Mondo film

A mondo film (from the Italian word for 'world') is an exploitation documentary film, sometimes resembling a pseudo-documentary, usually depicting sensational topics, scenes, and situations. Common traits of mondo films include emphasis on taboo subjects such as death and sex, portrayals of foreign cultures (which have received subsequent accusations of racism), and staged sequences presented as genuine documentary footage. Over time, the films placed more and more emphasis on footage of the dead and dying, both real and fake. The term "shockumentary" has also been used to describe the genre.

Filmography

Jacopetti & Prosperi

Mondo Cane (1962). Italy.: Director and Screenplay: Gualtiero Jacopetti, Paolo Cavara, Franco E. Prosperi. Music: Riz Ortolani. Uncut run time: 108 minutes. R-rated run time: 85 minutes.
La donna nel mondo (1963). Italy: Director and Screenplay: Franco E. Prosperi, Paolo Cavara, Gualtiero Jacopetti. Music: Riz Ortolani, Nino Oliviero. Uncut run time: 107 minutes.
Mondo Cane 2 (a.k.a. Mondo Pazzo) (1963). Italy.: Director and Screenplay: Franco E. Prosperi, Gualtiero Jacopetti. Music: Nino Oliviero. Uncut run time: 95 minutes. R-rated run time: 76 minutes.
Africa Addio (1966). Italy.: Director and Screenplay: Gualtiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi. Music: Riz Ortolani. Uncut run time: 139 minutes. Unrated English version: 128 minutes. R-rated version: 80 minutes.
Addio Zio Tom (1971). Italy.: Director and Screenplay: Gualtiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi. Music: Riz Ortolani. Uncut run time: 136 minutes. Unrated English version: 123 minutes.

Max Steele

In the late 80s, Stelvio Massi, a.k.a. Max Steele, made two spin offs of the original Mondo Cane series with two more films, which are also known as Mondo Cane 3 and Mondo Cane 4 on various video releases.

Mondo Cane Oggi (a.k.a. Mondo Cane 3) (1986). Italy.: Director and Cinematography: Stelvio Massi (Max Steele). Screenplay: Stelvio Massi. Uncut run time: 78 minutes.
Mondo Cane 2000, l'Incredibile (a.k.a. Mondo Cane 4) (1988). Italy.: Director and Cinematography: Stelvio Massi (Max Steele). Screenplay: G. Crisanti

The Castiglioni Brothers

In 1969, the brothers Angelo and Alfredo Castiglioni began to make a series of their own Mondo films that lasted into the early 80s. They made five films in all, tying Jacopetti and Prosperi as the most prolific Mondo film producers. Each film examines brutal and bizarre behavior on the African continent. Their films are also known for being some of the most graphic Mondo films ever made.

Africa Segreta (a.k.a. Secret Africa) (1969). Italy.: Directors: Angelo Castiglioni, Alfredo Castiglioni. Uncut run time: 103 minutes. Music: Angelo Francesco Lavagnino.
Africa Ama (a.k.a. Africa Uncensored) (1971). Italy.: Directors: Angelo Castiglioni, Alfredo Castiglioni. Music: Angelo Francesco Lavagnino.
Magia Nuda (a.k.a. Mondo Magic) (1975). Italy.: Directors: Angelo Castiglioni, Alfredo Castiglioni. Music: Zacar.
Addio Ultimo Uomo (a.k.a. The Last Savage) (1978). Italy.: Directors: Angelo Castiglioni, Alfredo Castiglioni. Music: Franco Godi.
Africa Dolce e Selvaggia (a.k.a. Shocking Africa) (1982). Italy.: Directors: Angelo Castiglioni, Alfredo Castiglioni. Music: Franco Godi.

The Savage Trilogy

Antonio Climati, cinematographer to Prosperi and Jacopetti in many Mondo films, teamed up with Mario Morra in 1974 to produce their own string of Mondo films, aptly named the "Savage Trilogy". Franco Prosperi also went on to produce these films. Climati and Morra were notorious for staging several scenes of their documentaries.

Ultime grida dalla savana (a.k.a. Savage Man Savage Beast) (1975). Italy.: Director and Screenplay: Antonio Climati, Mario Morra. Music: Carlo Savina. Uncut run time: 94 minutes.
Savana violenta (a.k.a. This Violent World) (1976). Italy.: Director and Screenplay: Antonio Climati, Mario Morra. Music: Guido De Angelis, Maurizio De Angelis.
Dolce e selvaggio (a.k.a. Sweet and Savage) (1983). Italy.: Director and Screenplay: Antonio Climati, Mario Morra. Music: Daniele Patucchi.

John Alan Schwartz

In 1978, Faces of Death popularized a new Mondo style called Death Films, which consisted completely of humans or animals dying in graphic ways.

The Faces of Death Series (1978-1996) (Six parts).: Director and Screenplay: John Alan Schwartz.
The Worst of Faces of Death (1987).: Director and Screenplay: John Alan Schwartz. Compilation video of the first three Faces of Death films.
Faces of Death: Fact or Fiction? (1999).; Director: John Alan Schwartz. Screenplay: John Alan Schwartz, James B. Schwartz. Documentary about the film Faces of Death.

