Cannibalism as a genre of horror fiction has its own cult following. It features a specific type of psychological horror and gore that focuses on the consumption of human meat.
The genre of cannibalistic films was mainly popularized by the release of “The Silence of the Lambs” and the creation of the iconic character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter.
However, the 1970s saw a surge in the release of cannibalistic films as well, mostly by Italian directors.
In this list provided below, we have specially picked the best cannibal movies ever released so that you do not miss out on the best.
CrimeDramaThriller
Director:
Jonathan Demme
Release Date:
Thu Feb 14 1991
Star Cast:
Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn
Budget:
$19,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$272,742,922
This cannibal classic “Silence of the Lambs” features a young FBI trainee called Clarice Starling who is the top student at her academy.
Inspector Jack Crawford of the FBI wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter who is not only a brilliant psychiatrist but also a devious murderer and cannibal serving a life sentence behind bars.
Crawford believes that Hannibal’s insight might be valuable for a case he is working on. According to Crawford, the beautiful Clarice might just be the right bait to lure our Lecter.
Thus, begins a series of disturbing interviews as we take a deep dive into the mind of a murderous cannibal.
Recommended:
DramaHorror
Director:
Julia Ducournau
Release Date:
Wed Mar 15 2017
Star Cast:
Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Rabah Nait Oufella
Budget:
€3,500,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$3,096,815
Justine, a sheltered vegetarian, plunges into the cutthroat world of veterinary school. Her life veers off-kilter after she is forced to taste raw meat during a hazing ritual. A primal hunger erupts, twisting her vegetarian morals into a craving for human flesh.
As the line between predator and prey blurs, her relationship with her rebellious sister, Alexia, becomes a morbid play of manipulation and shared monstrosity.
Director Julia Ducournau's "Raw" isn't just a body horror trip; it's a coming-of-age nightmare that uses cannibalism as a metaphor for the messy, transformative experience of leaving childhood behind. Expect graphic gore, biting social commentary, and a heroine both repulsive and strangely compelling.
Recommended:
DramaHorrorMusical
Director:
Tim Burton
Release Date:
Fri Dec 21 2007
Star Cast:
Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman
Budget:
$50,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$153,383,627
“Sweeney Todd” is another brilliant gothic masterpiece by Tim Burton starring two actors whom he loved to cast the most – Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.
The film is presented in the form of a musical where characters often break into a song to better express themselves.
The principal character of this movie is a barber named Benjamin Barker who was wrongfully imprisoned by a judge called Turpin.
Turpin secretly coveted Sweeney’s wife and wanted to separate the two. After years when Benjamin finally escapes imprisonment and returns to London, he takes on the name of Sweeney Todd.
When roaming the streets, he gets acquainted with Mrs. Lovett. Because of years of rage and suppressed anger, Sweeney becomes a murderer and starts killing people until he can finally get to Turpin and Mrs. Lovett turns the corpses of his victims into meat pies.
Recommended:
CrimeMysteryThriller
Director:
Michael Mann
Release Date:
Fri Aug 15 1986
Star Cast:
William Petersen, Kim Greist, Joan Allen
Budget:
$15,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$8,622,412
“Manhunter” is another story related to the story of the classic cannibal character – Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The central character of this movie, however, is not Dr. Lecter himself but well-known FBI profiler Will Graham.
Having worked on the capture of Dr. Lecter took quite a toll on Will and left him scarred, as a result of this he decided to take a break from his work and live in exile.
His exile did not last long though; Will was soon called back by the FBI to investigate a new murderer who was running loose on the streets.
The murderer had been named the “Tooth Fairy”. Will eventually decides to return and work on the case. But his own wits seem insufficient for this case.
He has to do something unimaginable – ask Dr. Lecter for his help in catching this new psychopath who was terrorizing the streets.
Recommended:
DramaHorrorWestern
Director:
S. Craig Zahler
Release Date:
Fri Feb 19 2016
Star Cast:
Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox
Budget:
$1,800,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$382,579
A film from 2015, “Bone Tomahawk” takes place in the Western Countryside. It all starts when a local doctor called Samantha is suddenly kidnapped.
The town sheriff along with a group of three men, which included Samantha’s husband, go on a quest to recover Samantha from her kidnappers.
However, the men are unaware that Samantha has not been kidnapped by a regular criminal but by a group of cannibalistic tribesmen.
While on their quest to rescue Samantha, the group is frequently attacked by the tribe of cannibals. These men must be ready to risk everything for the sake of rescuing Samantha.
ComedyCrime
Director:
Paul Bartel
Release Date:
Fri Oct 1 1982
Star Cast:
Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel, Robert Beltran
Budget:
$350,000 (estimated)
“Eating Raoul” is positively dark with subtle hints of comedy here and there. The film begins with a prudish couple in a difficult situation.
After the husband loses his job, he is desperate to find a new income. One day, a lecherous swinger starts hitting on the wife, and to save her, the husband hits him on the head with a pan and knocks him dead.
