A Film Analysis of Cannibal Tours Essay Example

The documentary film Cannibal Tours (1988) captures the interaction between American and European tourists and the indigenous people along the Sepik River in Melanesia, particularly Papua New Guinea. The camera follows the tourists as they go to the different villages to be in awe of the handicrafts and haggle to buy these items. They also take interest in sacred ceremonies and use money to witness these ceremonies. The tourists also take interest in the simple aspects of community life.

To the villagers, these activities form part of their day-to-day-lives but to the tourists, these reflect the exotic and primitive life of an underdeveloped society. O’Rourke captures a number of anthropologic themes in his documentary. One is the apparent ethnocentrism of the American and European tourists who belong to an industrialized society. This shows in their prejudices towards the villagers. The action