Rotten Tomatoes

Movies / TV

    Celebrity

      No Results Found

      View All
      Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

      Secrets of the Tribe

      2009 1h 50m Documentary List
      Reviews 82% 50+ Ratings Audience Score Researchers investigate seminal information about the Yanomami Indians of South America. Read More Read Less

      Where to Watch

      Secrets of the Tribe

      Prime Video

      Rent Secrets of the Tribe on Prime Video.

      Critics Reviews

      View All (1) Critics Reviews
      Louis Proyect rec.arts.movies.reviews Riveting introduction to the Napoleon Chagnon/Yanomami controversy that erupted after the publication of Patrick Tierney's "Darkness in El Dorado". Mar 29, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

      View All (11) audience reviews
      Audience Member Dull, unless you're into anthropology. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Riveting documentary about the less-than peaceful Yanonami people in Venezuela who became very hot property amongst a small group of anthropologists in the 70's due to the tribe's complete lack of exposure to the modern world. This film uncovers the incredibly harrowing effects the anthropologists had on the indiginous culture with paedophilia, brutal medical experimentation, systematic prostitution and weaponry all being 'gifts' from the academics in their rush for glory. An utterly depressing but stark reminder about how fucked up humanity can be. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member This documentary examines the extent to which anthropological research is harmful to uncontacted tribes - too talky at times, though. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Amazing story of academic ethics, vanity, personality clashes, and sexual perversion. Someone needs to study the anthropologists, and probably prosecute the pedophiles. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member Very interesting look at anthropology and the controversies of "affecting" the tribes they are "studying". It is still a western, male dominated idea that gives the self permission to go and "live among the people" and trade goods for secrets. See and judge for yourself. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A science geek smack down / rumble royale. Of course all of the punches that are thrown are verbal, but the words are eyeball scratching / gouging intense. An academics version of an evening soap opera ala "Dallas" with Napoleon Chagnon in the J.R. Ewing role and Jacques Lizot playing the dad from the movie "Happiness". A fun role reversal where the observers of other cultures get observed themselves. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Researchers investigate seminal information about the Yanomami Indians of South America.
      Director
      José Padilha
      Producer
      Dan Cogan, Nick Fraser
      Genre
      Documentary
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jun 3, 2019
      Runtime
      1h 50m
      Most Popular at Home Now