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Slave of the Cannibal God (1978) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Slave of the Cannibal God (1978) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1978 · 102 mins · Italian
Directed by
Sergio Martino
Starring
Stacy Keach, Ursula Andress, Akushula Selayah, Franco Fantasia, Luigina Rocchi, Antonio Marsina

A woman and her brother journey to the dense jungles of New Guinea in search of a missing expedition led by her husband. As they trek deeper, they discover a terrifying cult devoted to a cannibal deity, whose rituals are driven by death and a thirst for blood, threatening the siblings at every turn.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Characters explained (4)
  2. 2 Where & when it takes place
  3. 3 Themes & meaning (3)
  4. 4 Character & meaning questions
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Slave of the Cannibal God
  7. 7 Every angle

4 main characters · contains spoilers

Slave of the Cannibal God Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Slave of the Cannibal God (1978), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Susan Stevenson (Ursula Andress)

    Susan travels to the New Guinea jungle to locate her missing anthropologist husband. She collaborates with Professor Foster and her brother Arthur, but each has hidden motives that complicate the search. After being captured by the cannibals, she endures ritualized treatment and is ultimately spared when the cannibals honor Henry as their Cannibal God, before she and Manolo escape.

    • 🧭 Explorer
    • 🎯 Determined
  • Professor Edward Foster (Stacy Keach)

    An experienced academic who leads the expedition, Foster reveals a past captivity by cannibals and a desire to wipe them out if they still exist. He joins the search believing the mountain might hold Henry's fate and he dies while climbing a waterfall.

    • 🧠 Scholar
    • 🧭 Explorer
  • Arthur Weisser (Antonio Marsina)

    Susan's brother accompanies the expedition as a partner in the search, but his motives include uranium discovery. He is killed upon reaching the mountain by the cannibals.

    • 💰 Greed
    • 🧭 Explorer
  • Manolo (Claudio Cassinelli)

    A jungle explorer who has been staying at a nearby mission camp; he joins the group's expedition. He is captured and tortured by cannibals but endures and helps Susan escape.

    • 🗺️ Adventurer

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:35

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Setting

Where and When Does Slave of the Cannibal God Take Place?

The setting of Slave of the Cannibal God (1978): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Location

New Guinea jungle, Ra Ra Me mountain, island of Roka

Set in the jungles of New Guinea and the isolated Ra Ra Me mountain on the island of Roka. The expedition traverses dense jungle, dangerous wildlife, and rugged terrain as they search for Susan's missing husband. Local myths portray the mountain as cursed, amplifying the sense of danger and isolation.

  • 🌴 Jungle
  • 🗺️ Island
  • 🧭 Expedition

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:35

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3 major themes

Slave of the Cannibal God Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Slave of the Cannibal God (1978) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Cannibalism

    The film centers on cannibal tribes who revere a Cannibal God, turning Susan into a focal point of ritual power. The narrative uses the cannibal ritual to explore how outsiders are commodified, dehumanized, and exploited. The encounters with the tribe underscore the fragility of civilization under extreme conditions.

  • Greed

    The expedition is rooted in private motives beyond finding a missing husband. Susan and Arthur pursue uranium deposits, while others have their own hidden agendas. The pursuit of wealth and resources drives the danger and moral compromises of the mission.

  • Survival

    The group faces life-threatening dangers from wildlife and hostile terrain. Alliances shift as trust erodes under pressure, forcing characters to endure ordeals that test loyalty and courage. The jungle environment amplifies fear and forces brutal decisions as they strive to escape.

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:35

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Character & theme questions

Slave of the Cannibal God Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Slave of the Cannibal God (1978): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is the story set?

The movie takes place in the dense jungles of New Guinea, specifically on the isolated Ra Ra Me mountain located on the island of Roka. The expedition must traverse dangerous jungle terrain, rugged mountains, and remote wilderness as they search for Susan's missing husband.

  • new guinea
  • jungle
  • ra ra me mountain
  • island of roku
  • setting
  • expedition
Q2

What is the Ra Ra Me mountain?

Ra Ra Me is a cursed mountain on the island of Roka where a cannibal tribe worships their Cannibal God. Local myths portray the mountain as a sacred yet deadly site, and it serves as the final destination where the expedition members meet their fates.

  • ra ra me mountain
  • island of roku
  • cursed mountain
  • cannibal tribe
Q3

What are the main themes in the movie?

The film explores three interconnected themes: cannibalism as a ritual of power and dehumanization, greed driving the dangerous expedition with hidden motives for uranium discovery, and survival under extreme conditions where trust erodes and alliances shift.

  • cannibalism
  • greed
  • survival
  • themes
  • exploitation film
Q4

What does the movie say about cannibalism?

