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South African director Jamie Uys caught lightning in a bottle with The Gods Must Be Crazy--a Coke bottle, to be specific. This slaphappy collection of goofy pratfalls and culture-clash gags became an enormous international smash, and made a sort of star out of the Bushman selected to play the central role, the completely ingratiating N!Xau. He plays a man, unaware of white culture, who finds a Coca-Cola bottle in the Kalahari (dropped by a passing pilot) and promptly has his life turned around by this mystical object. The movie looks slipshod and even amateurish at times, yet its attitude is so bubbly it's hard to resist. Proving that physical comedy remains a true international language, millions of moviegoers around the world drank it up.

The Gods Must Be Crazy II (1989) returns N!Xau to the bizarre world of the white man, this time in a slicker plot (and a with a bigger budget) that, perhaps predictably, yields fewer real belly laughs than the first time around. Director Jamie Uys sticks to his cherished notions that tribesmen are wiser than civilized people, and that fast-motion comedy is inherently funny. The storyline begins with N!Xau's innocent Bushman searching for his lost children; he then gets sidetracked by subplots. The humor is basic, but in best silent-movie tradition Uys prepares his set-pieces with elaborate care, and he understands the value of the long-delayed pay-off. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (54)

The Ultimate Culture Clash Comedies
This set contains two great comedies set in the beautiful deserts of Botswana, Africa.

The first "The Gods Must be Crazy" was released in 1980. I was surprised just how much it shows that in hair and clothing styles, but I hardly noticed after the first few minutes. It actually starts much like a documentary, telling about life in a bushman tribe in the Kalahari. One day, they discover a Coke bottle. Thinking it a gift from the gods, they begin to use it for all kinds of tasks, only to find it has introduced strife to their community. Xixo sets out to find the end of the world and return it to the gods. Meanwhile, a despotic revolutionary is on the run after a failed coop attempt. And a biologist is trying to get over his fear of women to transport the new school teacher and to the village.

This movie starts out a little slow, setting up the bushman culture and customs, so that when the movie gets going, we'll get the laughter. Most of the comedy is at the expense of civilized humans, but some great points are made about out reliance on our technology. Some of the physical gags involving the barely running jeep and the nervous biologist are priceless, and the plotting of these three stories is brilliant.

"The Gods Must be Crazy II" (1989) once again finds Xixo traveling into the world of the strange civilized man when his kids accidentally stow away in an ivory poacher's truck. Meanwhile, a corporate lawyer and biologist have been stranded in the desert when their plane is blown off course during a freak storm. And two opposing soldiers are trying to capture each other.

This story starts and moves much faster. I hadn't seen it as recently as the first one, and I'd forgotten just how funny this one was. I think it might actually be a little funnier. This time, there's more interaction with the wild life of the area for some great gags. Xixo is the only returning character, but the heroes are still likable.

My only real complaint is philosophical. These movies elevate the bushman to an almost perfect status with an ideal life. Ironically enough, one of the documentaries does show that their lives have really been glamorized for the film and their existence is much harder. Still, it's always good to laugh at oneself, and these movies certainly make you wonder just how civilized we really are.

The DVD set isn't quite up to normal standards for the format, but still acceptable. Both films are presented in anamorphic widescreen, but the picture is marred by lots of dust and grain. It's certainly still watchable, but it's not the crystal clear pictures I've been spoiled with on DVD. The first movie is presented in mono, and I had a little trouble hearing it. Part of the problem was what seemed like a very poor dubbing, probably partially because of the age and low budget of the original. The sequel sounded much better in stereo, but neither movie will show off your sound system. Still, they get the job done, and I think that less is more with these films. Each disc has one documentary on it. The first is a feature on the real life of star N!xau who played Xixo. As I mentioned earlier, it paints quite a contrast to the life presented for these films. The second is a short tribute to creator/director Jamie Ulys which give a little behind the scenes look at these movies.

While these DVD's won't be setting any new standards, they are certainly adequate. And the films contained on them are two classic low budget comedies from the 80's. If you're willing to laugh at yourself, pick these up. Any fan of the movies will appreciate them, especially for the price.

