Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site sdcsla.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcsla!clark From: clark@sdcsla.UUCP (Clark Quinn) Newsgroups: net.movies Subject: Re: Anyone seen "The Gods must be crazy"? Message-ID: <718@sdcsla.UUCP> Date: Wed, 7-Nov-84 12:19:00 EST Article-I.D.: sdcsla.718 Posted: Wed Nov 7 12:19:00 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 10-Nov-84 09:52:09 EST References: <414@utcsrgv.UUCP> Organization: U.C. San Diego, Cognitive Science Lab Lines: 38In response to the request for info on "The Gods Must Be Crazy", I will attempt a review, bolstered by the information in the Reader (San Diego edition). But don't expect a Rieher or Leeper effort. Billed as "an epic comedy of absurd proportions", this movie doesn't quite live up to the billing, but as a modest comedy of reasonable proportions, it is an unqualified success. Written, produced, directed, filmed, and edited by Jamie Uys, this South African movie conveys honest emotion and rousing sense of what silliness is embodied in modern civilization. Starting slowly with a documentary-style narrative of the life of the bushmen, the other characters are introduced with small sections of their life. The businesswoman (Sandra Prinsloo, very good, attractive comedienne, reminiscent of Teri Garr) decides to escape the madness of city life by teaching in the bush. The scientist (Marius Wyers, playing the classic handsome-but-uncomfortable-with-woman hero) is persuaded to pick her up when she arrives. The bushman, in meantime has had technological rubbish ruin regular camp-life and heads out to throw the offending litter off the end of the earth. Meanwhile, an aborted assasination attempt has a group of desparate terrorists heading across the border to escape capture and probable execution. Any more would be a spoiler, suffice it to say that the complications make for an enjoyable, unbelievable, romp across the African countryside. With elements of slapstick comedy (fast-motion action, clumsiness), culture-juxtaposition, and sexual differences, this movie manages to maintain a refreshing newness (not the least due to Jamie Uys' mad-cap plot). Particularly worthy of note are the narration, the fine performances by the principal characters and the supporting cast, and the script. The direction sometimes seems amateurish, butoverall evokes the humor of the script. The bottom-line: See it. Do it now. I have recommended it to a number of people, and except for one person who did not appreciate it (let's see that's roughly 10 for and one against), the reviews have not been just good, but raves!