The Territory

The Territory is a 1981 Portuguese philosophical horror film directed by Chilean filmmaker Raúl Ruiz about two American families who resort to cannibalism shortly after getting lost on a camping trip in the South of France. The film, about the animalistic nature of humans when they disregard their "civilized" instincts, obliquely addresses themes of "exile and crossing boundaries: of language, nation and morality". Cast Isabelle Weingarten as Françoise, Jim's partner Rebecca Pauly as Barbara, Peter's partner Geoffrey Carey as Peter, Barbara's partner Jeffrey Kime as Jim, Françoise's partner Paul Getty Jr. as Guide, uncle to Linda's daughter Shila Turna as Linda Artur Semedo as Indefinite man Camila Mora as Young girl Ethan Stone as Young boy, Françoise's son José Nascimento as Prawler Duarte de Almeida as Indefinite man's friend, found in the territory as a man lost for much longer than them Rita Nascimento as Linda's daughter Production The circumstances in which the film was produced, and the extent of Corman's involvement, are somewhat mysterious, co-writer Adair claiming that the film was made under "hair-raising conditions" in Sintra. The production's budgetary difficulties inspired New German Cinema director Wim Wenders to make the Golden Lion-winning The State of Things (1982) with much of the same cast and crew. Reception Stephen Holden from The New York Times called it "an odd little art film that has the feel of a European version of an episode of The Twilight Zone." Dennis Schwartz of Ozus' World Movie Reviews awarded the film a grade B+, calling it "Deliciously subversive".