Examples of Mondo Films

After Jacopetti and Prosperi started the phenomena of ‘Mondo Cane’ films, other directors and films followed. In this article, you will learn about imitators of the craft and people who created their own Mondo-style movies, such as John Alan Schwartz and Uwe Schier.

John Alan Schwartz

In 1978, another Mondo-style film genre emerged called ‘Death Films’. One of the most popular and widespread examples of this genre was the ‘Faces of Death’ collection. The graphic deaths of humans and animals dying were the focus of these films. John Alan Schwatz directed the Face of Death Series from 1978 to 1996, which consisted of six parts. “The Worst of Faces of Death” was released in 1987 and was a compliation of the first three films in the series. He also put out a documentary in 1999 about the film ‘Faces of Death’ that was titled “‘Face of Death: Fact or Fiction?”

Uwe Schier

By using a great deal of the same footage found in Mondo Cane and Faces of Death, Uwe Schier released his own series after he bought the rights. Produced in Germany, he is responsible for putting out Mondo Cane IV, Mondo Cane teil V, Faces of Death 5, and Faces of Death 6.

Kwaheri: Vanishing Africa (1964)

Thor L. Brooks and Byron Chudnow were directors from the United States who concentrated on filming tribal behavior that was most controversial.

Sweden: Heaven and Hell (1968).Italy.

Italian director Luigi Scattini filmed nine segments that centered on the various aspects of sexuality in Sweden. Some of the topics that were touched upon included porn films, lesbian nightclubs, the sex education of teens, and married couples who participate in the swinging lifestyle. The film also explored subjects, such as alcoholism, suicide, and drug addiction that took place in Sweden.

Mondo Trasho (1969)

American director John Waters was responsible for Mondo Trasho, which starred the likes of Divine and Mink Stole. Musical cues serve as the approach in telling a story, as there is very little dialogue between the characters. Interestingly, there is a tale behind this film. Waters admits that the music in the film was taken out of his own record collection and since he didn’t have enough money to pay for the appropriate licensing fees. This is why the movie remains unreleased because the unsecured music rights were too costly to pay.

During the filming of the movie, Waters was arrested because he was caught illegally shooting a scene involving a nude hitchhiker on the campus of Johns Hopkins University.

Mondo New York (1988)

American Harvey Keith directed this film, which depicted a handful of people in New York City that appeared in various sketches. Each of the people shown in the film were linked to a young woman who was exploring the Big Apple.