Then they rob his wallet. After killing this swinger, the couple finds a nice and easy way to keep away perverts and also make some money.
However, the main problem is disposing of the bodies; this is where Raoul comes in. Raoul agrees to help them dispose of the bodies in exchange for a price.
But gradually Raoul seems to develop feelings for the wife. The husband manages to kill him but disposing of his body proves to be particularly tricky which forces them to come up with a new solution.
DramaHorrorRomance
Director:
Luca Guadagnino
Release Date:
Wed Nov 23 2022
Star Cast:
Timothée Chalamet, Taylor Russell, Mark Rylance
Budget:
$16,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$15,234,907
Maren, a haunted cannibal teen, crisscrosses 80s America, hunted by her past and the gnawing need to "eat." But when she collides with Lee, a magnetic drifter with similar urges, a love as raw as their hunger blossoms.
Their road trip becomes a desperate play between desire and survival, moving among different places as a creepy stalker named Sully follows Maren.
Guadagnino's "Bones and All" isn't just a gory horror romance; it's a poignant tale of outsiders searching for belonging, with cannibalism as a metaphor for societal alienation. Expect tender chemistry amidst unsettling feasts, stunning visuals, and a haunting exploration of what it means to be human, even when you crave bone.
CrimeDrama
Director:
Peter Greenaway
Release Date:
Fri Apr 6 1990
Star Cast:
Richard Bohringer, Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren
Box Office (Worldwide):
$8,523,572
This movie may not be directly related to a cannibal but definitely features cannibalism. It is a brilliant tale of love and betrayal.
It features a cook (Richard Borst), a gangster (Albert Spica), the gangster’s wife (Georgina), and Georgina’s lover (Michael). Spica has quite a bad temper and often causes trouble at Boarst’s restaurant.
His wife, Georgina, manages to carry on an affair with Michael right under Spica’s nose. However, Spica eventually finds out and murders Michael.
When Georgina sees Michael’s dead body, she is utterly devastated. She makes Richard cook Michael’s flesh and forces Spica to eat it.
Finally, she calls him a cannibal before putting an end to his life.
AdventureDramaThriller
Director:
Cornel Wilde
Release Date:
Thu Feb 17 1966
Star Cast:
Cornel Wilde, Gert van den Bergh, Ken Gampu
Budget:
$900,000 (estimated)
In “The Naked Prey” we see the dire consequences of human arrogance and ignorance. It features a group of Europeans who come to the South African tribal lands as a hunting party.
The film takes place during the colonial era when dark-skinned people were highly looked down upon and discriminated against.
The guide warns the hunting party to be respectful to the natives and not cause any trouble but the Europeans do not listen.
One of them even insults them severely by pushing the tribal chief to the ground. Though the group does not suffer any immediate repercussions, they are definitely not spared.
They are hunted down one by one and only the guide is spared. However, he is completely stripped of his clothing and given a head start while the tribe hunts for him.
This “naked prey” must now find a way to survive on his own.
HorrorThriller
Director:
Mimi Cave
Release Date:
Fri Mar 4 2022
Star Cast:
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sebastian Stan, Jojo T. Gibbs
“Fresh” follows the story of a young girl named Noa who hasn’t had a particularly fulfilling dating life.
She is tired of scrolling through the endless line of boring men on dating apps and even when she does go on a date with them, it never turns out the way she would like them to.
Therefore, when she comes across a handsome man named Steve in a grocery shop, she decides to give it a shot.
After sharing her number with Steve, they both get to talking and Noa seems to be quite smitten with him.
She even accepts his invitation for a weekend getaway. However, during her time with Steve, she realizes that he is not who he appears to be.
He harbours some dark secrets, especially regarding his unusual appetite.
DramaThriller
Director:
John Hillcoat
Release Date:
Wed Nov 25 2009
Star Cast:
Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Budget:
$25,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$27,639,579
“The Road” takes us to a post-apocalyptic future where civilization has ceased to exist. The central characters of the plot are a father-son duo who must survive in an extremely harsh environment.
The setting of this story is America itself but not as we know it. A devastating catastrophe has made the country an uncivilized land frequented by savages.
Amidst such a terrible state, a father and son try their hardest to survive. They both make their way toward the sea in an attempt to escape.
However, their journey is nowhere near easy. There are savages and threats roaming everywhere. If the duo manages to get captured, then they can not only be converted into slaves but can also become victims of cannibalism.
DramaRomanceThriller
Director:
Manuel Martín Cuenca
Release Date:
Fri Jul 25 2014
Star Cast:
Antonio de la Torre, Olimpia Melinte, María Alfonsa Rosso
Box Office (Worldwide):
$194,948
Cannibal is a movie that brings a pleasant modern twist to the classical cannibal narrative.
It shows the life of a man leading a double life who finds himself changing in the face of love.
