The Naked Prey (1966)
In 1951 Hungarian-born Cornel Wilde became the second major Hollywood actor after Burt Lancaster to form his own production company. A travelled man, proficient in six languages, he considered the two-dimensional heroism of Hollywood an insult to audiences. Tiring of the studio system, Wilde wanted to make movies about characters with substance and stories that challenged, rather than preached, so he created Theodora Pictures.
In 1951 Hungarian-born Cornel Wilde became the second major Hollywood actor after Burt Lancaster to form his own production company. A travelled man, proficient in six languages, he considered the two-dimensional heroism of Hollywood an insult to audiences. Tiring of the studio system, Wilde wanted to make movies about characters with substance and stories that challenged, rather than preached, so he created Theodora Pictures.
The Naked Prey was originally conceived to tell the story of John Colter, a trapper with the 1809 Lewis and Clarke expedition who survived an altercation with Blackfoot Indians in Wyoming. When Wilde became aware of substantial co-production funds available in South Africa, he and screenwriters Clint Johnston and Don Peters reworked the “western” into an allegory set in the veldts of South African Zulu country. This was a controversial move that at first glance looked like shameless profiteering on the back of the apartheid system. However, the resulting film with its use of indigenous black actors and measured treatment of African culture is not your typical exploitation fodder.
Wilde plays a safari guide anticipating retirement after one last expedition. When his elephant-hunting client (Gert van den Bergh) refuses, despite his warnings, to comply with a Zulu warrior’s (Ken Gampu) demand for tribute, the expedition camp is promptly attacked. Due to the perceived “insult” the hunters are brutally slain. This leaves only the 54-year-old Wilde who is stripped naked and chased into the bush, where he must elude wild animals and his vengeful pursuers and attempt to return to “civilisation”. Because the Nguni dialect is not subtitled, we, like the hero, fail to understand all the considerations governing this “trial by ordeal”. Wilde’s is in mortal danger, but because he had argued in favour of paying tribute, the tribesmen afford him the honour of proving himself their equal as a warrior.
The Naked Prey is an important example of independent US film-making. It is too often ignored on several counts: its pulp-storyline, the matter of fact directorial style and its scarcity of dialogue. The stock footage of animal deaths and the bleak way it was marketed (see one of the original film posters below) also didn't win it many friends upon release. The post-modern sensibilities of many contemporary critics, has often led to wilful misinterpretation. This engrossing adventure is a serious statement about the nature of “civilisation” and a plea for racial understanding. But the prevailing political attitudes in 1966 (at least in the US) chose not to see this and simply took it to be an exploitation film.
Wilde’s directorship is sympathetic of the Zulu people and explores the nature of power and alpha male status. Yet the introduction of a female character, a young girl whose village is enslaved, counter balances the male-centric narrative. Although clumsily implemented, their ensuing friendship, despite a language barrier, is quite endearing. The spectacular South African vistas become an additional protagonist in the story that proves hostile to all parties. During the end credits Wilde’s character is identified simply as ‘The Man'; a clear metaphor reflecting man’s constant struggle with his environment and himself.
If you have an open mind and are not swayed by the propaganda that has dogged this film, you will find a rewarding and powerful piece of cinema. Films like this are not made any more, at least, not in Hollywood. You can see the clear influence this film had on Ruggero Deodato’s 1980 exploitation piece, Cannibal Holocaust. It is also worth considering what reception this film would have received, if it had stuck closer to the source story and had been a traditional western. The genre was at its height in the 1960s and attitudes towards the depiction of Native Americans in movies were changing.
Same Meat, Different Gravy
After a short break the time has come to relaunch Contains Moderate Peril. Ironically I've returned to blogging just as the Blaugust has started, so bang goes my plan to reduce my writing schedule. So for the next month I shall be writing everyday but once this event comes to an end on the 31st, I will defer to my original idea of writing several times a week.
After a short break the time has come to relaunch Contains Moderate Peril. Ironically I've returned to blogging just as the Blaugust has started, so bang goes my plan to reduce my writing schedule. So for the next month I shall be writing everyday but once this event comes to an end on the 31st, I will defer to my original idea of writing several times a week.
I've written in the past about the importance of finding a writing schedule that is both comfortable and achievable. It is beneficial for both the writer and readers. If your audience knows that there is going to be regular content then they will visit consistently. The moment you cease posting articles then the traffic will abruptly stop. The old incarnation of this site has seen a 75% reduction in traffic over the last fourteen days.
There is something quite invigorating about a new website. As of yet, there are no broken links or missing images and the blog has a lean and streamlined feel to it. I certainly am impressed with Squarespace and can see why they are rapidly becoming the website host of choice. It was very easy to create Contains Moderate Peril 2.0 and get things up and running. Too often the aesthetics of a blog can become a distraction and hours can be lost tweaking templates rather than writing.
Overall it will be business as usual for Contains Moderate Peril. I will continue to write about movies, TV and gaming as well as other aspects of popular culture, only this time round I shall be more candid and forthright. This is after all a platform for personal opinion and expression. The site may also on occasion stray into other contemporary issues and news stories. Simply put if it’s something I'm thinking about then it may well turn up here.
So now that I've set out my stall, I guess it’s just a case of getting on with the content creation. There’s no need for a mission statement and I'm not going to hamstring myself by setting unnecessary goals. I'm just going to write and share my thoughts. If there’s one lesson I've learnt after seven years of blogging is that it doesn't need to be any more complicated than that.