The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Jamie Uys

Writer:

Jamie Uys (writer)

Release Date:

21 August 1981 (Norway)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

The critics are raving... the natives are restless... and the laughter is non-stop!

Plot:

A Sho in the Kalahari desert encounters technology for the first time--in the shape of a Coke bottle...

Plot Keywords:

Bottle | Kalahari | Desert | Baboon | Lion

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Marius Weyers	...	Andrew Steyn
Sandra Prinsloo	...	Kate Thompson
N!xau	...	Xi
Louw Verwey	...	Sam Boga
Michael Thys	...	Mpudi
Nic De Jager	...	Jack Hind
Fanyana H. Sidumo	...	Card 1
Joe Seakatsie	...	Card 2
Brian O'Shaughnessy	...	Mr. Thompson
Vera Blacker	...	Mrs. Thompson
Ken Gampu	...	President
Paddy O'Byrne	...	Narrator (voice)
Jamie Uys	...	The Reverend

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

Botswana | South Africa

Language:

English | Afrikaans | Ungwatsi

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:All | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | Germany:12 | Norway:11 (re-rating) | Norway:12 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

South Africa

Company:

CAT Films

Trivia:

Xixo's frequent look of bewilderment was genuine, since actor N!xau, an actual Sho, was seeing many of these things for the very first time.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the final romance scene, as Steyn gets out of the jeep, the back of his shirt is sweaty. A few seconds later, as he is speaking with Kate, it is not.

Quotes:

Jack Hind: By the way, I am Jack Hind. The Reverend's worried. He got to me on the short-wave, so I offered to look for you and that was very sweet of me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in N!ai, the Story of a K!ung Woman (1980)

Interesting film, one that will be remembered for a long time

It seemed simplistic, yet it was so brilliant in its execution that it ranks as one of the more interesting films of the last century. Unique and different, this film showed a different side of Africa and introduced one of the few genuine characters in the African Bushman. Highly recommended for anyone who has not seen this film. If you can find it, rent it.