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5.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Cannibal Capers remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
So, you ever wonder what a day in the life of a *cheerful* cannibal tribe looks like? Well, Cannibal Capers is here to... uh, show you. Is it worth watching today? Yeah, if you're into really old, kinda wild animation shorts or just curious about how cartoonists used to handle, shall we say, *sensitive* topics with a straight face. Anyone expecting deep social commentary will absolutely hate it. But if you like strange historical oddities, this one's for you. 🧐
The premise, it’s just bonkers: a tribe of cannibals, but they're all very happy, almost *gypsy-soul* kind of happy. And they have a lion as their chef! Burt Gillett directed this, and you can just tell they were having a time with it back then. The animation, for its age, is actually pretty fluid in spots.
One moment really stuck with me. The lion chef, right? He’s not just cooking, he’s like, *really* into it. There’s a scene where he’s seasoning the pot, and the whole thing just has this rhythm. You almost forget what's *in* the pot, for a sec. It's all very musical, very upbeat. The cannibals themselves, they're not scary at all. They’re just... vibing. Dancing around, looking forward to their next meal. 🍖
It’s not trying to be anything deep. Just a snapshot. A weird, slightly uncomfortable snapshot from a bygone era. There’s no real plot beyond "a day happens." They wake up, they sing, they prepare food, they eat. That's kinda it. The simple joy they find in their daily routine is actually kinda infectious, even if the routine itself is, well, you know. *Cannibalistic*.
You can tell it was made for a different audience, obviously. The whole thing feels like a fever dream sometimes. The music, it’s relentlessly cheerful, almost too much so. It keeps going, just keeps going. And then, bam, it’s over. No big lessons, no profound statements. Just a very quick, very peculiar glimpse into a cartoon world where a lion cooks people. It’s got that specific kind of early animation charm where anything feels possible. Even a singing, dancing cannibal feast. 🤷♀️
Honestly, the biggest takeaway for me was just how *upbeat* it manages to be about such a dark theme. It’s almost unsettling in its cheerfulness. Like, is this really happening? Yeah, it is. It's a curiosity, for sure. You watch it, you might chuckle, you might wince a little. But you won't forget the lion chef, that's for sure. He really is the *star*.
IMDb —
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