American Cannibal (2006) User Reviews

hmmm

[krichardson-6 · 5/10 · 3 March 2008]

MOCKUMENTARY After watching it, I realized I'd been "had" Still worth seeing... once

Try to locate the two "authors" of the 'documentary'... no can do

Some very funny lines here and there, and "KB" talking about his labia film... wonderfully sleazy.

Ending a tad camp. No, check that. Very camp.

By that time you start realizing ... wondering.. did I just get spoofed?? Is this serious? Is it a gag?

And, that's the point.

So, like I said, worth seeing... once.

reality TV documentary

[girlpuny · 1/10 · 1 September 2006]

Helllllooooo Reality TV Fans! Now is the time to transfer your interest to a reality TV documentary that explores absolutely nothing! That's right, American Cannibal is an ninety- something minute film that chases its tail in hopes of actually revealing something about human obsession, but only achieves to reveal something about how the directors relied too much on someone else's opinion to create a story that never comes through. The craft of the film is so poor that the audience has to tread through forty minutes of muck before getting to what the story could have been. And when we arrive to the story, it's barely introduced and buried somewhere in footage left on the cutting-room floor. Yeap, there's a story in there somewhere, but certainly not in the film. I sincerely applaud the filmmakers for attempting to find the story and sticking with what was obviously difficult circumstances. And it's incredible to see some of the footage they captured, but the story is so poorly constructed that one wonders why they spent so many year filming this event instead of organizing a structured story. As the film currently stands, it nothing more than spectacle.

Aren't Mockumentaries Supposed to be Funny?

[MiturBinesderti · 1/10 · 7 January 2009]

I really don't think it's a spoiler to tell you this is a fake documentary; it's painfully obvious in the very first lines of the horribly acted script.

This movie reminds me of people like Kim Wayans, people who can't sing but thinks they can so they do parodies of actual artists. These people are unable to create original content themselves so attempt to do satirical humor but they just aren't funny. That perfectly describes the creators of this abysmal mess.

Skip this and go watch a good mockumentary like 'Best of Show' or the hilarious classic 'Waiting for Guffman.'

Teaser Trailers and Plugs Pan Out to Be 87 Minutes of Wasted Time

[sandliver · 1/10 · 14 January 2008]

I will try not to do what this movie just did to me ... waste much of your time ... but unlike most of the other comments that I have read here on IMDb, I did NOT see this film at Tribeca. I just watched the highly anticipated premiere on SHOWTIME. After seeing the trailers and adverts, I just HAD to watch this, being a "closet fan" of reality TV. I COULD NOT WAIT! My anticipation soon turned into ...

Frustration ... Now that I have seen it ... TRUST ME, take my word for it, this STINKER will steal 87 minutes of your life that you will never get back. The movie is NOTHING what the trailers fool you into thinking you will see! Actually, you will not believe what you do end up experiencing ... I PROMISE ... things such as, but not limited to:

(Potential Spoilers follow ...)

a) Watching a girl get completely naked with her tampon string flopping around like a white tail! (Tampon Island?) b) Enduring the lisping, or other speech impediment, of one of the narrators / main characters c) Men crying like school girls (pathetic) d) More disingenuous ass kissing that could ever come natural e) So much contrived BS even my Grandma would not believe it all! f) And on, and on, and on ...

Fact or Fiction? You Decide

[Buddy-51 · 7/10 · 3 January 2008]

In "Network," his frighteningly prescient satire from 1976, writer Paddy Chayefsky only half-jokingly envisioned a day, in the then-not-too-distant future, when some innovative producer, knowing exactly what kind of programming the viewing public wanted to see, would create a series in which each week a different person would be assassinated on live TV - all to boffo ratings. Well, thirty-some-odd-years later, that day may have finally arrived, at least if "American Cannibal: The Road to Reality" is to be believed. This is a documentary that appears on the surface to be "straight" but which, one can only hope (and one frankly suspects), is actually a put-on. And if the movie ISN'T a put-on, then society may be more far gone than even the most pessimistic social critics have hitherto allowed themselves to imagine.

