Here is a list of movies by hollywood made in Africa a dose of "fiction or "reality" presented through their lenses.
The African Queen UK/USA (1951)
John Huston, takes us on a great adventure navigating a small boat through Africa during WW1. Humphrey Bogart is the ever drunk captain who has to put up with themissionary played by Katharine Hepburn.
The Ghost and The Darkness USA (1996)
This action drama is based on a true story from 1898, when the British were constructing the railroad through Kenya (view photos from Kenya). Man-eating lions killed several workers and british engineers. The movie describes the Africans with the same ignorance as common hundred years ago, but it is still good old-fashioned action. Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas stars in the movie, which is shot on location in South Africa and Kenya.
King Solomon's Mines USA (1937)
The classic story of white hunter Allan Quartermain who takes the job of helping a young woman to find her lost husband somewhere deep inside Africa.
King Solomon's Mines USA (1950)
The best of the Solomon movies. Story is the same: Qartermain falling in love with the woman he is guiding through the wild and dangerous Africa. Starring Deboarh Kerr and Stewart Granger. Filmed on location in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Congo and USA.
King Solomon's Mines USA (1985)
The worst of the 3 versions features Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone. Mainly fails because it tries to copy the style from Indiana Jones. Several script errors, bad dialogue and directing. Some of the film is shot on location in Zimbabwe.
Congo USA (1995)
Directed by Frank Marshall
A silly adventure-action-horror film based on a book by Michael Crichton. The story is actually a modernised version of king Solomon's Mines with a touch of King Kong, Indiana Jones, Jurrassic Park, Aliens and a "talking" plastic gorilla on top of it all! Does it sound bad? It sure is. Parts of the movie are filmed on location in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Mogambo USA (1953)
Directed by John Ford. A great Hollywood cast of Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly.
Hatari! USA (1962)
Adventure film with John Wayne, directed by Howard Hawks. A group of men are making their living from trapping animals and selling them to zoo's in Europe and America. A woman shows up. She is a wildlife photographer and questions the mens methods. Filmed mainly in the national parks of Tanzania.
The Snows Of Kilimanjaro USA (1952)
A wounded writer rethinks his life while waiting for relief. Gregory Peck stars in this movie based on the short story by Ernest Hemingway. Not much is actually shot on location in Africa.
The Last Safari USA (1967)
Stewart Granger is onece again the great white hunter. He is hunting a giant elephant which killed his best friend. Filmed on location in Kenya and directed by Henry Hathaway.
Shaft in Africa USA (1973)
Starring: Richard Roundtree
Directed by John Guillermin
The third "blaxploitation" movie with Shaft takes him back to the African continent to infiltrate modern day slave business and bring it down. No great film, but funny and interesting if you are interested in how black Americans were portrayed in films in the early seventies.
A Far Off Place USA (1993)
Family adventure/drama directed by Danish Michael Solomon for Disney Pictures(!) Shot in Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Tarzan USA (1999)
The animated Disney version of the Tarzan story. Don't expect to see any Africans in this story. I guess it doesn't need further introduction.
Sheena USA (1984)
This female version of Tarzan was first put on the screen in 1955 and like Tarzan, Sheena was created as a comic book figure. Directed by John Guillermin and starring Tanya Roberts as the orphaned blond girl growing up with an African tribe. Stereotypic, as can be expected, and skinny plot. Some audience (mostly male) will enjoy watching a half-naked Queen of the jungle riding on the zebras and fighting bandits. The story takes place in a fictitious African state, but was filmed on location in Kenya.
Sahara USA (1943)
World War 2 fought in the Sahara. starring Humphrey Bogart, but not very much about Africa.
* Out Of Africa
* I Dreamed of Africa
* Cry Freedom
* White Hunter Black Heart
* Gorillas in the Mist
* Black Hawk Down
* Amistad
* The Constant Gardener
* The Last King of Scotland
* Blood Diamond
Showing posts with label Film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Film. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Pan African Film Festival
Its going to be at the Black Arts festival in Atlanta. On 7/20/07 to 7/29/07 at 12:00am.
The NBAF brings the popular Los Angeles-based Pan African Film Festival, the largest event in the United States dedicated to the exhibition of Black films to the Southeast for the National Black Arts Festival.
This festival within the Festival features films from across the Diaspora - the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Latin America, Europe, the South Pacific and Canada.
The Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) is a magnificant opportunity to move beyond the cineplex and experience the images, issues, imagination, intensity and artistry of people of African descent through this cinematic showcase.
Festival Location
Woodruff Arts Center/Rich Theatre
1280 Peachtree St. NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
7/20/07 to 7/29/07 at 12:00am
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Kenyan Film
I am guilty of not utilizing my skills in this area, this article made me go hmmm you have a point. We as Africans need to tell our own stories. Its very doable it can be low budget
Kenyan Film Industry Written by Amina Mohamed Monday, 23 April 2007
Last month Nigerian films made a sweep at the African Movie Academy Awards. Incidentally, only one film from Kenya was nominated, Voice in the Bin for Best Film.
