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Ultime grida dalla savana, also known in English as "Savage Man Savage Beast" or "Last Screams from the Savanna," is a controversial and provocative Italian mondo documentary that was released in 1975. The film is part of the mondo genre, which is a subgenre of exploitation documentaries that emerged in the 1960s and were characterized by their sensationalized portrayal of various topics such as death, rituals, and culture, often with an emphasis on the shocking or taboo.

The documentary was directed by Antonio Climati and Mario Morra, who are known for their work in the mondo genre. Narrated by Giuseppe Rinaldi in the Italian version, the film promises to take viewers on a journey across several continents to showcase the brutality and beauty of nature, as well as the interface between humans and the animal kingdom. Ultime grida dalla savana is particularly noted for its unflinching gaze at the raw and violent aspects of survival in the wild, as well as the cultural practices of various indigenous tribes and peoples.

The film's structure can be described as episodic, with a series of vignettes or segments that display a wide variety of content, from depictions of animal hunts and predator-prey dynamics to human rituals and encounters with wildlife. It is worth noting that Pit Dernitz only appears in one segment of the film, and Ilona Staller (better known as Cicciolina) is also featured in a minor role. Their involvement, while notable, does not represent the core of the documentary's focus. Instead, the documentary relies on its observational approach to put together a mosaic of life in different wild and human environments.

One of the key characteristics of mondo films, including Ultime grida dalla savana, is the way they often blur the lines between staged scenes, reality, and cultural representation, leading to ethical questions about the authenticity of what is being depicted. The filmmakers, in their pursuit of sensational content, may incorporate graphic material that is intended to elicit strong reactions from their audience. This includes violent confrontations between animals, animal attacks on humans, and indigenous rituals that are shown in a raw and sometimes uncontextualized manner.

The documentary is provocative by design, with scenes capturing the unscripted hazards in the natural world alongside moments that depict the customs and lifestyles of various people in their native environments. These moments are captured with a voyeuristic lens, pushing the boundaries of what audiences consider acceptable in documentary filmmaking. The film serves as a grim reminder of the perils that both humans and animals face in their struggles for survival and dominance.

The graphic nature of certain scenes in Ultime grida dalla savana makes it a subject of controversy and ethical debate. Some viewers and critics consider it exploitative, arguing that it sensationalizes violence and cultural practices for the sake of entertainment. This kind of shock value documentary often faces criticisms for lacking scientific rigor or cultural sensitivity, as the filmmakers prioritize spectacle over education or cultural understanding.

In addition to the challenging content, the movie's aesthetic is marked by its 1970s documentary style, which includes grainy film stock, natural lighting, and a reliance on hand-held camera work to create a sense of immediacy and immersion. This technique was designed to engender a feeling of being up close and personal with the subjects, whether animal or human, stoking a perception of authenticity and rawness for viewers.

Despite the controversy surrounding it, Ultime grida dalla savana has had an undeniable impact on the mondo genre and on documentary filmmaking as a whole. The questions it raised about ethics in the portrayal of violence and exploitation remain relevant discussions in contemporary media critique. It serves as an example of how documentaries can influence, shock, and engage audiences, but also how they can perpetuate harmful stereotypes or disrespect the subjects they purport to document.

For viewers interested in cinema history and the development of the mondo style, Ultime grida dalla savana stands as a salient and controversial example. It is important for potential viewers to be aware of the intense and often distressing content that this type of film presents. It reflects an era of filmmaking where the pursuit of the extreme often overshadowed concerns about the well-being of subjects and the ethics of representation. Ultime grida dalla savana ultimately remains a significant, though highly contentious, piece of the documentary film landscape.