The main protagonist of this movie is a tailor named Carlos. However, Carlos is not just any tailor, he is the most prestigious tailor in Granada.
Despite his successful life, Carlos harbours a dark secret that he cannot share with anyone; he is a murderer and cannibal who feeds off human flesh.
Carlos had never felt any guilt or remorse for his actions but that was soon about to change. With the entry of Nina into his life, Carlos’ dark world became brighter with the light of love.
Under Nina’s influence and due to his newfound feelings of love Carlos begins to change.
DramaHorror
Director:
Jorge Michel Grau
Release Date:
Fri Dec 3 2010
Star Cast:
Francisco Barreiro, Paulina Gaitan, Alan Chávez
Box Office (Worldwide):
$338,166
In most cannibal movies, we see the cannibals as the villainous antagonists however, the movie “We Are What We Are” brings a fun new twist to this classic narrative.
In this movie, the cannibals aren’t some villainous antagonists but the protagonists of the movie. We are introduced to a somewhat strange family with peculiar diet requirements.
Their main problem begins after the death of the principal male or the father figure of the family. This is because he was the one responsible for securing their food.
The family now must find ways to sustain their diets themselves. They begin by kidnapping random people from the local towns; sometimes the hunt is a success and sometimes it is not.
The police eventually get wind of these strange happenings and indulge in their pursuit. Overall, the series is dark and intense with a cast of main characters who are not easy to sympathize with.
HorrorThriller
Director:
Wes Craven
Release Date:
Fri Jul 22 1977
Star Cast:
Susan Lanier, Robert Houston, John Steadman
Budget:
$230,000 (estimated)
Featuring Susan Lanier, Robert Houston, and John Steadman in the lead, The Hills Have Eyes is a horror-thriller movie that was released in 1977. It comprises a talented team of crew members Wes Craven (director), Wes Craven (screenplay), Eric Saarinen (cinematography), and others.
The motion picture received a score of 6.3 on IMDb, while it received 64 out of 100 on Metacritic. A family on their way to California unintentionally enters a restricted Air Testing range and experiences a car crash, leaving them stranded in a desert.
They soon realize that they are being pursued by a group of individuals who have remained isolated from modern society.
ComedyHorrorMystery
Director:
Bob Balaban
Release Date:
Fri Jan 27 1989
Star Cast:
Randy Quaid, Mary Beth Hurt, Sandy Dennis
Budget:
$3,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$870,532
The movie “Parents” introduces something unique that you will not find in most cannibalistic movies – comedy. This comic horror tale is filled with thrill and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
It all begins with a young boy’s suspicions. Young Michael, who is only ten years old, starts to doubt whether his parents really are who they seem to be.
On the surface, his mom is the perfect house and his father is just a working man dedicating his time to his job at the mortuary.
However, Michael can’t seem to shake the feeling that something is very wrong with his parents. When his father brings home exceptionally large cuts of meat, he can’t help but wonder where he might have gotten them from.
Michael shares these concerns with his school counselor who decides to come over to his house to investigate the matter further.
DramaHorrorThriller
Director:
Lucky McKee
Release Date:
Thu Aug 18 2011
Star Cast:
Pollyanna McIntosh, Brandon Gerald Fuller, Lauren Ashley Carter
Box Office (Worldwide):
$1,449
The movie “The Woman” will make it hard for you to pick a side. While we are usually prone to hate cannibals and stand in defence of humans, this movie shows how both can be equally bad.
At the beginning of the movie, we see a strange woman walking alone on the northeast coast with her child and pet wolf.
She is shown to be the last remaining survivor of a cannibalistic tribe that roamed those lands. We see her and her pet wolf engaged in some sort of ritualistic practice surrounding her baby.
However, the scene soon gets cut to a bbq restaurant where a lawyer and his family are enjoying themselves.
This lawyer eventually comes across this cannibalistic woman when she is taking a bath and carefully places a net to capture her.
He brings her home to start a sort of a project where he and the rest of the members of his family will participate in trying to civilize this savage woman.
The woman is kept locked and frequently mistreated by the various members of the family. However, once she is set free, she has her revenge.
ComedyHorrorThriller
Director:
Kevin Connor
Release Date:
Fri Oct 24 1980
Star Cast:
Rory Calhoun, Paul Linke, Nancy Parsons
Budget:
$3,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$6,342,668
The movie “Motel Hell” features the villainous deeds of a deadly sibling duo who are using a different kind of meat to boost their sausage sales.
Vincent and his sister Ida own a rural hotel but this is not their primary source of income. They also own a food stall that attracts a large crowd who come to taste their renowned and delicious meat.
The sibling duo has a brother, Sheriff Bruce, who soon begins to doubt that Vincent and Ida were doing something highly suspicious to boost their meat business.
In keeping with Bruce’s suspicions, the sibling duo was indeed using a different kind of meat than one would expect to find at a food stall.
