Product: Africa In Flames (1930)
Rating: 3.0
historical artifact
I am glad that this film exists as an historical artifact of early efforts to satisfy audiences' interest in "exotic" peoples and places. And maybe some of the images are even realistic for the times. It is a basically a black and white "silent-style" film with narration instead of subtitles -- not surprising for the 1930 (1948re-release) date. It claims to be ethnography, explained by the voice of an authority, but it does not go deep at all by more recent standards. It is more like motion-film-snapshots of their lives.Frankly, however, few people will want to watch this. I am going to imagine perhaps those with an interest in the history of film in the broad sense, or in the history of films about Africa, an interest in "ethnographic" film depictions (say e.g. along with Nanook of the North) and representations of "primitive" people in cinema (these people are apparently Islam-icized herdsmen, I would guess from their robes and names, and have metal spears etc.). Then too perhaps stoners who won't be worrying about the ethnographic or historical accuracy and could just see it as something novel and escapist or meditate on the rough life these people lead. Why not?Africa has been photographed to death, and so the wildlife shots cannot stand up to the considerable competition. There is nothing outstandingly artistic about the production -- I mean this is not exactly German expressionism! And the dramatic tension did not grab me, and I doubt would grab most people. I don't want to nit-pick about such things as a couple of young orangutans somehow finding their way to Africa and getting in front of the cameras. Film companies quite commonly filled in with stock shots and it can actually be fun to catch these bloopers. So I will give them a break on this.This film could have been done much better by today's standards. But has it? I don't think so, and so not only am I glad that it exists as an historical artifact and curiosity, but maybe it will challenge a contemporary film maker to do a better job telling a story about a whole people in Africa who have to cope with lions and pythons and drought and fire. These are very interesting facts of life for various peoples in these parts.