and it be slang .