Great movie, nice DVD
After waiting several years, I finally was able to buy "The Gods Must Be Crazy 1 & 2" on DVD. A few brief comments:

1) Both "Gods" films are great entertainment.

2) DVD picture quality is better than what I've seen on TV or from the VHS version, which really looked worn out. However, don't expect "Star Wars" digital camera clarity.

3) For the first time I saw both "Gods" movies in widescreen, which is a nice treat. TV always shows them in Full-Screen, including the VHS version.

4) There are documentaries of director Jamie Uys and actor N!Xau. The one about N!Xau is the most interesting. It details the hard, difficult live he lived in the Kalahari, in stark contrast to the happy, carefree life depicted in the films. Clips of N!Xau's funeral are also shown. One gripe: when N!Xau is talking, and he talks quite a bit, there is almost no translation of what he's saying!!! Frustrating. Nevertheless, it's still a fascinating, honest portrayal of a special man.

Movie excellent - DVD horribly flawed
I love the movie "The Gods Must Be Crazy" and want everyone to see it, but don't buy the current DVD -- wait for (nay, demand) a rerelease of the DVD that includes English subtitles on N!Xau's dialogue in the the special feature, "Journey to Nyae Nyae" (the Japanese subtitles are there; the negligence that omitted the English ones is egregious as well as frustrating). Get on Columbia TriStar's case about this one and let's get a new DVD made!

A ecclectic clash of two very different cultures.
The Gods Must Be Crazy II has been one of the few films I have watched often since the first time I saw it. What more can bring out the laughter in a person than watching people of two very different cultures interact? This movie also serves as a decent documentary as well with its occasional narrative snippets of the intriguing Ju/'hoansi people of the Kalahari (popularly known as the Bushmen).

A comment on the sub-standard dubbing
I've watched with envy as my American counterparts have devoured this DVD set, as it has taken its jolly time in appearing in an Asia-Pacific version. But it is finally here, and I finally own these most brilliant and inspired comedies with which I grew up.

I'd just like to comment on one element of this release: the dubbing. Not only is it poorly done, it is also ENTIRELY UNNECESSARY. Why did the publishers feel the need to dub English over English? In my humble opinion, they have ruined much of the more subtle humour that was originally carried by the speech inflections of the actors. Moreover, the dubbing is inconsistent; in particular, Mputi appears to have been over-voiced only partially. How else does one explain three voices when there are only two people in the scene?

I'm sorry, but I am most disappointed with this state of affairs. ... Read more

Amazon.com

South African director Jamie Uys caught lightning in a bottle with The Gods Must Be Crazy--a Coke bottle, to be specific. This slaphappy collection of goofy pratfalls and culture-clash gags became an enormous international smash, and made a sort of star out of the Bushman selected to play the central role, the completely ingratiating N!Xau. He plays a man, unaware of white culture, who finds a Coca-Cola bottle in the Kalahari (dropped by a passing pilot) and promptly has his life turned around by this mystical object. The movie looks slipshod and even amateurish at times, yet its attitude is so bubbly it's hard to resist. Proving that physical comedy remains a true international language, millions of moviegoers around the world drank it up. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Materialism vs. the simple life of the Bushmen
I found this movie to be a satire on our modern way of life in comparison to the life lived by the bushmen of the Kalahari. I think the filmmaker really believes, at least to some extent, that there are definite advantages to living in a non-modern society. It was quite intersesting how a simple coke bottle came and torchered the lives of these people on the Kalahari. I would like to express that through all they did to the bottle it should have broken. It did not, however, and it soon caused strife to come among them. Interestingly enough, my initial reaction, was to write that certainly they had strife among themselves of this nature before. A reassessment causes me to say that I don't know, I have never lived in a non materialistic society. To me everything can go back to the theme of the unhappiness possessions bring. The white man had a jeep, but we saw how much hassle the jeep was trying to pick up the lady. If she just walked things would have been simpler. Guns were available to civilization and because of that, a group was able to take a large number of childen hostage. That could not happen in the Bushmen society. It also seemed like everytime the white man tried to impress the woman, it was material things that he tipped over or tripped over. Maybe without those possesions he could have been more impressive to the schoolteacher. Who has the right to say which civilization is truly more advanced. It all depends on your perception of advancement.

