His career spanned a wide-range of genres including peplum, comedy, drama, poliziottesco, and science fiction, yet he is perhaps best known for directing violent and gory horror films with strong elements of realism.

His most notable film is Cannibal Holocaust, considered one of the most controversial and brutal in the history of cinema, which was seized, banned or heavily censored in many countries,[1] and which contained special effects so realistic that they led to Deodato being arrested on suspicion of murder.

[2] Deodato was an influence on film directors like Oliver Stone, Quentin Tarantino, Eli Roth and Nicolas Winding Refn.

The film is a mockumentary about a group of filmmakers who go into the Amazon Rainforest and subsequently stage scenes of extreme brutality for a Mondo-style documentary.

Deodato was arrested on suspicion of murder, and was subsequently forced to reveal the secrets behind the film's special effects and to parade the lead actors before an Italian court in order to prove that they were still alive.

He was initially attached to The New York Ripper (Lucio Fulci), The Last Shark (Enzo G. Castellari), Casablanca Express (Sergio Martino) and Amazonia: The Catherine Miles Story (Mario Gariazzo).

The documentary consists of a series of interviews that Guerra made with the Italian director, edited with images from Deodato's movies and personal photos.

[15] The documentary was later released in France[16] and the United States,[17] this time as a bonus feature in collector's editions of other films directed by Ruggero.