Hey, is that the guy who always plays Nazis? Yeah, his name is “Kurt”.
Hawks did some really bad movies towards the end of his career — I tried watching Red Line 7000 (made three years after this) a couple years ago, but had to throw in the towel — it was unwatchable tripe.
This one doesn’t have James Caan, at least.
I’m glad the animals cooperated.
But I’m sad that this bluray has been cut down to 16:9 — it was originally 1.85:1, so I’m not missing much, but still! Boo!!!
I love these kinds of shots.
This is much much much much better than Red Line 7000. It’s kinda fun and pretty cute.
See!?
So this seems to be a lighthearted romantic comedy? But in Africa? And there’s probably going to be a plot involving some action? We’re twenty minutes in, and it still feels like the movie hasn’t really started yet, but it’s very amiable.
This is pretty insane. I guess they couldn’t shoot this kind of stuff today? Which is good, because those giraffes looked pretty spooked. Tsk tsk!
(Oh yeah — this movie is about this gang of people who are capturing wildlife for a zoo.)
Heh heh. It was the 60s, man!
That’s a very friendly cheetah.
That’s supposed to really be John Wayne doing his own stunts?
But I’m starting to think that this doesn’t really have a plot? We’re over an hour in, and it’s just… these people capturing animals. And some romance going on. But the movie is 2h40m long, so I guess something’s going to happen…
p
But I guess this is just going to be this — skits in the camp while they’re taking care of animals?
Pssn’t! Pssn’t!
It’s almost fascinating how none of the black actors have a single line — not even “whoo” or “noo” or something.
I’m wondering whether there’s gonna be a dreaded Third Act where you get all the drama…
This movie is cancelled!
Double cancelled!
OK, this monkey stunt makes absolutely no sense what so ever, but it’s funny.
Oh, that ditty sounds very familiar…
Aaah:
The memorable Henry Mancini tune “Baby Elephant Walk” was written for and first appeared in Hatari!.
The film quality difference between the insets (like the above) and the actual capture shots is striking:
But still impressive:
Much of the audio in the capture sequences had to be redubbed due to John Wayne’s cursing while wrestling with the animals
Are they eating just pineapple for breakfast!? A quarter each!?
OK, I guess they didn’t know how to end the movie, so they went all out on slapstick.
I really enjoyed this film, but… it’s 160 minutes of driving around on the veldt, catching animals, interspersed with romantic skits. It’s extremely amiable… but is it a good movie?
I’ve often thought “but why do movie have to have all this conflict and stuff? Can’t it just be about fun stuff?” And this movie sort of answers that — there is no real conflict to speak of, and all the drama is supplied by them driving around among the animals…
I think this could have been tightened up a bit — but when you have all this great footage, why would you cut anything?
It’s a very silly movie. I liked it.
Hatari!. Howard Hawks. 1962. ⚄
