Cannibal Holocaust is a controversial exploitation film directed by Ruggero Deodato and based on a screenplay written by Gianfranco Clerici. Filmed in the Amazon Rainforest, it focuses on a team of four documentarians who head deep into the jungle to make a documentary on the primitive native tribes that live there. After two months and no word from the team, a famous anthropologist is sent on a rescue mission in hopes of finding the team alive. Cannibal Holocaust is one of the best known exploitation films due to the controversy it caused upon its release. After premiering in Italy, the film was seized by the local Magistrate and Deodato was arrested for obscenity. He was later accused of making a snuff film based on circulating rumors that the film's actors were slain for the camera. Though Deodato would be cleared of these charges, the film was banned in Italy, the UK, Australia, and several other countries for graphic gore, sexual violence, and for the genuine slayings of six animals featured in the film. Despite this notoriety, Cannibal Holocaust is seen by some critics as a social commentary on civilized society.

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1506: Construction of the current St. Peter's Basilica (interior pictured) in Vatican City, to replace the old St. Peter's Basilica built in the 4th century, began. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter%27s_Basilica)

1942: World War II: Sixteen B-25 Mitchell bombers from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet carried out the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, the first Allied attack on the Japanese home islands. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolittle_Raid)

1983: A suicide bomber destroyed the United States Embassy in Beirut with a car bomb, killing over 60 people. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_United_States_Embassy_bombing)

1988: Iran-Iraq War: U.S. naval forces launched Operation Praying Mantis in retaliation for the Iranian mining of the Persian Gulf and the subsequent damage to the American frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Praying_Mantis)

1996: Israeli forces shelled Qana, Lebanon during Operation Grapes of Wrath, killing over 100 civilians and injuring over 110 others at a UN compound. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_shelling_of_Qana)

_____________________ Wiktionary's Word of the day:

tantamount: Equivalent in meaning or effect. (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tantamount)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man's freedom. You can only be free if I am free. -- Clarence Darrow (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Clarence_Darrow)