Wonderful Movie

Too much of everything

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I saw this movie long back before twenty years and i feel that i must see it again. But there is no source of it. Some are selling it at very high price.What can i do to see it on the net?Is there any generous person? The way in which they have shown the black tiger is really frightening.After that scene only the hyenas eating the bony remains are shown The actors have done their best and the photography and some kind of animal trick photography is really awesome.The best seen was the black tiger moving its tail at some distance from the van.The next best seen was the lion dragging the man in front of everyone.I was wondering about the love for animals by the trapped people. They did not try to kill any lions.Finally the escape from that house was very dramatic by the use of wooden cage

Lions, tigers and bears oh my. Well actually there's no threat of tigers and bears, but however lions feature prominently in this gripping, heart-stopping little under siege survival feature that sees a family holding up in their plantation homestead while outside await some hungry predators with a taste for human flesh. Five years of drought has stricken Africa, grass eaters have vanished and a new prey has become the hunted. What surprised me about "Savage Harvest" (and not that it was based upon actual events) was how immensely intense and convincing the attacks scenes were (unsparing, bloody and with ferocity) and going a long way to cementing that success was how well trained the lions came across. The lions are truly the stars here. From this you are thrown right in to the taut situation with the family and it's made the more harrowing (projected by a stirring score) as the characters are treated with respect, believability and constant development. Sure it might be a familiar set-up, but there's no denying that it's effectively handled with some very good performances by Tom Skerritt (who's quite likable in the lead), Michelle Phillips (looking quite ravishing) and Shawn Stevens. The pacing can be a stop and go affair, as when it wasn't focusing on the lingering threat it's a waiting game. Time was spent either trying to figure a way out of the problem, or family dramas would come to the forefront and then to keep everyone in a good mood is was time to sing some "Beatles" classics until an unexpected guest drops in. Director Robert Collins delivers authentic grit from the surroundings and crafts an unsettling sense that doesn't waver. A good build-up (plenty of lion POV shots) and a just as good payoff that keeps you involved to the very end.

I was six when this movie released in 1981. Despite the fact that my folks believed in taking us kids for wildlife movies, they decided to sit this one out for the violence quotient. I had earmarked it though for one of the movies I needed to watch once I grew. And grow I did but could never find the movie until last night. And I sat through the night watching it. First, it realistically conveys the picture of a white family in Zimbabwae (then Rhodesia) or some such place where white can afford to have plenty of black servants. I don't care if this is based on a true story, the movie was a series of howlers from the word go. I am truly amazed at the rave reviews the movie has been getting. First sign of violence, the black panthers, for Chrissake. Two of them surrounding the van when it broke down, so they are supposed to know its broken down eh? And then clawing their way through the metal body to get at the driver? Give me a break.Then the ridiculous scenes with the lions laying siege to the villa, climbing down the chimney I almost cracked my sides laughing. And despite all the shooting, the father son pair never seemed to hit a single lion. And what was the black maid doing using the term 'memsahib'. This was supposed to be Africa not India. Anyway it got so ridiculous that I saw it was pointless wasting my sleep further and switched it off. The same story, a lot of expendable black servants die and the white family escapes. There is of course some token arm wringing over some faithful childhood nurse being dragged away but nothing to lose sleep over.The lions were like overgrown kittens and stole the show with their cute tricks. Sorry they didn't scare me one bit and I feel sorry for generations of people thinking that's how lions behave.My final verdict, want to watch a lot of trained cute lions romping around with their trainers go for this movie. If you want to see a frightening movie about lion man eaters, go for for ghosts and the darkness.I give it 2 mainly because it was nice to see a period film depicting what people think life in white Rhodesia used to be like. Watch it anyway for the laughs and the nostalgia factor, though for some genuine nostalgia go for hatari. Much better movie with far better cast.

I taped this movie years ago and wondered at the time how the lion scenes were produced. I watched it again today and am still perplexed. Was this filmed in Africa or in the US with circus lions? There was another film, "The Gods Must Be Crazy II" in which lions played a significant role. I'd like explanations.