A quick glance at the nominees shows that Nigerians had the most number of nominees in any category. Nigerian films have become increasingly popular in Kenya and the rest of Africa.
Every street corner has hundreds of these films-- a dime a dozen. When I first watched them I was amused by the Nigerian character. However, the charm soon wore off and the yelling and juju-filled stories only irritate me. There are not too many African films to write home about, however, Totsi from a few years ago comes to mind as a great story.
Too many times we criticise Hollywood for misrepresenting us, for telling our story, not through our eyes, but through theirs. Many of us criticize Hollywood films, even if slightly accurate in historical context, such as Blood Diamond and all the renditions of Idi Amin and other African dictators. For even if our rulers were evil, even if some of our past and present is not glorious we would rather not have Hollywood retell that story. At the same time, it isn't Hollywood's responsibility to tell our story.
I am not much of a movie buff, but a well-produced African film, especially a Kenyan one, would appeal very much to me. The film industry is undoubtedly an expensive venture. Bollywood and Nollywood , in their growing industries, have both shown that on a low budget one can still produce a film.
According to a recent report by ComMattersKenya Limited, 80 per cent of television programs are foreign, while almost 100 per cent of films shown at the cinema are foreign. One would think that the Kenya Film Commission (KFC) aims at creating an opportunity for Kenyan films, and growth for Kenyan film producers and actors and actresses. However, KFC's goal is much like that of the Kenyan Tourism Board, that to sell Kenya's image to Hollywood in what a great locale Kenya is.
Kenya is not without talent. A few years ago, a young Kenyan man produced a film that has been critically acclaimed-- HipHop Colony. Other noteworthy film producers and directors include: Njeri Karago and Judy Kibinge. Last year, the program Lola Kenya Screen gave an opportunity for budding Kenyan youth to produce animation films. Out of this came a complitation of nine films that in March won the Africa Grand Prize for achievement in a film made by children at t the fifth World Summit on Media for Children, held in Johannesburg.
The argument has been, for many, that films are too expensive to produce. However, Nollywood, Bollywood and Independent films across the world have proved that low-budget films are possible. Digital video recording, and increased access to technology will make what was an impossible feat a few years ago, a dream within reach.
While we must not follow all the way in Nollywoods steps, we could take a step or two in their direction. Following the history of Nollywood it is not difficult to see why its rise, albeit critism of poor quality, has resulted in its growth.
So, how about a movie with a real story, afterall, "Kenya is not just about fast running men and giraffes."
Kenyan Film Industry Written by Amina Mohamed Monday, 23 April 2007
Last month Nigerian films made a sweep at the African Movie Academy Awards. Incidentally, only one film from Kenya was nominated, Voice in the Bin for Best Film.
A quick glance at the nominees shows that Nigerians had the most number of nominees in any category. Nigerian films have become increasingly popular in Kenya and the rest of Africa.
Every street corner has hundreds of these films-- a dime a dozen. When I first watched them I was amused by the Nigerian character. However, the charm soon wore off and the yelling and juju-filled stories only irritate me. There are not too many African films to write home about, however, Totsi from a few years ago comes to mind as a great story.
Too many times we criticise Hollywood for misrepresenting us, for telling our story, not through our eyes, but through theirs. Many of us criticize Hollywood films, even if slightly accurate in historical context, such as Blood Diamond and all the renditions of Idi Amin and other African dictators. For even if our rulers were evil, even if some of our past and present is not glorious we would rather not have Hollywood retell that story. At the same time, it isn't Hollywood's responsibility to tell our story.
I am not much of a movie buff, but a well-produced African film, especially a Kenyan one, would appeal very much to me. The film industry is undoubtedly an expensive venture. Bollywood and Nollywood , in their growing industries, have both shown that on a low budget one can still produce a film.
According to a recent report by ComMattersKenya Limited, 80 per cent of television programs are foreign, while almost 100 per cent of films shown at the cinema are foreign. One would think that the Kenya Film Commission (KFC) aims at creating an opportunity for Kenyan films, and growth for Kenyan film producers and actors and actresses. However, KFC's goal is much like that of the Kenyan Tourism Board, that to sell Kenya's image to Hollywood in what a great locale Kenya is.
Kenya is not without talent. A few years ago, a young Kenyan man produced a film that has been critically acclaimed-- HipHop Colony. Other noteworthy film producers and directors include: Njeri Karago and Judy Kibinge. Last year, the program Lola Kenya Screen gave an opportunity for budding Kenyan youth to produce animation films. Out of this came a complitation of nine films that in March won the Africa Grand Prize for achievement in a film made by children at t the fifth World Summit on Media for Children, held in Johannesburg.
The argument has been, for many, that films are too expensive to produce. However, Nollywood, Bollywood and Independent films across the world have proved that low-budget films are possible. Digital video recording, and increased access to technology will make what was an impossible feat a few years ago, a dream within reach.
While we must not follow all the way in Nollywoods steps, we could take a step or two in their direction. Following the history of Nollywood it is not difficult to see why its rise, albeit critism of poor quality, has resulted in its growth.
So, how about a movie with a real story, afterall, "Kenya is not just about fast running men and giraffes."
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