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Gualtiero Jacopetti

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Filmmaker

The Resume

    (September 4, 1919-August 17, 2011)
    Born in Barga, Italy
    Created the ‘mondo’ or ‘shockumentary’ world cinema genre
    Directed ‘Mondo Cane’ (1962), ‘Women of the World’ (1963), ‘Mondo Cane 2’ (1963), ‘Africa Addio’ (1966), ‘Goodbye Uncle Tom’ (1971) and ‘Mondo candido’ (1975)

Why he might be annoying:

    His documentaries focus obsessively on human behavior at its most cruel and bizarre.
    He made up a story about being forced to marry a teenage gypsy he seduced.
    His films begot even schlockier rip offs such as ‘Shocking Asia’ (1974) and ‘Faces of Death’ (1978).
    He frequently filmed animals being viciously slaughtered.
    On the other hand, he was accused of staging some of his footage.
    He was often called racist after ‘Africa Addio’ was released.
    He was accused of delaying the execution of a Congolese rebel so he could film it.
    Roger Ebert called him and his collaborator Franco Prosperi a ‘vile little crud-squad.’
    John Waters spoofed his work in ‘Mondo Trasho’ (1969).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He claims he worked for the American secret service during World War Two.
    He was a respected journalist and editor prior to his film career.
    He is not afraid to expose the more sordid side of world culture.
    ‘Mondo Cane’ was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
    The theme song of ‘Mondo Cane’ was nominated for an Academy Award and later recorded by Roy Orbison.
    He and Prosperi spent three years in Africa (often endangering their lives) to make ‘Africa Addio.’
    Some defend ‘Africa Addio’ as an honest look at the brutal aftermath of decolonization.
    He is also credited with exposing the wide scale poaching of African wildlife.
    His fiancée, actress Belinda Lee, was killed in a car crash despite his efforts to save her (1961).

Credit: Georgina


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 114 Votes: 79.82% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 131 Votes: 75.57% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 19 Votes: 68.42% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 37 Votes: 72.97% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 26 Votes: 76.92% Annoying