On this day in Horror History, Ruggero Deodato was born in Potenza, Italy. Arguably one of the most controversial directors of all time, Deodato’s 1980 Cult Film Cannibal Holocaust would solidify his place as one of the most misunderstood and infamous film-makers in the annals of the horror industry. The film itself has been banned in more than 40 countries worldwide in the last 33 years and even resulted in Deodato being charged with murder for sending the stars of the to their merciless deaths. Depicting the “Found Footage” of documentary film-makers that face unspeakable horrors in the Amazonian Rainforest at the hand of cannibalistic tribes, it would garner quite the reaction upon its debut. Prior to the film’s release, Deodato would require the actors to sign a contract agreeing to be sequestered as to add to the realism that the film was the recovered footage of their death. It turned out to be more believable than intended, as it would not be until Deodato requested their presence in the court hearings that his murder charges would be dropped.
Regardless of your beliefs and how you feel about the choices made by the renowned director, there is little doubt that his unique and powerful prowess in film evokes an unsettling terror that few in the industry could ever hope to achieve.
“I make films that people call "horror" because I want to make films about real things that happen in the world, and most real things aren't very nice.” - Ruggero Deodato
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