Turns out, they were somehow killing and chopping up the bodies of their unsuspecting patrons and turning that meat into the sausages they sell at their food stand.
ComedyDrama
Director:
Anders Thomas Jensen
Release Date:
Fri Mar 21 2003
Star Cast:
Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Mads Mikkelsen, Line Kruse
Box Office (Worldwide):
$3,783
“The Green Butcher” is a brilliant dark comedy that skillfully combines elements of gore and humour. It tells the tale of an ambitious duo who set out to open their open business.
Their main motivation behind opening a business is their horrible boss whom they could not seem to tolerate anymore.
Thus, both characters, Bjarne and Svend, finally open their own business in the form of a butcher’s shop. However, unfortunately, their business does not do too well until a strange incident occurs.
An electrician ends up dying in the freezer somehow and the 2 butchers have this bizarre idea of selling his meat as chicken.
What is even more bizarre is they earn the most profits selling this human meat in the guise of chicken.
When the meat finally runs out, they face a dilemma about how to acquire more to keep their business going.
AdventureBiographyDrama
Director:
Frank Marshall
Release Date:
Fri Jan 15 1993
Star Cast:
Ethan Hawke, Vincent Spano, Josh Hamilton
Budget:
$32,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$36,733,909
“Alive” is more of a tragedy than horror. It is not a film full of crazy psychopathic murderers. The movie depicts the horrors faced by a team of rugby players when they become the victims of an unfortunate accident.
The entire Uruguayan rugby team was on a flight together when their plane crashed in the snow-covered Andes. The group was left stranded in the snow with no food or resources.
The group had to brave their harsh environment without any outside help. However, the situation turned dire very soon.
All out of food and any other means of sustenance, the group is forced to make a rather disturbing decision.
They must choose between starving to death or resorting to cannibalism for the sake of survival.
ComedyHorror
Director:
Boris Rodriguez
Release Date:
Fri Apr 5 2013
Star Cast:
Thure Lindhardt, Georgina Reilly, Dylan Smith
Budget:
CA$1,500,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$45,778
This movie tells the peculiar story of an artist whose art specifically requires a violent form of inspiration. A renowned artist named Lars Olafsson is slowly losing his popularity in the art world.
Even his art dealer Ronnie is in a desperate state with no new pieces to sell. However, no matter how much Ronnie pleads, Lars refuses to paint.
This is because the cost of his art is way too high. Lars has a peculiar condition where he can only find inspiration from horrifying things such as blood and gore.
Ronnie finally gets Lars a job as an art teacher in a small Canadian town. Lars almost had a shot at a normal life there until he encountered Eddie.
Eddie is a vicious sleepwalking cannibal who becomes Lars’ next muse.
AdventureDramaHorror
Director:
Antonia Bird
Release Date:
Fri Mar 19 1999
Star Cast:
Guy Pearce, Robert Carlyle, David Arquette
Budget:
$12,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$2,062,405
“Ravenous” was not exactly a commercial hit during the time of its release however, over time, the film has managed to gather quite a cult following.
The story provides a good blend of both mystery and thrill. It all begins with Captain Joh Boyd going to Fort Spencer to investigate a curious case.
He had heard of some mysterious disappearances around the area and wanted to investigate its cause. Upon reaching the place, he received even more disturbing news.
A wounded frontiersman recounted a horrific story in front of the captain. He spoke of a wagon train whose passengers were all murdered by its guide.
The Captain and his regiment decide to look into the matter but things take a dangerous turn when a cannibal starts stalking them.
CrimeDramaThriller
Director:
Ridley Scott
Release Date:
Fri Feb 9 2001
Star Cast:
Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman
Budget:
$87,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$351,692,268
This movie shows another part of Hannibal’s journey. It mainly focuses on Hannibal’s life during exile after he managed to escape custody somehow.
Nobody knew Hannibal’s location anymore as he could be anywhere in Europe. However, one particular man was bent on finding Hannibal.
This man was Mason Verger. Mason was the cannibal’s last victim and Hannibal had left him horribly disfigured. Mason is now wandering around looking for revenge and he does not plan on giving up his search until he has located Hannibal.
Hannibal is a shrewd man and Mason knew that he needed bait to lure him out. This is where Clarice Sterling comes in, the FBI agent for whom Hannibal had a soft spot.
Mason, therefore, decides on using Clarice to bring Hannibal out of hiding.
AdventureComedyDrama
Director:
Jean-Luc Godard
Release Date:
Fri Sep 27 1968
Star Cast:
Mireille Darc, Jean Yanne, Jean-Pierre Kalfon
Budget:
$250,000 (estimated)
“Weekend” is a tale of adultery, human selfishness, murder, and cannibalism. At the centre of this story is a bourgeois couple who are both cheating on each other.
Both husband and wife harbour the thought of murdering each other so that they can peacefully continue their lives with their secret lovers.
However, before that is done, they must attend to another important business. The wife, Corinne, has an old and ailing father who is supposed to live behind a huge inheritance after his death.
