The Gods Must Be Crazy

For those of you who know of this movie will say to yourselves, "Now, how long ago did I watch that?" The answer - too long! This is a movie for the whole family (and there are very few movies that can actually say that with a straight face).

I saw this movie in the mid-80's and just watched it again last week when a friend of mine leant me his DVD copy (missing insert, thank you!) because "You gotta show it to the grandkids!"

OK - the grandkids thought the first 20 minutes of documentary was boring - they got a little spiked up when the bottle hit the ground, and they loved the rhino stomping out the fires and the Bushman driving the jeep backwards.

Which, of course, were the scenes that I remembered - vividly. It was as though this movie had eeked itself into the tapestry of my personal history, and remained there, a part of me - like the skin of my scalp underneath my hair - it never comes out, never makes a statement, but it always there as a part of me - that's what this movie is.

Jeez, I'm so technical. Actually, I found a couple of good reviews about this movie (because I heard there was a 2nd one, 'tho I've never seen it) on Amazon.com. You might want to check them out for specific details (frame-speed and whatnot).

Basically, for yer Verble here, I'm here to tell you that it's a beautiful movie, and if you haven't seen it before, then you must you must you must go rent it immediately if not sooner. If you have seen it, you know what I'm talking about - and if it's been several years - go watch it again. In fact, buy it - add it to your personal DVD collection. This movie is THAT important. Along the level of Dr. Strangelove and Ice Age.

No collection should be without it.

and before I go, let me add that yes, there is the "simple people are nicer than those of us who live in so-called 'civilization'" which may be a trifle grating, but that's only because it's true. In fact, watching it again led me to believe that the Bushmen, who have never heard of the Bible, are, in fact, more Christian than any of the supposedly "saved." They live their lives loving each other equally, accepting all things as the will of God, and being eternally grateful for simple things such as tubers and the rain.

If only all of us would remember to be so wholly grateful in that way.

Right now, I'm grateful to God for a movie like this/for someone to make a movie like that/for giving the human race the ability to form such lofty ideals/and for the capacity to laugh and cry at a movie such as this.

VG