Sweet and savage: the world through the shockumentary film lens

Abstract

The first ever English-language title devoted exclusively to the shocking, controversial and influential mondo documentary film cycle.

"The Mondo Cane films were an important key to what was going on in the media landscape of the 1960s especially post the JFK assassination." J.G BALLARD

Mondo Cane in 1962 was the blueprint for a shocking, controversial and influential documentary film cycle. Known collectively as 'mondo films' - or 'shockumentaries'" -this enduring series of films is a precursor of the Reality-TV show.

A box-office draw for three decades and now a staple of the video rental market, these explosive 'exposés' would often pass fabricated scenes as fact in order to gave the public a sensationalist, highly emotive view of the world.

SWEET & SAVAGE is the first ever English-language book devoted exclusively to the Mondo documentary film. A study of Mondo as a global film phenomenon, it includes a detailed examination of the key films and includes exclusive interviews with the 'godfathers' of this cult genre.

Includes an exclusive interview with author J.G. Ballard.