Mondo film explained

Mondo film is a subgenre of exploitive documentary films. Many mondo films are made in a way to resemble a pseudo-documentary and usually depicting sensational topics, scenes, or situations. Common traits of mondo films include portrayals of foreign cultures (which have drawn accusations of ethnocentrism or racism),[1] an emphasis on taboo subjects such as death and sex, and staged sequences presented as genuine documentary footage. Over time, the films have placed increasing emphasis on footage of the dead and dying (both real and fake).[2]

The term Italian: mondo is derived from the Italian word for . The term shockumentary is also used to describe the genre.

Mondo films began to soar in popularity in the 1960s with the releases of Mondo Cane (1962), Women of the World (1963) and Africa Addio (1966). The genre arguably reached its peak with Faces of Death (1978), a film that inspired a myriad of imitators, such as Banned from Television, Death Scenes, and the Traces of Death and Faces of Gore series.

History

Although earlier films such as Alessandro Blasetti's (Europe By Night, 1959) and (World By Night, 1961) may be considered examples of the genre,[3] the origins of the mondo documentary are generally traced to the 1962 Italian film Mondo Cane (A Dog's World—a mild Italian profanity) by Paolo Cavara, Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi which was a commercial success.[4] [5] [6]

Documentary films imitating Mondo Cane in the 1960s often included the term Italian: mondo in their titles, even if they were in English; examples include Mondo Bizarro, Mondo Daytona, Mondo Mod, Mondo Infame and Mondo Hollywood.[7] Films outside the genre followed suit: Mondo Trasho, Mondo Weirdo: A Trip to Paranoia Paradise, Mondo Keyhole[8] and Mondo Brutale (a German release of Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left[9]) title themselves mondo, although none are mondo documentaries. Later in the decade, this naming convention began to fall out of favour and fewer mondo films identified themselves as such in their titles.[7] The War Game, a 1965 British film depicting conditions before and after a nuclear attack on England, would not see public broadcast for twenty years.

Filmmakers wanted to top each other in shock value to attract audiences. Cruelty to animals, accidents, tribal-initiation rites and surgeries are features of a typical mondo. Much of the action is staged, although the filmmakers may claim their goal is to document "reality". Subjects of mondo films include sex (Mondo Sex and Mondo Sexualis USA); celebrities (Mondo Elvis and Mondo Lugosi); youth culture (Mondo Teeno) and the gay subculture (Mondo Rocco).

Russ Meyer's film Mondo Topless was one of the few "documentaries" restricted to the old midnight movie circuit in the pre-VCR era; it explored strip clubs in 1960s San Francisco, at a time when strip clubs were a novelty in the United States, restricted to centers of port-city decadence (such as San Francisco). Other examples of this genre include Mondo New York by Harvey Keith, Mondo di Notte by Gianni Proia and Mondo Balordo by Roberto Bianchi Montero.

The 1980s saw a resurgence of mondo movies focusing almost exclusively on (onscreen) death, instead of world cultures. The Faces of Death series is a notable example of this type of mondo (or "death") movie. The producers used fake footage (passed off as real), but some of the footage was legitimate (including scenes of autopsies, suicides and accidents).

The rare 1985 film Mondo Senza Veli ("World Without Veils or Mondo Fresh") was purported by viewers to feature at its end the brutal execution of a young Arab rapist by public rectal impalement. This episode was, however, believed to have been a staged execution by some viewers.

Mondo films in the 21st century feature gore, exemplified by the Faces of Gore and Traces of Death series. There is less fake footage, and many use news footage of accidents from East Asia.

The late 2010s saw another resurgence, beginning with the Bootleg Death Tape series and Faces of Dying series from filmmaker Dustin Ferguson, which both involved various independent Directors from around the world.