Nowhere in the movie do the filmmakers tip their hat as to whether this is a "real" documentary or simply a cleverly disguised facsimile of one. Each viewer is left to make that determination for himself. The film certainly SEEMS real as directors Perry Grebin and Michael Nigro initially set out to follow two struggling writers, Gil Ripley and Dave Roberts, as they pitch their ideas for "reality shows" to various producers on both coasts. Almost as a joke, one of the writers throws out the concept of a "Survivor"-type scenario in which a group of people are placed on an island where they are deprived of all food and, for all practical purposes, starved to death. And, oh yes, that island is the one place on the planet where cannibalism is reportedly still legal (one of the more far-fetched propositions that suggests that this may perhaps be tongue-in-cheek). It is this pitch that ultimately gets "green-lighted" by a producer, and much of the movie is devoted to showing just how a show like "The Ultimate Ultimate Challenge" travels the route from concept to completion (though, of course, in this case, the series never quite made it to the final stages).

A great deal of debate has arisen over whether those who made "American Cannibal" are documenting true events or whether they are just very effectively jerking our collective chain. Regardless of which of those two possibilities is the "truth," the movie makes some valid points about just how far viewers may be willing to go in their pursuit of entertainment. The movie also makes us question whether Ripley and Roberts - and those like them - are actually "pimps" or "whores" in their stop-at-nothing quest for the almighty buck. Grebin and Nigro interview many key players in the world of entertainment, and unless they are all in on the joke or are great actors in their own right, one begins to wonder if maybe this whole thing might just possibly be on the up-and-up after all. And if it isn't - if it really is all just an elaborate put-on - then the filmmakers may, in fact, be using their movie to dramatize just how fine the line is separating the world of fiction from the world of fact, even on so-called "Reality TV." In other words, their own movie may be both the "ultimate" reality show product and a stinging indictment of reality entertainment at one and the same time. Is this truly a case of the medium being the message? Either way, the movie is fun to watch and provides, at the very least, an acerbic insider's glimpse into how ideas are pitched and hit shows are born.

"American Cannibal" will fascinate some and frustrate others, but regardless of your response to it, you will have to admit that this is that rare movie where "truth" is pretty much left to the eye-of-the-beholder.

Just don't take it personally if you ultimately find that you've been made the butt of some colossal joke.

Douchetastic and FAKE

[13Funbags · 1/10 · 26 October 2019]

I have been tricked into watching a lot of fake documentaries lately and this was by far the worst. One of the stars is a lisping crybaby and by 20 minutes in I completely hated him. The other star was just boring and the actress that played his wife was old enough to be his mom. Don't waste your time on this.

I love how this was made. I love this film

[beavervendetta · 10/10 · 20 January 2008]

man-o-man --- I wish I could swear here because my brain is spinning. Why haven't people rallied around this? Why haven't more critics been vocal about this? Kurt Loder names it best Doc of 2007 (I agree) and Kurt Loder is probably the only good thing left at MTV. But It really is something special and after reading about it it makes it more amazing to me. This movie was steered by the camera, by the writers, the so called guinea pigs of the film. Finally a movie that calls into question everything wrong with documentaries and entertainment and news and the hyper tech we're being buried by. Rent this film. It's like a meta-meta-meta film wrapped up in a performance art piece that no one knew they were apart of. I've never seen anything like it. Really. Period. The end.

One of the best films I've seen in recent years...

[ceesmithline · 9/10 · 19 June 2006]

Of the 12 films I saw at The Provincetown Film Festival (known for always having a strong slate of gay and lesbian films) American Cannibal (neither gay nor lesbian) was without question the most cutting edge, the most provocative and the best money I spent at the festival.

The film focuses on two writers who get caught up in pitching a reality TV show to the pornographer who is behind the Paris Hilton Sex tape... The writers are so lovable and so human and, like many of us, have to take a job for the money. The consequences are sad and shocking.