The couple, thus, takes a ride to Corinne’s house to claim it for themselves. However, when they do finally reach Corinne’s house, they discover that her father is already dead.
Corinne’s mother is a selfish widow who refuses to share any part of the inheritance so they kill her.
After the deed is done, the couple hit the road to return but are unable to do so. They are captured by a group of hippie cannibals on their way back who eventually cook up and eat the husband.
DramaHorrorThriller
Director:
Claire Denis
Release Date:
Wed Jul 11 2001
Star Cast:
Vincent Gallo, Tricia Vessey, Béatrice Dalle
Box Office (Worldwide):
$15,571
The movie “Trouble Everyday” is not only horrific but also quite heartbreaking. It shows two people who find themselves to be a victim of their nature and as a result, feel isolated even from their closest ones.
Initially, we see a loving couple Shane and June who travel to Paris to enjoy a romantic honeymoon together.
However, Shane has other plans. His primary reason for visiting Paris is not to spend time with June but to seek out a woman named Core who shares his strange affliction.
Both Core and Shane face sudden urges of violence and a desire to consume human flesh. The movie focuses not only on the relationship between these two people but also on their respective relationships with their loved ones.
We see two individuals trying to find a way to survive with their unique hunger.
HorrorMystery
Director:
Gary Sherman
Release Date:
Fri Sep 14 1973
Star Cast:
Donald Pleasence, Norman Rossington, David Ladd
It all begins when a young couple discovers a fainted man on the stairway of the underground subway in London.
They rushed to inform a guard but the fainted man had disappeared when they returned. Initially reluctant to believe them, the guard finally realizes the graveness of their story and takes them to the police station where the case is taken over by an MI-5 agent.
It gradually comes to light that this was not the first case of disappearance that had happened in the London underground; multiple people have been going missing in the same way.
As the film goes on the audience is met with the shocking revelation that it was all the work of a cannibal who was living in London’s underground.
It is this cannibal who has been kidnapping people to not only feed on them but also to find some companionship.
AdventureHorror
Director:
Ruggero Deodato
Release Date:
Fri Jun 21 1985
Star Cast:
Robert Kerman, Francesca Ciardi, Perry Pirkanen
Budget:
$100,000 (estimated)
This movie tells the story of a curious group of researchers conducting a study on the numerous cannibalistic tribes hiding in the heart of the Amazon.
The initial group of researchers who conducted this study and taped vicious proof of the same went completely missing.
To recover these missing tapes and find the lost group of researchers, an anthropologist named Harold Monroe comes to the Amazon along with his group of seasoned guides.
Here in the Amazon, Monroe comes across the tapes recorded by the previous group of researchers. During their search in the heart of the wild Amazon, Harold and his group end up catching the attention of a cannibalistic group who are unlike anything a white man has laid eyes on before.
The rest of the story focuses on Harold’s discovery of the tapes and his desire to learn the truth despite the danger he is surrounded by.
Horror
Director:
Marcus Nispel
Release Date:
Fri Oct 17 2003
Star Cast:
Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, Andrew Bryniarski
Budget:
$9,500,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$107,363,905
“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” is a classic horror tale that has been adapted in many future productions. Who does not know of the terrifying Leatherface and his many violent crimes?
The tragedy begins when a girl named Sally discovers that her grandfather’s grave has been vandalized. Highly unsettled by this, she decides to visit the location to investigate matters further and this becomes one of her gravest mistakes.
Sally and her brother decided to settle in their old family farmhouse completely unaware of the fact that they were living next to a family of dangerous cannibals.
One of the cannibals, Leatherface, begins pursuing them and they must find a way to survive this murderous monster.
DramaHorror
Director:
Fruit Chan
Release Date:
Thu Aug 19 2004
Star Cast:
Bai Ling, Miriam Chin-Wah Yeung, Sum-Yeung Wong
Box Office (Worldwide):
$763,552
The story of “Dumplings” takes place in Hong Kong where a renowned chef named Aunt Mei. Aunt Mei is especially famous for her dumplings which have some brilliant qualities.
These dumplings can rejuvenate anyone and return their youthful glow. This particular quality has made her dumplings famous far and wide but no one seems to know what the secret ingredient for her dumplings are.
One day, an actress comes to her seeking help. She wants her dumplings to regain her youthful beauty so that she can enjoy her husband’s affection again.
It is to this very actress that Aunt Mei confesses that she had performed thousands of abortions during the time she was living in China.
When the actress kept asking for accelerated production of these dumplings, her needs could not be met until a 15-year-old came to Aunt Mei for an abortion.
HorrorThriller
Director:
Rob Schmidt
Release Date:
Fri May 30 2003
Star Cast:
Eliza Dushku, Jeremy Sisto, Emmanuelle Chriqui
Budget:
$12,600,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$28,650,575
“Wrong Turn” tells the story of a group of friends who were travelling together but end up being hunted by cannibals due to some unfortunate turn of events.