A number of films have parodied the genre. Examples include Ricardo Fratelli's Mondo Ford, Mr. Mike's Mondo Video by Saturday Night Lives Michael O'Donoghue, and Is There Sex After Death? by Jeanne and Alan Abel. Mondo Beyondo spoofed the films' approach to titling, but was a parody of satellite television.[10] The Italian cannibal film is arguably an offshoot of the mondo film.[8]

Films

The original mondo film series was the Mondo Cane series by Gualtiero Jacopetti, Paolo Cavara, and Franco Prosperi. When this type of film proved successful, many imitators followed.

Jacopetti and Prosperi
TitleYearCountryDirector and screenplayMusicUncut run timeNotes
Mondo Cane1962ItalyGualtiero Jacopetti
Paolo Cavara
Franco E. Prosperi
Riz Ortolani108 minutesR-rated run time 85 minutes
La donna nel mondo1963Riz Ortolani
Nino Oliviero
107 minutesa.k.a. Women of the World
Mondo Cane 21963Gualtiero Jacopetti
Franco Prosperi
Nino Oliviero95 minutesR-rated run time 76 minutes; a.k.a.Mondo Pazzo
Africa Addio1966Riz Ortolani139 minutesUnrated English version 128 minutes; R-rated version 80 minutes
Addio Zio Tom1971136 minutesUnrated English version 123 minutes; a.k.a.Goodbye Uncle Tom

The pair's Mondo candido (1975) is not a mondo film; the title was imposed on them by the studio, who wished to cash in on their earlier successes. The film is a retelling of Voltaire's novel, Candide.

In the late 1980s, Stelvio Massi (a.k.a. Max Steele) made two spinoffs of the original Mondo Cane series, known as Mondo Cane 3 and Mondo Cane 4 on video.

Max Steele
TitleYearCountryDirector and cinematographyScreenplayUncut run timeNotes
Mondo cane oggi - L'orrore continua1986ItalyStelvio MassiStelvio Massi78 minutesa.k.a. Mondo Cane 3
Mondo cane 2000 - L'incredibile 1988G. Crisanti73 minutesa.k.a. Mondo Cane 4

In 1969, brothers Angelo and Alfredo Castiglioni began to make a series of their own mondo films until the early 1980s. They made five films in all, tying Jacopetti and Prosperi as the most prolific mondo film producers. Each film examines brutal and bizarre behavior on the African continent. Their films are considered some of the most graphic mondo films ever made.[11]

Castiglioni brothers
TitleYearCountryDirectorsMusicNotes
Africa segreta1969ItalyAngelo Francesco Lavagninoa.k.a. Secret Africa; uncut run time 103 min
Africa ama1971a.k.a. Africa Uncensored
Magia nuda1975Ciro Dammicco (credited as Zacar)a.k.a. Mondo Magic
Addio ultimo uomo1978Franco Godia.k.a. The Last Savage
Africa dolce e selvaggia1982a.k.a. Shocking Africa

Antonio Climati, cinematographer to Prosperi and Jacopetti in many mondo films, joined Mario Morra in 1974 to produce their own string of mondo films, known as the "Savage Trilogy". Prosperi also produced the films. Climati and Morra were known for staging scenes.

Savage Trilogy
TitlCountryDirector and screenplayMusicNotes
Ultime grida dalla savana1975ItalyCarlo Savinaa.k.a. Savage Man Savage Beast; uncut run time 94 min
Savana violenta1976a.k.a. This Violent World
Dolce e selvaggio1983Daniele Patucchia.k.a. Sweet and Savage

The 1978 Faces of Death popularized a mondo style known as "death films", which depicted humans or animals dying in graphic ways.

John Alan Schwartz
TitleYearDirectorScreenplayNotes
The Faces of Death Series1978–1996John Alan SchwartzJohn Alan SchwartzSix parts
The Worst of Faces of Death1987Compilation of first three Faces of Death films
Faces of Death: Fact or Fiction?1999Documentary about Faces of Death

Uwe Schier bought the rights to the Mondo Cane and Faces of Death films and released his own entries in both series, consisting largely of footage lifted from other mondo films. Faces of Death 5 draws heavily on Death Scenes; Faces of Death 6 consists almost entirely of Days of Fury and Mondo Cane IV (not to be confused with Mondo Cane 2000, l'Incredibile, Schier's Mondo Cane IV is in fact the fifth film in the series) lifts from other films (including Death Scenes and Death Faces IV).[12] In 1993, Hurricane Pictures edited a mix of scenes featured in Addio ultimo uomo and Shocking Africa, labeling it the "fifth chapter" of the saga (Teil V in German).

