The Territory (Portuguese: O Território) is a 1981 Portuguese philosophical horror film directed by Chilean filmmaker Raúl Ruiz about two American families who resort to cannibalism shortly after getting lost on a camping trip in the South of France. The film, about the animalistic nature of humans when they disregard their "civilized" instincts, obliquely addresses themes of "exile and crossing boundaries: of language, nation and morality".[1]
Cast
- Isabelle Weingarten as Françoise, Jim's partner
- Rebecca Pauly as Barbara, Peter's partner
- Geoffrey Carey as Peter, Barbara's partner
- Jeffrey Kime as Jim, Françoise's partner
- Paul Getty Jr. as Guide, uncle to Linda's daughter
- Shila Turna as Linda
- Artur Semedo as Indefinite man
- Camila Mora as Young girl
- Ethan Stone as Young boy, Françoise's son
- José Nascimento as Prawler
- Duarte de Almeida as an Indefinite man's friend, was found in the territory as a man lost for much longer than them
- Rita Nascimento as Linda's daughter
Production
The circumstances in which the film was produced, and the extent of Corman's involvement, are somewhat mysterious, co-writer Adair claiming that the film was made under "hair-raising conditions" in Sintra. The production's budgetary difficulties inspired New German Cinema director Wim Wenders to make the Golden Lion-winning The State of Things (1982) with much of the same cast and crew.[2]
Reception
Stephen Holden from The New York Times called it "an odd little art film that has the feel of a European version of an episode of The Twilight Zone."[1] Dennis Schwartz of Ozus' World Movie Reviews awarded the film a grade B+, calling it "Deliciously subversive".[3]
References
- ^ a b "Movie Review - - Review/Film; Having Mother For Dinner". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ^ Goddard, Michael (2013). The Cinema of Raúl Ruiz: Impossible Cartogrophies. Wallflower Press. p. 65.
- ^ Schwartz, Dennis. "The Territory". Sover.net. Dennis Schwartz. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
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