The film uses the cannibal cult to explore how outsiders are commodified, dehumanized, and exploited. The ritualistic treatment of Susan by the tribe highlights the vulnerability of outsiders in extreme cultural contexts, while the reverence of the Cannibal God shows how such practices become woven into belief systems.

  • cannibal cult
  • ritual
  • dehumanization
  • cannibal god
Q5

How does greed drive the story?

Beyond finding Susan's missing husband, the expedition is secretly motivated by the pursuit of uranium deposits. Each character harbors hidden agendas related to wealth and resources, which creates moral compromises and fuels the dangerous mission.

  • greed
  • uranium
  • expedition
  • hidden motives
  • wealth
Q6

How does the jungle setting affect survival?

The harsh jungle environment amplifies fear and forces brutal decisions. Characters face life-threatening dangers from wildlife, hostile terrain, and each other. Trust erodes under pressure, testing loyalty and courage as they struggle to escape.

  • jungle survival
  • dangerous wildlife
  • trust
  • loyalty
  • survival theme
Q7

Who is Susan Stevenson?

Susan Stevenson is an explorer who travels to the New Guinea jungle to find her missing anthropologist husband. She works with Professor Foster and her brother Arthur, though both have hidden motives. She is captured by the cannibals and subjected to ritualized treatment before ultimately escaping.

  • susan stevenson
  • ursula andress
  • protagonist
  • missing husband
Q8

Who is Professor Foster?

Professor Edward Foster is an experienced academic who leads the expedition. He has a dark past with cannibals and joins the search with a desire to eliminate them if they still exist. His complex motivations tie into both personal revenge and academic pursuit.

  • professor foster
  • stacy keach
  • expedition leader
  • anthropologist
Q9

Who is Manolo in the story?

Manolo is a jungle explorer who has been staying at a nearby mission camp. He joins the expedition and helps guide the group through the dangerous terrain. After being captured and tortured by cannibals, he survives and assists Susan in escaping.

  • manolo
  • claudio cassinelli
  • jungle explorer
  • guide
Q10

What is Arthur's role in the expedition?

Arthur is Susan's brother who accompanies the expedition to find her missing husband. However, his true motive is discovering uranium deposits in the region. He is killed by the cannibals upon reaching the mountain.

  • arthur weisser
  • brother
  • uranium
  • killed by cannibals

Movie threads

More Movies Like Slave of the Cannibal God, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Slave of the Cannibal God tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Jungle Expedition Horror movies like Slave of the Cannibal God

A quest into an untamed wilderness turns into a desperate fight for survival. If you enjoyed the perilous journey into the New Guinea rainforest in Slave of the Cannibal God, you'll find similar terror in these movies. This thread groups films where characters venture into untamed jungles, only to face deadly threats from cannibal tribes, ancient curses, or the brutal environment itself. Explore more stories of survival horror in the heart of darkness.

  • primal
  • dangerous
  • oppressive
  • brutal
  • suspenseful
  • grim
  • Tone: dark, brutal, primal
  • Pacing: steady, methodical descent
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically involves a linear journey into a remote, dangerous location, driven by a goal like a search mission or scientific research. The story unfolds as the characters are systematically stripped of their modern comforts and confronted with a primal, often cannibalistic, society that views them as intruders or sacrifices. The plot focuses on the physical and psychological breakdown of the protagonists as they fight to escape.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared setting and core conflict: civilization versus primitivism. They create a cohesive experience through the oppressive atmosphere of the jungle, the constant threat of graphic violence, and the theme of outsiders being consumed—literally or metaphorically—by a world they do not understand.

Cult of Terror movies similar to Slave of the Cannibal God

Characters stumble upon an isolated society with terrifying, blood-soaked rituals. Fans of the cannibal cult in Slave of the Cannibal God will appreciate this collection of films centered around sinister, isolated societies. Discover movies where characters uncover communities with deadly secret rituals, fanatical beliefs, and a thirst for blood. If you liked the themes of ritualistic terror and hidden motives, these stories deliver a similarly dark and unsettling experience.

  • unsettling
  • suspenseful
  • brutal
  • grim
  • ritualistic
  • oppressive
  • Tone: dark, unsettling, grim
  • Pacing: steady, suspenseful build
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves investigation and discovery, leading to captivity. The protagonists initially observe the cult's rituals from a distance, but are soon captured and forced to participate or become victims. The story explores the power dynamics within the cult, the logic of its beliefs, and the immense trauma inflicted upon the outsiders, who must use their wits to survive a system designed for their destruction.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a core antagonist: a fully realized, menacing cult. They are united by themes of fanaticism, ritualistic violence, and the violation of bodily autonomy. The experience is defined by its unsettling exploration of twisted belief systems and the graphic, often ceremonial, nature of the horror.

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Every angle

Slave of the Cannibal God (1978) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Slave of the Cannibal God in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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