Uwe Schier
TitleYearCountryNotes
Mondo Cane IV1992Germany
Mondo Cane teil V1993a.k.a. Mondo Cane 5
Faces of Death 51995
Faces of Death 61996

Several imitators followed the Faces of Death series; many used (or were composed entirely of) footage from other mondo films.

Faces of Death imitators
TitleYearDirectorScreenplayMusicNotes
Banned from Television1998Joe FrancisAPM MusicThree parts; released in the US by Mantra Films.
Banned! In America1998–2003Nomo IchiDelta 9Six parts; released in the US by Brain Damage Films.
The Traces of Death series1993–2000Damon FoxVariousFive parts
The Faces of Gore series1999–2000Todd TjerslandThree parts
The Best of Faces of Gore2000Compilation video
The Death Scenes series1989–1993Nick BougasRichard Gibson, Peter H. GilmoreThree parts
Other films
TitleYearCountryDirectorScreenplayMusicNotes
Mondo nudo1963ItalyFrancesco De FeoGian Carlo Fusco
Giuseppe Marotta
Teo Usuellia.k.a. Naked World
I tabu1963ItalyRomolo MarcelliniUgo Guerraa.k.a. Taboos of the World
Il pelo nel mondo1964ItalyAntonio Margheriti
Marco Vicario
Antonio Margheriti
Marco Vicario
Bruno Nicolai
Nino Oliviero
a.k.a. Go Go Go World and Weird, Wicked World
Kwaheri: Vanishing Africa1964United StatesThor L. Brooks
Byron Chudnow
Michael VittesByron Ross
I Malamondo1964ItalyPaolo CavaraGuido Castaldo
Paolo Cavara
Ugo Gregoretti
Francesco Torti
Ennio Morricone
Le Schiave Esistono Ancora1964ItalyTeo Usuellia.k.a. Slave Trade in the World Today
Ecco1964ItalyGianni ProiaR.W CresseRiz Ortolania.k.a. This Shocking World
Mondo Balordo1964ItalyRoberto Bianchi MonteroEnglish version narrated by Boris Karloff
L'amore primitivo1964ItalyLuigi ScattiniLallo Goria.k.a. Primitive Love
Mondo Topless1966United StatesRuss MeyerThe Aladdins
Mondo Freudo1966United StatesLee Frost
Mondo Bizarro1966United StatesLee FrostLawrence Von Lattman
Macabro1966ItalyRomolo MarcelliniGiancarlo Del Re
The Mystery and the Pleasure1966United KingdomEdward Stewart Abrahama.k.a. Our Incredible World
Mondo oscenità1966United StatesJoseph P. MawraErnest Franklin a.k.a. World of Obscenity
Mondo Hollywood1967United StatesRobert Carl CohenMike Curb
1968ItalyLuigi ScattiniPiero Umiliani
L'altra faccia del peccato1969ItalyMarcello AvallonePeppino De Lucaa.k.a. The Queer, the Erotic
Mille peccati... nessuna virtù1969ItalySergio MartinoPeppino De Lucaa.k.a. Mondo Sex
Inghilterra nuda1969ItalyVittorio De SistiPino De Martino
Ettore Mattia
Piero Piccionia.k.a. Naked England
America così nuda, così violenta1970ItalySergio MartinoLuciano MartinoBruno Nicolaia.k.a. Naked and Violent
Dove non è peccato1970ItalyAntonio ColantuoniPiero Umiliania.k.a. Tämä on Suomi
(This is Finland)
Shocking Asia1974West GermanyRolf OlsenErwin HalletzUncut run time 94 min.
Australia After Dark1975AustraliaJohn D. Lamond
Notti Porno nel Mondo1977ItalyBruno MatteiGianni Marchettia.k.a. Mondo Erotica
This Is America1977United StatesRomano VanderbesEmmanuel Vardia.k.a. Crazy Ridiculous American People (UK), Jabberwalk
Brutes and Savages1978United StatesArthur DavisJenny CravenRiz Ortolani