An excellent family film with a positive story line.
I saw this movie about 10 years ago on HBO. We taped it butwatched it so much the tape broke. Now I want to buy it for my videocollection but to my dismay, no one has it. Even the internet says it's out of print. For the life of me I don't see why some enterprising person in the movie business has not re-released this film. They would make my day and a lot of money. Most of the films released today have little to no social value and are certainly not films you want your kids or grandkids to see. PLEASE BRING THIS MOVIE BACK!!!

I can't believe there's only one review
This is a classic film. It will not make you roll on the floor in laughter, but it will make you smile & admire this man's desire to rid his tribe of this evil thing.

A buried treasure, a family gem
*Finally,* this film has been released on DVD. I was beginning to wonder if it ever would be. This was an international hit, and it's PG, very nearly a G (it's fine for ten year-olds; younger is OK too but they wouldn't get as much out of it). A perfect example of the kind of film that can only be made by a filmmaker on a mission who is not beholden to investors. Run, do not walk, to acquire this movie. It's wholesome and hilarious and exciting, a real pleaser for a ten year-old or a ninety year-old or anyone in between. When you see it, you'll wonder how you never heard of it before. It's a great movie to play to people who don't know what you're showing them, because its beginning makes it look like an old nature documentary. People will be thinking, "Whoa, what am I getting myself into here?" A few minutes later, they'll be riveted to their seats. Ten stars!

A little amusing.
'The Gods Must be Crazy' is an amusing film about a Coke bottle that causes havoc among a group of tribesmen. It is suppoed to be a satire about industralized socitey. Check it out if it comes on T.V. someday. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Camp and cult fans may get a few laughs from this tongue-in-cheek version of the classic H. Rider Haggard adventure novel from '80s low-budget outfit Cannon Films. Richard Chamberlain gives a pun-prone take on Great White Hunter Allen Quatermain, who is recruited by Sharon Stone to rescue her father from the clutches of a German colonel (Herbert Lom) and a Turkish slaver (John Rhys-Davies), who have captured him to possess his map to the legendary diamond mines of King Solomon. Director J. Lee Thompson (The Guns of Navarone) and the game cast do what they can with the dodgy special effects and groaner-filled script; viewers who don't mind sub-par serial-style thrills might find some kicks here. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Comic strip travesty of classic novel
King Solomon's Mines is a great,albeit somewhat dated,classic adventure yarn and it saddens me somewhat that none of the movie versions is notably faithful to the book,adding extraneous elements in order to appeal to cinema audiences.Fair enough I suppose,given that a movie is not at all the same creature as a novel but frustrating that Rider Haggard's vision has never made it to the silver screen especially when his other undeniable masterpiece She has been twice done well in its cinematic incarnations.
This version retains only the title and very basic plot line from the book Chamberlain--an unconvincing action hero-is Allan Quartemain,hired by Sharon Stone(wooden and irritating)to locate her father who holds the key to the whereabouts of the fabled mines .Also intent on findind them are thge German Army commander in East Africa ,a shaven headed Herbert Lom ,and a Arab slaver played by John Rhys-Davies/
Cue car and bi-plane chases,pusuits through gloomy caverns and much over acting

Taken in the right spirit it is rousing enough matinee fare but everything goes ata such a lickety spit pace that it gets tiresome.Even action movies need some quiet scenes by way of contrast and everything here is so live action cartoonish that it quickily becomes tiresome.Updating the novel to the early 1900's doesn't really work either

Where is the chill that the original novel had in the character of the evil Gagool?Where are the colourful characters of the novel,like Sir Henry? Where is the dignified treatment of Africa and Africans that was a key part of the book?In short,nothing but action makes for a basically dull movie,paradoxical as that may sound

King Solomon's Mines
To review this movie is to look at it from the view of a tongue-in-cheek or spoof of the original King Solomon's Mines made earlier with Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr. I don't know whether it was meant to be but if you look at it from that viewpoint I think it was hilariously funny {particularly the first half}. I had never seen Richard Chamberlain's funny side before {although I know he has a great sense of humor} and he played it very well. Sharon Stone was a little giggly but good and John Rhys-Davies always plays a wonderfull villan. The last part was a bit unreal but followed somewhat in the same humorous vein. All in all it was a fun movie to watch.

