Slave of the Cannibal God (La montagna del dio cannibale)

Mrs. Stevenson, how do you feel about the disappearance of your husband in the jungle?

Leave her alone, my sister is very tired.

It's true that the expedition was not authorized?

Will you set up a rescue mission?

Do you think you'll find him alive?

Do you have anything to say to the press? No, no statements.

All efforts of the search party to find him in the Marabata jungle

were in vain and we have decided to call up the search.

I'm sorry.

Your husband's expedition, as the chief of police has

already told was not authorized by the authorities of the independent Guinea.

Therefore, they had no kind of contact with him, not even by radio.

Your husband was carrying out ethnological studies without our knowledge or permission.

When your brother informed us of Mr. Stevenson's disappearance, we intervened.

If our search was a bit tardy, that's not our fault.

I waited here, at Port Moresby

one month or more, until the established date for him to return.

Also, as you know, my brother-in-law had a profound knowledge of that area.

So I had no real motive to be worried about it.

You can never know the jungle well enough.

This clandestine expedition was imprudent

apart from being an insult to our government.

My brother-in-law is a world famous scientist.

I think your government should take special interest in locating his expedition.

Air search parties have been out. Looking for

signs of life in the jungle for several days.

If they were perhaps still alive, they'd have surely attempted some signal.

Maybe they were there. The jungle is so dense there is no chance to see anything.

We have to organize an expedition into the jungle.

Look, please keep calm.

We have every intention of helping you to find Mr. Stevenson.

But now, it is up to the local authorities to organize help and make all decisions.

We have done all we can.

Please help me.

I don't know if he's still alive.

But until I'm certain of his state, I will keep on looking for him

If necessary, I'll do it alone.

I understand how you feel, but it is my duty to be honest.

If we have given up, that is because we are certain

that after three months in that jungle there could not possibly be any survivors.

I'm sorry, Consul Burns, but I have to leave.

Of course. And thank you.

Sir, Mrs. Stevenson.

I think the only person who can help you is Professor Edward Foster.

He is a strange man, and he has an expert knowledge of the area.

I suggest you contact him.

Arthur has already been in touch with him. We'll see him tomorrow.

Hello.

Mrs. Stevenson? I'm Edward Foster.

I'm glad to meet you.

Arthur. Hello, Edward.

You're looking well. So are you.

Please.

You must excuse the informality of my house.

Mother nature has a way of taking over here and I don't feel that I can deal with it.

Henry often mentioned you in his letters.

He had great respect. We're glad to meet you.

Likewise..

Your husband and I are very close friends.

We share a mutual interest for primitive peoples of this country.

Of course, that world is rapidly disappearing.

Eventually, progress and technology will destroy it.

Tell me.

Do you have any idea where Henry could be?

I'm not sure.

He was very reserved about this particular expedition.

Strange.

He told me he was going. I offered my help...

but before I knew it, he was gone.

As far as I know, he left alone.

Maybe a few natives.

I just cannot understand why he was so secretive about this expedition.

Especially with you.

Yeah, I thought about that myself.

But you know, just because it was so secretive about this journey...

gives me strong indication just where it might be.

Come.

This is the Marabata jungle, the area where they say he disappeared.

Look, about 5 miles offshore is the island of Roka.

This island is covered by a very dense jungle,

which surrounds and protects the sacred mountain Ra-Rami ..

Sacred, because local people and the natives believe that the mountain is cursed.

And that's where they went!

And you kept quiet about this all this time?

What are you talking about? Arthur...

Please, go on.

Mrs. Stevenson...

There's something I think you should know.

A few years ago, I was on that island myself.

Shortly after, I told Arthur and Henry, about my experiences there.

Henry seemed fascinated by that.

Yes... I think I remember now.

Henry told me in one of his letters,

about a mountain, about people said there was a curse on it.

I thought it was just a silly superstition.

You'd be surprised how important that belief is for those people.

The police won't allow expeditions into the Marabata jungle.

They don't want anybody knew that...

They say it is for conservation reasons.

But the truth of the matter is, they are afraid of the curse, too.

Just like everybody else.

How did you manage to go there?

It's a long story, Mrs. Stevenson.

It is purely by chance, in fact.

I was on a sailing trip, not far from the coast of the island.

I hit a storm, before I knew, I was shipwrecked on the beach.

Because I knew about the legend of the curse, naturally, I was curious.

I wanted to get to the top of that mountain.

I never made it.

What stopped you?

Some...

mysterious force, that's about all I can say.

Come on! Do you still believe in that nonsense?

Yes.

Are you really convinced that Henry has gone to that mountain?

I think there's a good chance.

One thing for sure. He didn't get lost in the Marabata.

He knew that jungle too well.

I would like you to organize an expedition to the island of Roka.

Arthur and myself will come with you.

Are you serious? Yes.

It's hard for a man, but for a woman would be nearly impossible.

My husband is missing.

I'm prepared to do anything to find him.

I also have the courage to take such a trip.

And the money, as well.

I'll leave you down there. I can't go any further than that.

Now, I have to make radio contact for the flight route.

I wish I could take you further.

You saved us a whole month of walking through the jungle.

We should be on the coast for about a week.

Thank you for your knowledge.

OK, we're going down.

Thanks, Phil!

Let's go, hurry!

Remember, don't say a word to anybody. We don't want the police on our tail.

Don't worry. Good luck.

You'll need it.

Why does he look at me in a strange way? I don't like it.

Don't worry, he is just shy. He is very faithful to me.

Look, I am afraid we have to carry our own luggage just for a few miles.

We'll pick up some extra help from the local natives between here and the coast.

Ready?

Hey, let's go.

You alright?

Spider.

Did it bite you? No.

You're very lucky, you know that?

It's extremely poisonous.

First you get a fever, that lasts about 3 days and then you die.

So from now on, I suggest you watch where you are going.

And always keep someone behind you.

You lead the expedition. How was I to know?

You do now.

The natives believe that killing a spider is a bad omen.

They are going to make a sacrifice.

It sickens me.

I know.

It's a ritual.

They offer the iguana to their gods to protect us from the forces of evil.

For me it is repulsive.

It's part of their religion.

We better hide!

Get under cover!

Move! Move!

That's enough! Damn it. Now the police know where we are, stupid...

Edward!

My god.

Satisfied now?

You better have a nice, long talk with your brother before he causes anymore trouble.

Don't try to put her against me.

Don't try to break this expedition.

I won't let you.

We'll reach the mountain. We'll reach it together.

The three of us.

Well, then, you care to join me? I suggest we keep going.

We may reach the coast by tomorrow night, if we're lucky.

Roka is just over there.

We gotta stay in the cover while we prepare the boat.

When do we leave?

Tonight.

We'll be there before dawn.

Currents will help us across.

Take cover!

Be careful. Don't trust him too much.

We leave the boat here until we see the terrain.

It should be alright. Over there!

Come on!

There is something else!

We may not be alone.

There could be other bodies, we'll have a look around.

He was a leper.

Natives believe the lepers are the children of the devil.

Maybe killed him.

Come over here.

It's Henry's!

See, he has his mark.

I gave it to him a few years ago.

Then I was right, he did come this way.

He must have gone to the mountain.