Mr. Mike's Mondo Video1979United StatesMichael O'DonoghueMitch GlazerPaul Shaffer
This Is America Part 21980United StatesRomano VanderbesBill MillingEmmanuel Vardi
Days of Fury1980United StatesFred Warshofskya.k.a. Doomsday
Des Morts1981Jean-Pol Ferbus
Dominique Garny
Thierry Zéno
Alain Pierrea.k.a. Of the Dead; uncut run time 105 min.
Great White Death1981Jean-Patrick LebelJean Sauvageaua.k.a. Sharks! Pirates of the Deep
The Killing of America1982United Statesa.k.a. Violence U.S.A. in Japan; uncut run time 90 min.
1985West GermanyRolf OlsenErwin Halletz
True Gore1987United StatesM. Dixon Causey
Mondo New York1988United StatesHarvey KeithLuis Perico OrtizUncut run time 83 min.
Empire of Madness1989United StatesM. Dixon Causeya.k.a. True Gore II
Engineering Red1993United StatesRussiaAndrey YiAndrey Yi
Mondo Ford2001United StatesUnited States
Man VS Man2004Italy
Murder Collection V.12009United StatesFred VogelDon Moore
Fred Vogel
Shelby Vogel
Jerami Cruise
Mondo Sexxxx: The Terry Kobrah Story2011United StatesLogan Myers
Mondo Delirium2011ItalyFlavio SciolèUncut run time 170 min.
Made in Italy2012ItalyJephta
Mondomanila2012PhilippinesKhavn
Bootleg Death Tape2012United StatesDustin Ferguson
Most Disturbed Person on Planet Earth2013United StatesThomas Extreme Cinemagore
Most Disturbed Person on Planet Earth II2014United StatesThomas Extreme Cinemagore
Occult Holocaust2014United StatesDustin Fergusona.k.a. Occult Predator
Faces of Dying2015United StatesDustin Ferguson
Mondo Shock2016United StatesDustin Ferguson
Mondo CANEvese2016Italy
At the shadow of the tower2017Italy
Heart of Africa2018Italy
Most Disturbed Person On Planet Earth 32019United StatesThomas Extreme Cinemagore
HollyWEIRD2020United StatesDustin Ferguson
Bootleg Death Tape II2020United StatesDustin Ferguson
Bootleg Death Tape III2020United StatesDustin Ferguson
Faces of Dying II2021United StatesDustin Ferguson
Faces of Dying III: The Final Assault2021United StatesDustin Ferguson
Mondo Shock 22021United StatesDustin Ferguson

See also

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Kerekes & Slater, p. 108.
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20071127022047/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/33094/Mondo-New-York/overview Mondo New York (1988)
  3. Kerekes & Slater, p. 102.
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20071223171921/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/33089/Mondo-Cane/overview Mondo Cane (1962)
  5. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/movies/02avant.html?_r=1 Revisiting a Cinematic Smackdown, and Other Avant-Garde Pleasures
  6. https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117793199?refcatid=31 Mondo Cane
  7. Kerekes & Slater, p. 107.
  8. Kerekes & Slater, p. 109.
  9. Kerekes & Slater, p. 315.
  10. Kerekes & Slater, p. 155.
  11. Book: Dennison . Stephanie . Lim . Song Hwee . Remapping World Cinema: Identity, Culture and Politics in Film . 2006 . Wallflower Press . 978-1-904764-62-5 . 121–122 . 15 July 2024 . en.
  12. Kerekes & Slater, pp. 156-158.