South Seas Massacre

Interpol agent George manages to catch fugitive miner Steve, who is believed to have killed George's brother during a brawl. During the return transfer, the ship is captured by pirates, but George and Steve manage to escape by jumping into the water. The two wash up on a South Sea island and are warmly welcomed by the locals. Chief Sarad explains that the locals have built a paradise for themselves and that George and Steve can do whatever they want on the island, as long as they don't harm anyone in the process. George even falls in love with the princess Zari. After some time, the pirates who attacked the ship land on the island. They flatter the locals with gifts, but secretly plan to build a base on the island. During a religious celebration, disaster strikes. The pirates pounce on the women and kill anyone who gets in their way. The surviving locals are locked in a cage. George and Steve do everything they can to convince Sarad that it's time to fight back.

South Seas is a surprisingly entertaining low budget exploitation flick from the Philippines that colorfully plunders its way through the genre, but maintains a consistently brisk pace. The massacre is present twice, once by the pirates, followed by the revenge of the locals, showing various peaks of violence that you wouldn't necessarily have expected. The main roles are played by Troy Donahue and Junero Jennings as an uneven team, which must get together in the fight against the pirates.

Three versions included on the German DVD

The mix of sex and violence ensured that there are different versions of the film. There are three versions on the German DVD: the main version, an alternate export version and the US version.

The main version on the German DVD is presumably the same as the German theatrical version. Throughout, the right or center frame flickers, making it difficult to watch the film for any length of time. The main version has been severely cut for plot and in addition, some violent scenes are missing from the pirate raid. It could be that the missing plot scenes are due to an export version and were not cut by the German distributor.

This in fact brings us to the alternate export version that is also on the German DVD. This has the German audio with Greek subtitles firmly burned in. Where this version came from is unknown. We suspect this was some sort of fan dub at some point, which has now found its way onto the DVD along some twisted paths. This version sometimes has the same plot cuts as the main version, plus more missing scenes. Curious is that "End" is inserted at the end and then "A Meir Zarchi Presentation".

The US rights of the film have been secured by Meir Zarchi, the director of I Spit on Your Grave. This may have caused some confusion, as Zarchi is sometimes listed as the director. The US version was heavily shortened by cutting a few seconds off many shots here and there and removing plot parts. There are mostly other plot scenes missing compared to the main version and the alternate export version. With two exceptions, the sex and violence scenes are included. The intention was probably to make the film more fast paced.

For comparison, we had the Greek VHS by Irida, which, according to our current state of knowledge, is to be considered uncut. All scenes that are missing in the two German versions and the US version are included here. The Greek VHS even contains scenes that are missing in all three versions of the DVD. There is said to be another Greek VHS by North Hellas Home Video that runs two minutes longer than the Irida VHS. However, this VHS is also said to be cut. However, the cuts described there coincide with the alternate export version from the DVD. This suggests that the North Hellas Home Video version served as the basis for the alternate export version. The only open question is why this version runs two minutes longer. It's possible that the North Hellas Home Video runs at a different playback speed or that there was an error in the runtime measurement.

Picture comparison:

Alternate export version / German version:

Greek VHS:

Runtimes:

Alternate Export Version / German Version: 79:23 min.
Greek VHS: 91:15 min.

Comparison between the alternate export version by Mr. Banker Films / Cargo Records DVD and the Greek VHS by Irida.

[00:00:00][00:00:16]

The German version is missing a few scenes of Steve on the motorcycle at the beginning.

GR: 13 secs.


[00:07:35][00:08:04]

Jump cut: Steve takes the life ring from the wall before jumping.

GR: 5 secs.


[00:07:57][00:08:30]

The brawl between the pirate and the woman in the hallway is longer, after which Bruno is seen earlier pushing the woman into the cabin.

GR: 7 secs.


[00:08:35][00:09:16]

Film tear: Captain puts the chain on, then it fades out and back in.

GR: 5 secs.


[00:10:42][00:11:28]

Steve and George are led through the village to the hut of Chief Sarad.

Compared to the main German version of the DVD, the last shot is present.

GR: 51 sec.


