Stuff To Watch: American Cannibal

I stumbled across this documentary, "American Cannibal" (which is now out on DVD and on premium cable, tell your friends), the other day and had to do a double take -- for my eyes could not believe The Unholy Awesome.

Reality TV meets Cannibalism. It's a match made in ratings heaven, right?

Well, not exactly.

"American Cannibal" follows two unemployed, struggling writers whose desperation (coupled with questionable morals) leads them into the world of reality tv, and ultimately to half-jokingly pitching a reality show that resembles Survivor, with a twist: literally starving people on a deserted island to the point where cannibalism becomes a real possibility. And yes, surprise surprise, the show gets financial backing (from a porn king, no less), and goes into production. (Hilarity ensues.)

But what's really fascinating about the movie isn't the "how low can you go?" culture of reality TV, or how it shamelessly exploits and humiliates it's "stars," often without them even being aware of it (I mean, do we really need evidence of that beyond what each of us can see every night on the screen in our own living rooms? "Joe Millionaire," anyone?). No, what's genuinely engrossing about "American Cannibal" is seeing just how a reality show gets made -- the nuts-and-bolts process from idea brainstorming up through the fruition of shooting a pilot (the show, tentatively (and hilariously) titled "Starvation Island," is never completed, and I'm guessing that doesn't surprise you) -- and seeing what people are willing to do behind the camera, not just in front of it, to get a show made. As one TV critic said of the documentary, it's really about people in the entertainment industry "who convince themselves that any job in show business would be preferable to waiting tables." Even if that job involves, you know, trying to incite other people to cannibalism.

Highly recommended viewing for my fellow reality TV junkies. Catch it on DVD or premium cable (check your listings -- I believe it's running on Showtime this month).

Behold the hawt supporting trailer ackshon: