Around the mid-way point in Bones and All, Timothée Chalamet’s Lee spells out the limited options that lie in front of his lover Maren (Taylor Russell). They can either lock themselves away, commit suicide, or continue eating people. Even though Maren and Lee are “eaters” who were born to consume human flesh, they still struggle with the prospect of cannibalism, one of the ultimate societal taboos. The film defies the expectations of what a cannibal road movie would be: in between all the severed limbs and grotesque ropes of human hair, there’s an exquisite love story between Maren and Lee, one that Luca Guadagino makes impossibly gorgeous against sun-lit valleys and strangely romantic abattoirs.
While no other film has been so unapologetically loving towards flesh-eating, the cannibal genre is filled with delightfully twisted logic, spectacular gore and a surprising amount of nuanced satire. For those whose appetite hasn’t quite been sated by Bones and All, here are seven more delectable cinematic treats.
1. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
A notably distinguishing element of Cannibal Holocaust as a cannibal film is that cannibalism is the least gross thing about it. The infamous movie became a cause célèbre at the height of the video nasty panic, was so convincing its director appeared in court to prove he hadn’t murdered the actors, and effectively kicked off the entire found-footage sub-genre. It follows a documentary film crew going to the Amazon rainforest to make a film about two warring cannibal tribes, but ending up far more monstrous than their subjects. They rape, pillage and devour their way through the rainforest, hacking apart live animals before meeting an untimely end. As Cannibal Holocaust reminds us, devouring human flesh is bad, but imperialism is probably worse.
2. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
“I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti,” may be a terrifying line, but it’s also a strangely appetising one. Part of Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter’s appeal is that you can be sure he could wine-pair the hell out of any autopsy. In Jonathan Demme’s Oscar-winner, the unrepentant psychopath takes a shine to young FBI agent Clarisse Starling, coming to admire her within the twisted ethical code that extends to who he sees fit to devour. His chosen victims have sinned in different ways – from untalented flautists to corrupt bureaucrats – but unlike other big screen cannibals, Lecter is unique in that it feels like if you sat down to dine with him, the meal could earn a Michelin star.
3. Raw (2016)
Horror aficionados were chomping at the bit when word got out that festivalgoers were fainting and throwing up throughout early screenings of Julie Ducournau’s feature debut. Telling the story of a vegetarian starting a veterinarian degree, our young heroine’s desire for human flesh becomes increasingly impossible for her to ignore. It’s a coming-of-age narrative brimming with blood, bone and sinew, brutally carved out of the bodies of the unwilling. While its audience may need smelling salts to recover from the experience of it, the film is so artful and strikingly composed, it’s no surprise that its director would soon go on to become a Palme D’Or winner.
4. Soylent Green (1973)
Some films are remembered for a single line, and what better example is there than: “SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!” This is screamed by Chalton Heston’s rugged detective after he discovers that the nutritional wafers that the population has been living off of are being made from euthanized bodies. Beyond that killer line, Richard Fleischer’s 1973 dystopia has disillusioned masses facing global warming, mass poverty, overpopulation, dying oceans and fast-depleting resources… So, y’know. It aged well.
5. Dumplings (2004)
In a world where you can get botulinum pumped directly into your face at a shopping mall kiosk, the idea of an aging actress devouring foetus-filled dumplings to dial back the clock isn’t too far a stretch. The subjects of Fruit Chan’s 2004 film eat food cooked with aborted remains in order to retain their good looks, but the situation is made somewhat more sympathetic by the patriarchal bullshit that is forcing them into that position. As disgusting as the dumplings are, Chan also presents them as glimmering jewels, which further adds to the sense that this version of Hong Kong – along with its beautiful inhabitants – is rotting beneath an alluring artifice.
6. Delicatessen (1991)
In every visit to the butcher, there is an element of trust. Even the most seasoned foodie cannot be 100% sure of what they are chewing in fleshy slices of bratwurst or contained in a pound of mince. So given the post-apocalyptic France setting of Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s black comedy, it’s unsurprising that the worst-case scenario goes beyond accidentally eating a ground-up snout or hoof. The film is zany fun as well as utterly grotesque, and for those who may be looking for one last nudge towards vegetarianism, it provides an invaluable service.
7. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
While at its core it is a simple but violent tale of revenge set in an upmarket French restaurant, director Peter Greenaway elevates The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover to something quite spectacular, with Helen Mirren and Michael Gambon leading the charge. From the Jean Paul Gautier-designed costumes to the colour palette that shifts from room to room, it’s hard not to want to make a reservation at La Hollandaise, even if they are serving up whole roasted human bodies.