[00:16:41][00:18:18]

After Steve is released, the locals have a party in the evening to which Steve and George are invited. Steve especially looks at the pretty women. Sarad says that he is pleased that Steve and George are his guests and that they are free to move around as long as they do not harm anyone. They are also free to choose the women if the woman wants them too. Steve asks a man if he can really have as many women as he wants. The man says that he can only have one wife until the end of the month. Steve says this is better than nothing. Steve makes a toast.

GR: 2:12 min.


[00:18:38][00:22:32]

Film tear: Steve is seen longer, then George earlier.

GR: 2 secs.


[00:18:43][00:22:39]

Film tear: George leans against the palm tree, then Steve is seen earlier.

GR: 3 secs.


[00:22:52][00:26:52]

George and the others leave the fire and run back to the village. Maila tries to put out the fire, and Steve comes up to her. He says that she wants the same thing he wants, which is for him to stay on the island. Maila replies that women are not allowed to talk about their feelings and must obey men's orders.

She walks with Steve to a waterfall. Under a tree, the two fall into each other's arms. Steve removes her top and the two lower themselves to the ground.

The next shot starts earlier.

GR: 2:40 min.


[00:26:18][00:32:59]

A short shot of the dancers at the party is lost in the German version.

GR: 1 sec.


[00:30:22][00:37:07]

After George walks through the empty village, the ceremony can be seen once again. In between, George and Steve are walking through the village. The high priest preaches that the villagers need to be prepared because something bad is going to happen.

GR: 40 sec.


[00:31:26][00:38:52]

Film tear: Sarad looks at the gift for a longer time. The captain looks at its daughters.

GR: 7 secs.


[00:42:51][00:50:26]

Bruno pushes the native to the ground longer.

GR: 4 secs.


[00:43:33][00:51:13]

The pirate punches the woman in the stomach. The latter then falls unconscious.

GR: 7 secs.


[00:44:26][00:52:14]

The locals take flight for longer.

After that, one of the pirates is seen with a woman. Another woman is fleeing from the pirates. He grabs her and drags her to the ground.

GR: 13 secs.


[00:44:44][00:52:45]

You can see the pirate's head being cut off. Blood spurts from his torso, then a camera pan to the severed head.

GR: 5 sec.


[00:46:33][00:54:40]

The pirate pulls the naked woman towards him and cuts into her stomach. The intestines emerge.

GR: 4 secs.


[00:49:54][00:58:05]

Film tear: Sarad and the captain are seen longer. After that, the sun earlier.

GR: 4 secs.


[00:50:22][00:58:38]

At the funeral, there is a missing cut to the high priest and then to the mourning locals. The next shot starts earlier.

GR: 4 secs.


[00:53:55][01:02:16]

Film tear: The locals and George are seen longer.

GR: 2 secs.


[00:55:42][01:04:05]

Jump cut: the women can be seen further on.

GR: 2 secs.


[01:02:23][01:10:50]

After Bruno rips the woman's dress off, the pirates are seen chasing another woman through the village. Steve looks on in disgust.

George and another man sneak out of the cage.

Zari and two women are sitting in a cave. The women are offering her food, but Zari refuses. Zari tries to snatch a knife from one woman to kill herself with. George is barely able to rush into the cave to stop her. George says that the pirates will pay for this. Zari says that she has been dishonored, but George says he doesn't care because he still has that certain feeling for her and loves her. Meanwhile, the man goes into the next room and gets a box.

GR: 3:22 min


[01:02:53][01:14:41]

Jump cut: George and the man continue to be seen. Cut to Zari. Then George picks up the gun.

GR: 14 secs.


[01:05:29][01:17:31]

Film tear: Steve stops whipping the man. In the next shot, the captain is seen earlier.

GR: 5 secs.


[01:13:57][01:26:05]

The Greek version shows the pirate with the knife in his neck. Then a cut to Steve taking the dynamite.

GR: 5 secs.


[01:19:10][01:31:24]

The German version fades in "End" at the end, followed by "A Meir Zarchi Presentation". In the Greek version, the picture remains black.

No time difference.