Rawmeat A.K.A Deathline

This 1972 effort by Gary Sherman is an excellent film. However I can't help thinking that it meant to be more. The movie's plot revolves around a family of cannibals living in an abandoned subway tunnel under London. The family has been abducting people for food since they were imprisoned by a cave in in the Victorian era. During the film The last of the family kills an important man and a police investigation ensues.

The film is filled with strong performances particularly from Donald Pleasance as Inspector Calhoun, the bloke leading the investigation, and David Ladd as Alex and American student who's girlfriend is abducted. All of the actors play well off of one another and show how a skilled director can bring a story to life.

At my introduction to the review I mentioned that the movie seems as though it was meant to be more. I stand by that. On its own the movie is an excellent, scary, well-plotted horror film. I feel that it was meant to be a meditation on class conflict. I came to this conclusion from studying the character of Inspector Calhoun. The man is blue collar through and through, from his accent to his cheap suit the man is more pub than opera. He makes several comments about the cost of things and how one of the victims owned thins he didn't need. Also, the cannibal didn't receive any notice until an uppercrust gentleman got taken. It doesn't matter that he was a reprehensible human being, he was in the right social strata. I feel that there was meant to be so much more addressing this but, it was most likely edited out at some point.

As far as negatives go, the only negative I found was the music. The film started with something that sounded like experimental jazz composed for a porno flick or peepshow. There was also an attack scene filmed to hopelessly catchy music, rining any impact the scene may have had.

All in all the movie was great, the failings are minimal and the successes prolific. I would give this film a 4.75 out of 5 only downgraded because the music is less than stellar and it feels as though an opportunity was wasted.