Uwe Schier

Uwe Schier bought the rights to the Mondo Cane and Faces of Death titles and released his own entries in both series, consisting largely of footage lifted from other mondo films: Faces of Death 5 draws heavily on Death Scenes; Faces of Death 6 consists almost entirely of Days of Fury; and Mondo Cane IV (not to be confused with Mondo Cane 2000, l'Incredibile, Schier's Mondo Cane IV is in fact the fifth film in the series) lifts from films including Death Scenes and Death Faces IV. In 1993, Hurricane Pictures edited a mix of scenes featured in Addio ultimo uomo and Shocking Africa, labeling it fifth chapter of the saga (teil V in German language).

Mondo Cane IV (1992). Germany.
Mondo Cane teil V (a.k.a. Mondo Cane 5) (1993). Germany.: Producer: Uwe Schier and Gian Carlo Rossi.
Faces of Death 5 (1995). Germany.
Faces of Death 6 (1996). Germany.

Faces of Death imitators

Several imitators followed the Faces of Death series, and many used (or were composed entirely of) footage from other mondo films.

Banned From Television (1998) (Three Parts).: Director: Joe Francis. Music: APM Music. Released in the USA by Mantra Films, Inc.. Currently banned in the United Kingdom by the BBFC for portraying real death as entertainment. Compilation video of both, real deaths caught on camera, or people who barely survive.
The Traces of Death Series (1993-2000) (Five Parts).: Director and Screenplay: Damon Fox.
The Faces of Gore Series (1999-2000) (Three Parts).: Director and Screenplay: Todd Tjersland.
The Best of Faces of Gore (2000).: Director and Screenplay: Todd Tjersland. Compilation video of the Faces of Gore series.

Others

Mondo Nudo (1963). Italy.: Director: Francesco De Feo. Screenplay: Gian Carlo Fusco, Giuseppe Marotta. Music: Teo Usuelli.
Il Pelo nel Mondo (1964). Italy.: Director and Screenplay: Antonio Margheriti, Marco Vicario. Music: Bruno Nicolai, Nino Oliviero. (released in the USA by ABC Films as Go, Go, Go World!)
Kwaheri: Vanishing Africa (1964). USA.; Directors: Thor L. Brooks, Byron Chudnow. Screenplay: Michael Vittes. Music: Byron Ross.
I Malamondo (1964). Italy.: Director: Paolo Cavara. Screenplay: Guido Castaldo, Paolo Cavara, Ugo Gregoretti, Francesco Torti. Music: Ennio Morricone.
Le Schiave Esistono Ancora (a.k.a. Slave Trade in the World Today) (1964). Italy.: Directors: Maleno Malenotti, Roberto Malenotti, Folco Quilici. Screenplay: Baccio Bandini, Gianfranco Calderoni, Roberto Malenotti. Music: Teo Usuelli.
Mondo Balordo (1964). Italy.: Director: Roberto Bianchi Montero. Screenplay: Guido Castaldo Francesco Torti. Music: Coriolano Gori, Nino Rosso.
Mondo Topless (1966). USA.: Director: Russ Meyer. Music: The Aladdins.
Mondo Freudo (1966). USA.: Director: Lee Frost. Music: Rodney Lee Bermingham, The Duvals, Chuck Morgan, Bill Wild.
Mondo Bizarro (1966). USA.: Director and Screenplay: Lee Frost. Music: Lawrence Von Lattman.
Sweden: Heaven and Hell (1968). Italy.; Director: Luigi Scattini.
Mondo Trasho (1969). USA.: Director and Screenplay: John Waters.
Shocking Asia (1974). West Germany.: Director: Rolf Olsen. Screenplay: Rolf Olsen, Ingeborg Stein Steinbach. Uncut run time: 94 minutes.
Notti Porno nel Mondo (a.k.a. Mondo Erotica) (1977). Italy.: Director and Screenplay: Bruno Mattei. Music: Gianni Marchetti.
This Is America (a.k.a. Crazy Ridiculous American People {UK}, a.k.a. Jabberwalk) (1977) USA.: Directed by Romano Vanderbes.
This Is America - Part 2 (1977) USA.: Directed by Romano Vanderbes.
Brutes and Savages (1978). USA.: Director: Arthur Davis. Screenplay: Jenny Craven. Music: Riz Ortolani.
Mr. Mike's Mondo Video (1979). USA.: Director: Michael O'Donoghue.
Des Morts (a.k.a. Of the Dead) (1981).: Director and Screenplay: Jean-Pol Ferbus, Dominique Garny, Thierry Zéno. Music: Alain Pierre. Uncut run time: 105 minutes.
The Killing of America (a.k.a. Violence USA {Japan}) (1982). USA.: Director: Sheldon Renan, Leonard Schrader. Screenplay: Chieko Schrader, Leonard Schrader. Music: W. Michael Lewis, Mark Lindsay. Uncut run time: 90 minutes.
Mondo New York (1988) USA.: Director: Harvey Keith. Screenplay: Harvey Keith and David Silver. Uncut run time: 83 minutes.
Mondo Ford (2001) USA.: Director: Scott Calonico/Ricardo Fratelli. Screenplay: Scott Calonico/Ricardo Fratelli. Uncut run time: 7 minutes.
Mondo Sexxxx: The Terry Kobrah Story (2011). USA.; Director: Logan Myers.
Made in Italy (2012). Italy.: Director: Jephta.

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