A group of 5 friends was going on a drive together when their car suddenly broke down right in the middle of the woods.
A few moments later a motorist named Chris came and crashed into this already broken-down car. Now the group of 5 friends found themselves stranded in the middle of the deep woods with no help in sight.
The situation turns even more grave when they discover that they are being watched and followed by a group of backwoods cannibals.
These cannibals seem like hungry savages waiting to ruthlessly hunt them down. The only way for Chris and his group of 5 pals to escape this situation is to find a way to outsmart these savages.
AdventureComedy
Director:
Nelson Pereira dos Santos
Release Date:
Mon Apr 16 1973
Star Cast:
Arduíno Colassanti, Ana Maria Magalhães, Eduardo Imbassahy Filho
Another one of the 1970s cannibal classics. The story of “How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman” pursues the story of a misunderstood Frenchman who falls victim to a grave tragedy.
In Brazil, there lives a tribe of Indians who have aligned themselves with the French. This tribe considers the Portuguese as their enemy.
When a Frenchman is caught by this tribe, they believe him to be Portuguese despite his repeated protests. He is eventually captured and kept in captivity.
Later, he uses some explosive powder left behind by the Portuguese to attack and defeats the enemy. Instead of praising his efforts, the cannibalistic Indians decide to repay him in a much more devious and malevolent way.
AdventureHorror
Director:
Eli Roth
Release Date:
Fri Sep 25 2015
Star Cast:
Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Aaron Burns
Budget:
$5,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$12,666,449
While we have come across villainous cannibalistic individuals, families, and even viruses, most of these cannibal films do not focus on the jungle scene.
The existence of cannibalistic tribes in the wild is no myth. Time and again researchers have confirmed that consumption of human flesh is not uncommon amongst some barbaric tribes.
In the movie “The Green Inferno” we come across such a tribe. It all begins when two naïve environmentalists trespass into dangerous territory and end up on the dinner menu for a man-eating tribe.
The main plot of the story revolves around 2 characters – Justine and Alejandro. Justine is a lawyer’s daughter who is smitten by Alejandro’s dedication to preserving the Amazon.
Highly impressed, Justine decides to join him in this cause. However, both of them are met with a terrible and unforeseen situation in the wild jungles.
Drama
Director:
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Release Date:
Fri Oct 10 1969
Star Cast:
Pierre Clémenti, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Alberto Lionello
“Porcile” explores a set of two disturbing stories, unlike any other films on this list. These two stories give us an estimate of the human capacity for barbarism.
In the first film, we see a man abandoned on a volcanic terrain. Wandering alone, he gradually develops into a cannibal.
He loses his sense of reason and sanity and finds self-acceptance within it. In the second story, we see a disturbing portrayal of bestiality.
A son of a wealthy German industrialist is dissatisfied with his current life. He does not feel satisfied with his fiancé.
He eventually leaves her to pursue his true passion – which is his disturbing love for pigs.
BiographyCrimeDrama
Director:
Ulli Lommel
Release Date:
Thu Jul 12 1973
Star Cast:
Kurt Raab, Jeff Roden, Margit Carstensen
Budget:
DEM 250,000 (estimated)
The film “Tenderness of the Wolves” has been inspired by the true story of Fritz Harmann, also known as the Vampire of Hanover.
This German serial killer is not exactly a cannibal himself but makes unsuspecting people consume the flesh of other human beings.
This is somewhat similar to the narrative of “Sweeney Todd” and “Motel Hell”. Fritz is a police informant and makes smart use of his position to perform his killings.
Fritz was active during the disturbing times between wars. He would usually prey on young men and boys during a period filled with crisis and turmoil.
He had a unique way of disposing of the bodies of those he killed. He would cut up the corpses of his victims and sell large chunks of the meat to various restaurants and dump anything remaining out of sight.
Drama
Director:
Michael Landon Jr.
Release Date:
Fri Feb 9 2007
Star Cast:
Louise Fletcher, Henry Thomas, Liana Liberato
Budget:
$2,200,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$388,390
“Eater” is among one of the lesser-known cannibal movies of the last decade. However, its thrilling plot and nerve-wracking air of mystery have given it a glorious spot on our list.
It centres around the fear and havoc caused by a cannibalistic murderer who somehow managed to escape prison. The primary character of this movie is a policeman named Bannerman.
Bannerman is only a rookie cop whose financial condition is nothing to brag about. To make ends meet, he takes the graveyard shift working late at night for the NYPD.
During his late-night shifts, Officer Bannerman constantly feels a devious presence around him. He feels like someone is stalking him.
This was happening around the time when there were ongoing rumours about a notorious cannibal having escaped prison.
