Cannibalism lurks beneath London's Underground in this British horror from Gary Sherman.
RAW MEAT
Beneath Modern London Lives a Tribe of Once Humans. Neither Men Nor Women… They Are the Raw Meat Of The Human Race!
When a government official disappears in the London tunnels, after several reports of missing people in the same location, Scotland Yard start to take the matter seriously, along with a couple who stumble into a victim by accident.
Raw Meat is a 1972 United Kingdom horror film directed by Gary Sherman about disappearances in the London Underground linked to a gruesome secret beneath the city.
Synopsis
Calhoun's colleague tells him about the history of the London Underground, particularly the Victorian railway workers who constructed the tunnels under dire conditions, and an urban legend that a group of descendants who survived an 1892 cave-in still live belowground. Meanwhile, one of the last surviving members of a family of these railway workers watches his female companion die; they have survived in the underground by resorting to cannibalism of the patrons. In an empty chamber, Manfred's body lies, mutilated. The man, now left in complete solitude, goes into a rage and brutally murders three maintenance workers.
One night, Alex and Patricia take a train home and get off at Holborn station. Patricia realizes she forgot her textbooks on the train. Alex attempts to retrieve them, but the doors close before he can exit; Patricia yells that she will meet him at home. Once the train leaves however, Patricia is attacked by the cannibal man and incapacitated. When she fails to meet him at their flat, Alex seeks help from Calhoun, who is dismissive. Alex returns to Holborn station and enters the tunnel. He breaches an abandoned area of the Underground and finds remnants of the miners who worked there over a century ago. Meanwhile, Patricia awakens in the cannibal's lair. She finds him to be aphasic and unable to communicate with her. She hits him over the head and manages to escape into a tunnel. He corners her and attempts to communicate with her, but becomes frustrated and violently attacks.
Alex finds them and begins fighting with the cannibal. Patricia begs Alex not to hurt him, and they watch as the cannibal stumbles into a passageway. Calhoun and several other detectives discover Alex and Patricia. As they search through the abandoned section, they uncover a room full of corpses laid in bunk beds – the generations of survivors from the cave-in that occurred a century before. There they find the cannibal, bleeding profusely, and he collapses in front of them, apparently dead. The detectives return meet Alex and Patricia, and head to the station platform. After they leave, the cannibal screams "Mind the doors!" as the credits roll.
- Director
- Gary Sherman
- Writers
- Ceri Jones, Gary Sherman
- Release
- 1972
- Runtime
- 1h 27m
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Genres
- Horror
- Also Known As
- Raw Meat, Tunnel der lebenden Leichen, Carne cruda, Сырое мясо, Death Line (original title)
Why Cult
The film dives into urban legends of cannibalistic survivors living in the tunnels beneath London, inspired by the city's dark Victorian past.
Donald Pleasence anchors the cast as the sardonic Inspector Calhoun, adding gravitas and sly humor to the grisly proceedings.
Set amidst the labyrinthine tunnels of the London Underground, the film uses real locations and urban history to ramp up the atmospheric dread.
This is a prime slice of early '70s UK horror, blending social commentary with macabre set pieces and a uniquely British sensibility.
Themes & Keywords
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Raw Meat about? +
Raw Meat follows the investigation of mysterious disappearances in the London Underground, where a cannibalistic secret is uncovered beneath the city.
When was Raw Meat released? +
Raw Meat was released in 1972.
Who directed Raw Meat? +
Raw Meat was directed by Gary Sherman.
How long is Raw Meat? +
Raw Meat has a runtime of 87 minutes.
What genre is Raw Meat? +
Raw Meat is a horror film.
Where can I watch Raw Meat? +
Raw Meat is available to stream on SassyFlix.