Pura Jalalon BSBA 1
The Gods Must Be Crazy 2
Characters:
N!xau ... Xixo
Lena Farugia ... Dr. Ann Taylor
Hans Strydom ... Dr. Stephen Marshall
Eiros ... Xiri
Nadies ... Xisa
Erick Bowen ... Mateo
Treasure Tshabalala ... Timi
Pierre Van Pletzen ... George
Lourens Swanepoel ... Brenner
Richard Loring ... Jack
Lesley Fox ... Ann's Secretary
Simon Sabela ... General
Ken Marshall ... Convener
Peter Tunstall ... Chief Game Warden
Andrew Dibb ... Computer Operator
Shimane Mpepela ... Man on Bike
Paddy O'Byrne ... Narrator (voice)
Summary:
The film is split into four stories:
* Xixo trying to find his lost children * Two elephant poachers traveling in a truck on which Xixo's children are stuck * A man and a woman are stuck in the desert * Two soldiers fighting each other
The story starts with two elephant poachers crossing the area in which Xixo's tribe lives. Curious about their vehicle, Xixo's son Xiri and daughter Xisa climb into the water tank trailer and are subsequently taken for an involuntary ride as the poachers continue. Xixo follows the truck on foot, determined to retrieve his children.
A young lawyer named Ann Taylor arrives at a bush clinic to participate in a lecture. Since she has some spare time, she accepts the invitation by a young man to take a joy ride in his two-seat, twin engined ultralight aircraft. They go to see scientist Dr. Stephen Marshall, who exchanges places with the other pilot so he and Ann can continue on, but the plane crashes, stranding them both in the middle of the Kalahari desert. In addition, war is brewing, personified by a lost Cuban soldier (Mateo) and his Angolan enemy (Timi), who repeatedly attempt to take each other prisoner.
In the course of the movie, all these people cross paths with Xixo and/or his children. Finally, the plot culminates in the poachers capturing Xixo, Taylor, Marshall, and the two soldiers. Xixo manages to save them, and one of the poachers, who is actually a nice guy kept under the heel of his boss, gives Xixo directions to his children. The boss poacher is captured, both soldiers still don't come to terms and part with the Cuban frustratedly admitting to being the South African's prisoner. The South African responds by stating "I don't want you! You're a shitty prisoner!".Taylor and Marshall return to civilization (though not without an embarrassing accident), and Xixo and his family are happily reunited.
Moreover, there are a variety of wild and trained animals. There's an ape that doesn't find Ann as comely with her dress up as we male viewers do , an ostrich that is intent on protecting her nest when Stephen goes hungry, a stubborn badger that clamps onto Stephen's boot and won't let go! and a hyena that laughs at some of the human antics, , and there's also a jackal pursuing little Xiri when he gets lost, to provide dramatic tension.
REACTION PAPER
It was quite interesting how this movie shows that Black and White South Africans were working and living peacefully alongside each other in the late 70s when it was not the case in real life. From what I have read or remembered, there were periodic harassment by the predominantly White South African Army, who would sometimes go terrorist Black Africans in their homelands (Poor Ghettos) and the lack of opportunities for non-whites due to Apartheid being in effect during that period. I don't believe that this film would be viewed as racist by people of any ethnicity or race, but I've learned, over the years, that I can't always anticipate what people of radically different backgrounds than my own will perceive as racist.
Xixo, the Bushman, is certainly the character presented in the most favorable light, both for his survival skills and his intelligent, if simple, approach to life. All of the folks who provide the buffoonery are white, except for one soldier who is black. None of the gags hinge specifically on the race of the individual. There is a bit more sexism than racism, since it is mainly the female lawyer who ends up exposed repeatedly, though only to the extent of underwear shots. The film paints an exceptional portrait of the differences between human cultures, as well as the ethnocentrism that runs common to all. It seems like the director and the the writers wanted this film is for the world to see what its like in South Africa. In comparison to the life we live now, we must realize that even without material things we can still live on. Providing all the natural resources we have, I don’t think there is no reason for us to be desperate about our economy when in fact it all lies to our strength and determination if we are to survive.
Fortunately, thanks to Nelson Mandela and other moral supporters, the South Africa of today is the realization of that view presented in the Gods must be crazy.