AdventureCrimeDrama
Director:
Peter Webber
Release Date:
Fri Feb 9 2007
Star Cast:
Gaspard Ulliel, Rhys Ifans, Gong Li
Budget:
$50,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$82,169,884
Multiple films and adaptations have been made of the famous classical cannibal character called Hannibal Lecter. This film focuses on a certain aspect of Hannibal’s journey.
While he is indeed a cannibal, his hunt for people in this movie has a deeper and greater aim.
Young Hannibal had lost his parents during the notorious Second World War. After losing his parents, he decided to move in with another family member – his beautiful aunt.
However, Hannibal was not planning on living a quiet life at his aunt’s house, he had revenge on his mind.
Hannibal spent his days plotting revenge against the gang of barbaric villains who were responsible for the death of his dear sister.
ComedyHorror
Director:
Herschell Gordon Lewis
Release Date:
Tue Jul 29 2003
Star Cast:
Trey Bosworth, Lavelle Higgins, Mark McLachlan
This movie gives you a good mix of paranormal and gore and is a must-watch for both horror and psycho-thriller fans.
The main plot of the story centres around a man called Fuad. When Fuad returns to Miami, he focuses on re-starting his grandfather’s catering business.
The town sheriff, however, holds a bad opinion regarding Fuad’s family. Nevertheless. Fuad is called to cater for the sheriff’s wedding by the sheriff’s mother-in-law.
However, after coming across the statue of an old Egyptian goddess, Fuad becomes possessed. Instead of preparing a regular meal, he now decides to prepare a blood feast – a feast made out of the flesh of murdered bridesmaids.
Horror
Director:
Joe D'Amato
Release Date:
Fri Oct 9 1981
Star Cast:
Tisa Farrow, Saverio Vallone, Serena Grandi
“Anthropophagus” is a delicious mix of mystery and terror. When a group of tourists decided they wanted to take a boat ride to a particular remote island, none of them could have predicted the horrors that await them there.
Upon reaching the island, the tourist group noticed that most of the residents there were missing. Moreover, they also felt the sinister presence of someone stalking them.
Eventually, their journey leads them to a mysterious diary containing clues regarding the island's disturbing occurrences. The group must decipher the clues and find a way to escape the monster trailing them.
Their stalker is far from an ordinary person but is a disfigured murderer with a taste for the human flesh.
AdventureHorror
Director:
Sergio Martino
Release Date:
Fri Apr 13 1979
Star Cast:
Ursula Andress, Stacy Keach, Claudio Cassinelli
The 70s saw a lot of good Italian cannibal movies. The movie “Slave of the Cannibal God” stood out in its own way even amongst the plethora of cannibal movies released during the time.
The movie features two American actors as its main characters. This is another cannibal movie that focuses on brutalities committed in the wild.
The main plot of the story centres around the disappearance of a certain man and the train of events that it leads to.
A young woman along with her brother decided to fly to New Guinea one day. The cause of this trip was the mysterious disappearance of the woman’s husband.
However, upon further investigation, the siblings uncover a truth far more disturbing than they could have imagined; the woman’s husband had been kidnapped by cannibals.
ComedyHorror
Director:
Ivan Reitman
Star Cast:
Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Ronald Ulrich
“Cannibal Girls” is a classic Canadian horror story that centres around the existence of a cannibalistic urban legend about three women who lure unsuspecting men back to their place to eat them.
The main story of the film focuses on the unfortunate events that take place in the life of a couple who simply wanted to enjoy their honeymoon.
During their honeymoon trip to a remote place, this couple decided to spend a night at a bed and breakfast.
This bed and breakfast is run by a trio of ladies who are not what they seem to be.
As the unsuspecting couple decides to spend a quiet night together, the trio of women plots of having them as their next meal.
Faced with such an abnormal situation, the couple is often found wondering whether they are indeed facing reality or if it’s all a dream.
ActionComedyHorror
Director:
Hark Tsui
Release Date:
Wed Apr 2 1980
Star Cast:
Norman Chu, Eddy Ko, Melvin Wong
“We’re Going to Eat You” is another classic cannibal story filled with thrill and horror. It explores the journey of a secret agent who ends up in a deadly situation unlike any he has experienced before.
The secret agent, with the code 999, was in pursuit of a thief named Rolex. In his pursuit, he ended up following Rolex’s trail to a village.
However, unknown to Agent 999, this was no ordinary village; all the villagers were cannibals. They followed a devious cannibalistic ritual of capturing any wandering visitors and eating them.
Agent 999 almost fell prey to these cannibalistic monsters but was saved in the nick of time by Rolex.
Finally, the agent did manage to escape, and not just by himself, he had a lovely lady by his side too.
CrimeDramaHorror
Director:
Eloy de la Iglesia
Star Cast:
Vicente Parra, Emma Cohen, Eusebio Poncela
The story of this movie focuses on the unfortunate events that occur in the life of a man named Marcos that slowly turns him into a killer.
At the beginning of the movie, we see Marcos as a poor and humble man. He lives deplorably and works at the local slaughterhouse but never seems to complain about the perilous state of his life.
