It's A Crazy World!

MONDO BALORDO-1964-(A FOOL'S WORLD)-I really don't care for these MONDO movies but Boris Karloff's serious yet friendly narration really make this whole “real life” movie bearable. 

It begins with Franz Draco, a 27 inch Elvis type impersonator who does back flips, splits and drops his pants while singing. Karloff makes mention (he says Japan where Franz was born is “the land of miniatures”) that the public is more interested in Draco's “dimensions than by his imitations” (while he performs “I Ain't Got Nobody”). Next some scenes from several Italian “strong man” movies are shown which leads to workers who must carry away the debris from these stunts. (of course the “debris” probably weigh nothing). Next up is Paddy Whose, some English guy who has women crowing like birds to stay young while he munches crackers. Then comes a very short scene concerning some Bedouins who sell their women as “call girl Bedouins” to tourists. Then suddenly the action shifts to Las Vegas where at a convention women are judged by their breast sizes. Karloff's monologue at this point doesn't make sense. 

Anyway, we switch to Hong Kong (“with all the temptations of the Orient”) where, we are told a “mixed race” dancer entices an all male audience. Then (we are still in Hong Kong) we see some bondage photos being made. Then some bound women wrestle while smiling businessmen watch and approve. After this zebras fight each other (in Africa) for dominance, a lion feeds on the loser. A white hunter kills an elephant and his “Negro bearers” will eat like kings. The hunter gets the tusks. Another weird segue involves an “arranged” marriage between an 81 year old man and his 24 year old prostitute bride. Then in Barcelona we visit a transvestite party. Later in Munich at a beer hall party, Germans in Lone Ranger masks have sword fights hoping to scar their opponents. Then a visit to a German transvestite nightclub (there are German subtitles when a song is sung). Now we go to a Lesbian club in Hamburg. 

After this at a carnival in “Northern Europe” women wrestle with balloons attached to their bodies. They must pop the balloons to win. Then some real “mondo” moments take place. First, fishermen in Ceylon quickly slaughter turtles (“mild and innocent, symbol of slowness”). Back in Africa soldiers (dispatched by England) hunt natives who are not allowed to hunt animals (although the white hunter is). While on the coast of India we get to witness an exorcism. A witch doctor eats a live chicken (Funny..I thought they didn't eat meat in India...??). Then women and children in Ecuador are shown munching cocoa leaves (“even children learn to use the leaves before they can walk”). Back to Hong Kong we meet prostitutes addicted to cocaine and morphine. Unfortunately for them their pusher is late. Fortunately for the viewer they get to see a scene of said addicts going through an “erotic” withdrawal. Added to this are scenes of opium addicts smoking their pipe. After this a Maharajah in India makes it rain. Back in America Jehovah's Witness's baptize folks into their faith but they also baptize followers in Germany. (Karloff's narration here is a put down) He also talks about the “Archipelago of desolation", The Berlin Wall, smuggling, lottery tickets and a guy who thinks he's the reincarnation of Rudolph Valentino.

 MB is mostly staged and very mundane. Perhaps it would have been a little shocking when first released but by today's standards it's just slightly bizarre. There is found footage of actual events but most of it is taken out of context or just plainly fabricated. The thing that holds it all together and makes it watchable is the presence of King Karloff who's narration is earnest yet has occasional tinges of irony and skepticism.

“It's really a crazy world. Sincerely Boris Karloff”.

The original director of this Italian production was Roberto Bianchi Montero. The American version (presented by AIP) was directed by Albert T. Viola.

Thanks for reading! Sincerely, CavedogRob