Eaten Alive!: Italian Cannibal and Zombie Movies [Paperback]

Jay Slater (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 21, 2006

From the 1970s to the 1990s, Italian moviemakers produced the goriest exploitation films ever made, using recurring plot devices of cannibalism and putrefied zombie flesh eaters. Eaten Alive! dissects this outrageous period, setting it within its cultural and cinematic context. With an introduction explaining the origins of the gruesome genre, the book charts every bloody step, from the renowned Pasolini, who employed cannibalism as a satirical metaphor, to shocking “documentaries” such as Cannibal Holocaust, an acknowledged influence on The Blair Witch Project. Informed, irreverent contributions from legends of the modern horror scene round out this fascinating book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Plexus Publishing; 2nd edition (February 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 085965379X
• ISBN-13: 978-0859653794
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,381,699 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cannibal Zombie A Go-Go, October 28, 2002

By 

Carlos G. Diaz "losman" (San Antonio, Tx) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eaten Alive!: Italian Cannibal and Zombie Movies (Paperback)

Cannibal and Zombie films are a unique genre in horror film making as both are American influenced yet it took a few inventive and often times plagiaristic Italian producers to push the genres to the extreme. Eaten Alive is a collection of these films with informative reviews by the author Jay Slater. The book explores the early films of Italian directors such as Mario Bava and Jess Franco and how American director George Romero's Dawn of the Dead would influence the magnum opus of the genre Zombie Flesh Eaters. Classic shockers such as Cannibal Holocaust and Cannibal Ferox are included as well as lesser known yet equally gruesome films by Lucio Fulci, Umberto Lenzi and Michele Soavi . Included are exclusive interviews with the directors and actors who brought life to these films as well as hundreds of films stills. The perfect book for those who wish to explore the most extreme of films from the Masters of the Cannibal and Zombie Menace.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's About Time, October 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Eaten Alive!: Italian Cannibal and Zombie Movies (Paperback)

Finally, somewhat of a definitive study on Italian exploitation films. Bravo! This has reviews and sometimes interviews of all the zombie and cannibal films ever made in Italy. I'm a diehard fan of horror, and especially like the Italians ones, that were generally more graphic than their American counterparts. The writers often acknowledge that the films are bad. My favorite actor, Giovanni Lombardo Radice is now ashamed to have been a part of such films and pities their fans. I find it ironic he would pan his only claim to fame. I love how Giovanni hams it up, and the animal cruelty he shuns. That's part of their appeal- they're so wacky and over the top, you can't help but love them. There are many posters from the films to spice it up. I got this for a college project, and it helped out big time. The clerks where I ordered it from noted the gross cover art. Slater and company really outdid themselves with this book. If you're a fan of Italian exploitation, look no further.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like our Living Dead friends munch steaming entrails..., December 28, 2003

By 

Matthew Mclaughlin (locustville) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eaten Alive!: Italian Cannibal and Zombie Movies (Paperback)

...I devoured this book in a single afternoon. The reviews on the 'important' films in the genre are extensive and honest, and while there were a few films that I wish had more coverage, that is just the tiniest gripe when, actually, I am so grateful for all the information that was packed between the covers. The way I see it, there is no way I'll ever be able to track down each of these titles, so being able to read about them - as well as fit them snugly into the history of the genre, regardless of how small their impact might have been - is a wonderful treat.

The classics (The Fulci films especially, and Cannibal Holocaust)each are covered well, and the cross-referencing of films and authors throughout is great, as are the overviews of zombie cinema given at the beginning of the book.

Eaten Alive is for completists and those interested in delving into the strange world of Italian Splatter alike. I highly recommend this. Keep Shambling!