Salamanders: A Night at the Phi Delt House

1982 • Directed by

Marie Hornbein

Documentary

For twenty years, male members of a fraternity at a major state university and their female guests have been celebrating the end of the school year by capturing and eating live salamanders. Is the "salamander-eating contest" staged by these students a fad or a tradition? A rite of passage for college men and women? Or an inhumane and senseless act? The film documents the ritual in cinema verité fashion and permits viewers to decide for themselves. Provided without narration - this short film primarily features obnoxious, loud and brawling youngsters, and develops into a competition among coeds that has strong sexual overtones.