Eaten Alive! (1980)

AKA: Mangiati Vivi!, Eaten Alive by the Cannibals!, Doomed to Die, The Emerald Jungle
Year: 1980
Directed by: Umberto Lenzi
Starring: Janet Agren (Sheila), Robert Kerman (Mark), Ivan Rassimov (Jonas), Me Me Lai (Mowara), Paola Senatore (Diana)
Country: Italy, European Cinema
Language: Italian
Runtime: 01:32:27
Genres: Cannibalism, Violence against Men, Rape-Sexual-Violence against Women, Gore-Gruesome-Splatter, Violence Against Animals, Cult

Plot – Spoilers:
Sheila, a Swedish blonde speaking Italian and from Alabama is summoned by a bunch of Italian-speaking NY cops to help them understand what became of her sister Diana who went missing six months back. An Asian-looking man was seen murdering a few men in NY and the cops feel Diana is linked. She was last known to have been part of a ‘back to nature’ cult led by a junkie-turned-godman, Jonas (roughly based on Jim Jones).

Not much is known of Sheila herself, except that her father owned a cotton mill and that she was depressed until recently. She’s full of vigour now however, and sets out boldly into New Guinea where her initial investigation suggests Diana might be. Along the way she hires a Vietnam veteran whose Rambo skills will be useful in combating the cannibals that infest the jungles there.

Eaten Alive has some glaring plot holes, but this isn’t a movie you watch for the story. The cannibal stuff is decent as can be expected from Lenzi, the man who kickstarted the genre. The cult angle which dominates, also gives the the cannibal excesses some respite.