It's been five days since I saw it in our tiny little p-town theater and I cannot stop thinking about it. Like great works of art this film has stayed with me, this film inspired me, this film is one that I've been telling everyone about. Fabulous entertainment. It plays as a historical document of what is going on in popular entertainment. American Cannibal... We are eating ourselves to be entertained.

I totally get it

[JeniferFingerfoods · 9/10 · 21 September 2007]

I think this move is terribly smart and actually it is very brave. A documentary about how fake "reality" is... So is this movie real? Is it fake? I believe that's the point. Utterly clever. And if Kevin Blatt is made up, then whoever created that character should either win an Oscar or be place in an insane asylum. He is unbelievable, in a good, entertaining and disgusting way. After watching the movie, we listened to much of the DVD commentary and it is fascinating... Yes, the directors set much of the events in motion but let it play itself out -- and they admit to the fact that they bent and twisted some of the scenes. Everyone knows Michael Moore does it, he's been sued over it, but has he ever admitted it? I did read a review that called the movie a Blair Witch type of film. American Cannibal is too clever. However i wonder if this calling into question and shining the light on truth in documentaries or truth in reality shows? Maybe both. I really don't know but fantastic.

This movie stayed with me

[matt-2004 · 10/10 · 21 May 2006]

I saw this movie at a screening during the Tribeca Film Festival. A couple of people had recommended I check it out, and since I enjoy docs I thought this was a good one to try out at the festival. I was not disappointed. The movie was well done and compelling. The Kevin Blatt character ate up the screen, and while I didn't really feel that bad for the two writers breaking up, I couldn't take my eyes off the uncomfortable scenes these guys were wrapped up in.

The Paris Hilton bombshell didn't mean much to me, since everyone already knew that she made money off the video and helped it get distributed, but it was still interesting to finally have someone talk about it on camera.

My big question from this was what is the f&^%in deal with the girl - I thought I saw something in the movie that others I was with didn't see, so i'm curious to see if this gets distributed and gets anymore exposure - then what comes of that girl's injury and her story?

Entertaining and important!

[meiame · 10/10 · 23 May 2006]

Entertaining and important! American Cannibal is a very entertaining movie. You laugh almost the entire time. When you don't laugh – you think and that makes American Cannibal important. The questions of ethics and limits, dubious aesthetics and moral extrusion are raised in a way that allows the audience to reflect on the greatest societal dilemmas while having fun.

American Cannibal voices what everyone is thinking and only few are talking about. Yet, for those who prefer not to talk or even hear the message, it offers an amusing display of entertaining characters and a captivating story line.

So ENJOY!

Edgy and Engaging

[daniel-alterego · 10/10 · 23 May 2006]

I got a chance to check out 'American Cannibal' at Tribeca, and was truly blown away. The film is a wild ride through the creative process of two writers forced to choose between artistic integrity and the ever-alluring charms of 'success' and all its pitfalls.

The documentary follows Gil Ripley and Dave Roberts, two hungry young TV writers who face their first encounter with the harsh realities of the business after a sitcom pilot they wrote is rejected by the networks. This failure sends them into a whirlwind of desperate pitching as they try to find a home for their new project: reality television. Through a series of hysterical pitches, their voyage takes them all the way from IFC to the seedy porn underworld of immorality czar Kevin Blatt (promoter of the infamous Paris Hilton sex tapes).

What follows is pure tragedy as the viewer has a ringside seat to the disaster of reality television. The laughs are continuous, as the two scribes are rooted in comedy writing and their real life back-and-forth exchanges blow away any scripted Hollywood buddy movie. Another stand-out is Kevin Blatt, the larger-than-life 'accidental pornographer' that serves as a major supporting character in the story. Blatt's presence (like many of the events the film captures) seems like a lucky accident for the filmmakers; from his first appearance onwards, his immorality is magnetic and his rants inspired. (I heard a fellow movie-goer describe him as the 'Tony Soprano of Porn.' Dead on.)

