Mafu Cage
Carol Kane gives a blistering performance as Cissy, a disturbed young woman obsessed with the work of her father, a man who dedicated his life to the study of primates. She spends her days dressing in African Tribal garments and hanging around in the Mafu Cage where her father kept his primates. She is cared for by her Sister Ellen, played by Lee Grant who works as an Astronomer, she cares deeply for her sister in spite of the difficulty in caring for her. The pair have developed a close, creepily incestuous relationship. When Ellen falls for a man at work, Cissy begins to feel threatened, especially when Ellen considers putting her away in an institution after she kills her pet orang-utan in a psychotic rage! Ellen's beau David turns up at the house one day so Cissy decides to play a game of Mafu and things begin to turn really dark.
Mafu cage is a terrific film that's been sat in my too watch pile for far too long. If it's currently sat unwatched in yours I'd suggest giving it a whirl. The performances here are great, especially Carol Kane who is first rate. It's got some admittedly standard elements for a Hollywood psycho-thriller however the setup and delivery make it feel totally unique as well. The soundtrack with a mixture of traditional score and pounding tribal music is excellent and the whole film really works well at delivering a sense of impending dread.
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