He even has a girlfriend name Paula but their relationship had to be kept secret because Paula’s father wouldn’t approve of him.
One night, while travelling with Paula in a Taxi, Marcos gets into a fight with a taxi driver and kills him; that was his first kill.
Later, when Paula was going to confess the crime to the police, Marcos had to strangle her too so that he could avoid getting arrested.
To hide his crimes, he now had to keep committing multiple murders. However, with the bodies piling up, Marcos must find a smart way to dispose of them.
DramaFantasy
Director:
Marina de Van
Release Date:
Sat Oct 6 2012
Star Cast:
Denis Lavant, Adrien de Van, Rachel Arditi
While we consider cannibalistic films to be more of an adult genre, we forget that children’s fairy tales have spared no horrors.
The story of “Hop-o'-My-Thumb” is quite similar to the tale of “Hansel and Gretel” by the brothers Grimm. The plot of this movie is fantastical and follows a fairy-tale-like structure with all the thrilling horrors of a good cannibal movie.
This story does not have a large adult cast and mainly features children who must find a way to survive in the face of grave danger.
The main character of this story is a young boy named Hop. Hop and his brothers are suddenly abandoned by their parents one day.
Alone and desperate, they take shelter in the cottage of a strange woman. However, it is hardly a safe space.
The woman soon warns them that her husband is a cannibalistic ogre who loves the taste of human flesh.
ComedyHorrorSci-Fi
Director:
Jake West
Release Date:
Fri Jun 12 2009
Star Cast:
Danny Dyer, Noel Clarke, Emil Marwa
Budget:
$4,000,000 (estimated)
Box Office (Worldwide):
$179,836
The movie “Doghouse” is a classic example of the British slapstick comedy genre. It tells the tale of a simple boys’ weekend that went horribly wrong.
One of the main characters, Vince, is very upset over his recent divorce. In order to cheer him up, Vince’s friends plan a boys’ trip to a remote village.
However, upon arriving at this place they notice something strange - there are hardly any women there. They were almost about to leave when they saw a little girl being confronted by a soldier.
One of the guys rushes to the girl’s aid but the girl stabs him instead. Later, the gang discovers that the women of this village have been infected by a strange disease.
The soldier they had met earlier tells them that the women of this village have fallen prey to a deadly biological agent that has turned them into man-hating cannibals.
AdventureHorror
Director:
Ruggero Deodato
Release Date:
Fri Mar 24 1978
Star Cast:
Massimo Foschi, Me Me Lai, Ivan Rassimov
This movie is another rare find that focuses mainly on the cannibalistic tendencies in the wild. However, unlike “The Green Inferno”, the victims of this movie did not end up in the jungle of their own accord.
The tragedy primarily began with a plane crash. One of the survivors of the plane crash finds himself separated from the rest of his group and stranded in the middle of the deadly wild.
He ventures out to find a way out of the jungle. However, in his search for a way out, he is noticed by a dangerous, cannibalistic tribe and captured by them for the sake of consumption.
After he somehow manages to escape the tribe’s clutches, he must venture out into the wild once again. The movie shows his desperate search for his comrades and his crashed plane so that he is finally able to escape the malevolent wild.
DramaFantasyHorror
Director:
Antonio Margheriti
Release Date:
Fri Sep 18 1981
Star Cast:
John Saxon, Elizabeth Turner, Giovanni Lombardo Radice
This particular movie serves both war and gore. It has been somewhat inspired by the classic movie on the Vietnam War called “Apocalypse Now”.
Even though quite ludicrous, this movie quickly became a cult favourite. Just like its name, the movie depicts an apocalyptic situation that is similar to the Zombie apocalypse movies that you might have seen.
The only difference is, instead of zombies, this movie serves Cannibals. It all begins when two war veterans return from war infected by a strange virus.
This virus can turn any walking, breathing man into a cannibal. Just like in the case of zombies, it spreads through bites.
After these 2 return, the streets of Atlanta are engulfed in chaos and mayhem. Bloodthirsty cannibals cause havoc on the streets as the deadly virus continues to spread.
Horror
Director:
Jordan F. Ghanma
Release Date:
Tue Dec 5 2017
Star Cast:
Cynthia Aileen Strahan, Marcus D. Spencer, Julia Heller
Budget:
$368,000 (estimated)
The second part of the “Wrong Turn” series takes place in the wild. It all begins when a group of people decides to participate in a reality show.
The reality show had promised them a handsome cash prize if they are able to brave their environment and win the survival game designed for them.
All the contestants are left alone in the middle of nature. The rules are simple, they had to survive in the wild on their own for a period of one week.
However, hunting for food and water was not their only concern for the group of reality contestants had something far worse to fear than just wild animals.
Turns out they had caught the attention of a group of inbred cannibals who were planning on hunting them down and eating them.
The contestants must find a way to protect themselves from this unforeseen and devious threat to escape alive.