'American Cannibal' is brilliantly edited, sprinkled with morsels of cynicism from reality TV insiders. Viewers will be aghast at the behind-the-scenes grit of the industry, while simultaneously gripped by the personal arc of the two protagonists. I highly recommend this film and believe it stands as a prime example of edgy and engaging documentary film-making, maintaining a delicate balance between the sleazy, cut-throat spectacle of reality television and the endearing conflict of two writers just trying to get a break.

An interesting inside look into Reality TV

[lad263 · 10/10 · 20 June 2006]

This documentary was definitely one that held my attention from the beginning to the end. There was a good balance of intense and comic moments to hold my interest. The people featured in the doc were also a good choice since I found the chemistry between the two writers very entertaining and then there is Kevin Blatt who you love to hate. American Cannibal is a revealing look into our Reality Television obsessed culture and just how far some people are willing to go for their fifteen minutes of fame. It is great for people who watch reality television but also has value for those who have never tuned into an episode of survivor. The events and points made by this documentary are ones that are not easily forgotten.

Exceptionally Poignant Documentary Makes Social Commentary on Reality (via Reality TV)

[warren-153 · 10/10 · 22 May 2006]

Saw the film at Tribeca. I give it a flat 10, as it gave me everything I want from a documentary: well shot, interesting, provocative, and truly stimulating. It is a rather searing look into reality, by way of reality TV. The film follows two writers as they pitch show ideas to producers; first pitching narrative work and then starting to pitch reality TV show ideas, the writers face lots of rejection. The tide turns when they meet Kevin Blatt, a cartoonish and entertaining personality (albeit jaded and gritty), whose previous work includes promoting porn productions and most famously, launching the Paris Hilton sex tape. He becomes interested in one of their ideas, is capable of funding the venture – and in a snap, the writers are gearing up to actually create the show they envisioned. I won't provide too much detail about the rest, as it may begin to approach "spoiler" level – but with a title like American Cannibal, you might imagine. Some broad strokes – the show is billed to out-sensationalize everything before it, out-challenge its contestants, and generally just blast all perceptions of morality and motivation in popular culture. It does move forward indeed, and the characters and circumstances blend to create a scene somewhat unlike anything we have ever seen. The film is ABOUT the writers and their journey to get budget and to make a show. But what the documentary accomplishes is something much larger – it makes an extensively evidenced case for the hyper-competitive and sensationalist nature of reality TV. It documents the origin of the ideas, gives glimpse to the support that makes it possible, and demonstrates the level to which reality TV has arrived – where contestants will do just about anything for their 15 minutes of fame, and audiences will hunger for more, and generally, the more extreme, the deeper the hunger. I came away from this film feeling shocked, and feeling pensive. The movie probably stimulates more questions about popular society than it answers, but then, that is just the nature of reality.

Entertaining and provocative doc...

[robert-1111 · 10/10 · 23 May 2006]

I saw the film at Tribeca on recommendation of a friend. Good recommendation! I love the documentary space, and like many I'm sure often find truth stranger than fiction.

The film documents the journey of two writers in their effort to find work and to bring their ideas to the big (or little) screen. The documentary changes directions multiple times - it seems impossible to imagine that the filmmakers could have ever guessed the path these writers might take, or how it would unfold. A dynamic pitching duo, the two find opportunity in the interest of one Kevin Blatt, a porn promoter. Blatt becomes interested in one of their ideas, a rather off-color, semi-sexual reality TV show. In a quick twist of fate, his interest moves focus to another idea - one the writers had pitched maybe more as a joke. It is so radical in form and function (or even unimaginable), the writers are a bit taken back themselves, not sure they even WANT to pursue such an endeavor.

