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      Masters of the Congo Jungle

      Released May 4, 1960 1h 28m Documentary List
      Reviews This documentary explores the jungles of the area known as the Belgian Congo (later Zaire and then Democratic Republic of Congo), as filmmaker Henry Brandt shows many of the customs of the tribesmen that were previously unknown to Western audiences. However, this film delves into all the life in the region, spending considerable time with both the animals and the vast plant life of the Congo. Narrators Orson Welles and William Warfield provide information to accompany the impressive images. Read More Read Less

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      Critics Reviews

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      Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine The photography is memorably fine, and the luminous commentary is effectively spoken by Orson Welles and William Warfield. Nov 5, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member Orson Welles sounded like he had more fun doing commercials for Paul Masson than he did narrating this dreary, uninformative documentary about natives of an isolated patch of the Congo jungle. To liven things up a bit -- or satisfy some sort of clause in Welles' contract requiring him to only do half of this movie, it's unclear which -- another voice shares duties, with a booming yet dulcet-toned series of interjections coming from black singer William Warfield of "Show Boat" fame. Warfield sounds a hell of a lot happier to be narrating this film than Welles; he's certainly more enthusiastic. Perhaps that's because Welles seems to be saddled with the monotone, dispassionate ramblings describing the wild life and environment of the Belgian Congo while Warfield is entrusted with the livelier descriptions of what the humans are up to. Regardless of Warfield's exuberance, you too will be as bored as Welles sounds watching a movie about a group of people whose relationship with nature isn't particularly noteworthy or interesting (why not go the Mondo route and just clumsily cross-cut between multiple indigenous cultures and metaphorically link them to the post-Industrial world?) and whose story is catalogued by filmmakers whose eyes for the truth are dull and whose eyes for the sensational and bizarre border on nonexistent. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Masters of the Congo Jungle

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis This documentary explores the jungles of the area known as the Belgian Congo (later Zaire and then Democratic Republic of Congo), as filmmaker Henry Brandt shows many of the customs of the tribesmen that were previously unknown to Western audiences. However, this film delves into all the life in the region, spending considerable time with both the animals and the vast plant life of the Congo. Narrators Orson Welles and William Warfield provide information to accompany the impressive images.
      Director
      Henry Brandt, Heinz Sielmann
      Screenwriter
      Heinz Sielmann, Sam Hill, Joe Willis
      Genre
      Documentary
      Original Language
      German
      Release Date (Theaters)
      May 4, 1960, Limited
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Sep 9, 2019
      Runtime
      1h 28m
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