But it is work - and it is provocative work. And so the production ramps up, gets funded, and begins to form. A cast of colorful characters are involved: Kevin Blatt, with his impossible-to-deny underworld charisma, Gil and Dave, the writers, with their own emotional charged, thoughtful, excited, exhausted personalities. The segment producer of the pilot, Myles, a memorable and somewhat robust, verbose, and off-the-wall existence (maybe typical for segment producers), George Gray, well-known for his work on the weakest link, being his standard high energy reality TV show host self; Neil DeGroot, acting as director of the pilot, traveling along his own emotional roller-coaster alongside the production; and finally, the cast of characters - those who audition for the show and those who are chosen - who run the gamut for Survivor-esquire reality TV contestants, and are wild and wacky and motivated and willing to do ANYTHING to get on TV.

What transpires within this melting pot of characters, set within the context of a reality TV pilot that is so unbelievable it will make you do a triple-take, is, at minimum, entertaining, interesting. But I guess what makes this doc rank highly for me is that it is IMPORTANT. Seeing producer after producer comment on the nature of reality TV, and then watching this pilot go from idea on a napkin to production on a faraway island - poses vivid questions concerning how far popular culture has come, and to what point reality TV (being a symptom of popular culture?) has arrived - and to what point it may go still in the future.

I highly recommend the film. It is well-executed, and certainly full of comedy, and so is entertaining on its own. But you may find yourself leaving the theater thinking long and hard too. Making you laugh and think at the same time is kinda hard, and this doc definitely does both.

Changing my vote! Journos are idiots.

[bobbistig · 10/10 · 20 June 2006]

What rumors of staging? The filmmakers have been up front on this from the get-go, from their Q&As (I saw them at the P-town Film Fest) and even on their website! I have now seen the new cut and then discussed it with them -- I think their message is stronger than ever. This could be the ballsiest (is that a word?) movie I have seen in a long time. So to say that rumors are floating around, you moron journos, essentially proves one of the salient points of their movie (You cannot trust what is reported because journos are only looking for an angle, the twist, just the same as TV). In all their press, in all their interviews (that I've read anyway, and its available on their site! you idiot-moron-jerks who are too lazy to do their homework) The directors discuss ALL aspects of turning real life into entertainment... AND THATS THE POINT OF THE MOVIE! My god! No wonder journalism is in such a state of b.s.-ing all the time. I have become such a champion of this film and what it has to say about truth in entertainment, truth in documentaries, truth in news that I have given this very important film a 10 out of 10. Broundbreaking, I think.

I have never seen a movie like this!

[cyberninja85 · 10/10 · 27 March 2007]

I have never, ever seen a movie like this! Ever. What these guys did is absolutely amazing. I sat dumbfounded as I listened to them talk about how they manipulated certain events, how they completely let the camera dictate the narrative. Is this groundbreaking? I mean, I don't know of ANY other film that has attempted this: using real people as basically their Guinea pigs in a social experiment that took them three years! Wow. My brain might explode and I want to see this again. If you look at Blair witch, as they said, it's fake people doing fake things, American Cannnibal is Real People doing Real Things. BRAVO! TO THE MOST ORIGINAL FILM I THINK I HAVE EVER SEEN. PERIOD. END OF STORY.

DISPOSABLE CELEBRITIES

[nogodnomasters · 8/10 · 11 December 2018]

The movie takes the form of a documentary. It is done so well I couldn't tell if it was a real documentary or a mockumentary. The film is about two sit-com writers who are out of work. So during the interim they decide to ride the wave of reality shows. They attempt to sell various ideas to various networks. The movie is laced with actual interviews of various creators and producers who give you their real view on reality shows.

A few things stuck in my mind. One is that the shows are looking for people who are a bit crazy or criminal, i.e. interesting and daring. They consider them disposable celebrities. The filming crew hangs out with the cast about a week prior to shooting to make the cast feel comfortable and trusting so they can be used or abused. The writers of the show are not credited as writers because reality shows can't have writers. Rather they are credited as associate producers.

The effort to find a sponsor was about 10 minutes too long. I was waiting for the production. Then the production turned out to be a bit lame. You really didn't see anything exciting from the supposed reality show.

Contains the F-bomb and one really bad full nude scene where the naked girl still has a visible string coming out of her privates.