Comic book
All of those I see who deem this a "Indiana Jones" rip off aren't too swift! The indy films were actually rip offs of these stories which were written in the 1800's. This film is pretty good, it is VERY comic book with the acting, sets, effects and storyline. If you are a child of anything later than the 80s then you won't "get" this film. If you can't simply enjoy a film that is "family" oriented so be it. But many people enjoyed this film when it came out and still do! Its a fun romp similiar to the Indy films but with more cheeky humor. Sharon Stone takes on her early role and is quite silly and fun.

FUNNY, FUNNY, FUNNY!
I laughed through this whole movie. I'd never seen Chamberlain and Stone in a comedy before this. I thought it would just be an adventure movie, but it's not. It's so crazy! I couldn't believe my eyes! I enjoyed it, but I can't even begin to find the words to describe this film. You've really got to see this for yourself.

great fun
Picked this up without having seen it before and couldn't stop laughing! I enjoy this movie each time I watch it! It's not to be taken seriously for a second, but it is very entertaining if you are looking for off the wall fun! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

swell pulp fun
I'd never heard of this movie, but it was cheap and the cover looked good so I picked up the DVD. This is such a great little movie! it should really appeal to fans of pulps, men's adventure books, and B movies. The guy playing Jake is perfect. John Hurt makes the best bad guy. I loved H.A.R.V. (Heavily Armored Raid Vehicle)!

Pulp fiction brought to life on the big screen
The characters are underdeveloped and one-dimensional; the soundtrack is only a shade better than the synth-pop soup of "Day of the Dead"; the actors sound like they're reading directly off an unrevised script; and the plot is about as loose and messy as a rice krispie marshmallow treat. All these little nuances aside, "Jake Speed" has got to be, hands-down, the greatest action/adventure B-movie I've ever seen. The title character (played brilliantly by unassuming "everyman" Wayne Crawford) is a bona-fide dime novel adventurer, seeking to defeat the nefarious forces of evil with the aid of his disturbingly effete partner Des and ingenious little innovations such as "The Kid" (a super-powered automatic shotgun!) and H.A.R.V. (an armored Jeep with side-mounted machine gun turrets!). As you might expect, moral absolutism (the titanic, interminable struggle of the good heroes vs. evil villains) and cheap sensationalism abound, just as they would in any good piece of bad action-melodrama. If you're in the mood for a cute, tongue-in-cheek, low-budget iteration of early-twentieth century action serials or just one laugh after another from a ceaseless torrent of cheesy heroic one-liners, pick up your copy of "Jake Speed" today!

Great Action Hero Movie
One of the few action hero movies I like, the story has a great twist, sound track good , picture even better, this is a movie to have fun whilre watching, not a great story but keeps you interested, if you like Remo Williams, Buckaroo Bonazi, X-men then you'll like this movie.

Worth a look if you like the off-beat.
Not my favorite, but up there somewhere, away from the bottom of the list. It is a cute little action-fantasy with a unique twist (the adventurers document and sell their adventures as fiction) and some interesting philosophy "if you want/need something badly enough, it will happen". One of those culty type movies where only those that "get it" enjoy it but worth the effort. Always remember: If you want to be entertained, see a movie. If you want to be enlightned, climb a mountain.

Best "B" movie ever made.
This cute movie is a treat if you have ever read an action-adventure paperback. J.S. is a spoof of the genre but can stand on its own as an exciting adventure. It was filmed on location and has breathtaking African scenery. The film has an above average soundtrack for this type of movie. If you have a sense of humor and don't take things too seriously, you will adore this underrated gem. Good show for kids of all ages. Along with Buckaroo Banzai and Brisco County Jr., one of the most criminally neglected shows of our time. You will watch it again and again, and I can't say that about more popular movies like Indiana Jones. ... Read more

Description

Steve Chase, four-time World Martial Arts Champion, is hired to save Nobel Prize-winning chemist Dr. Horatio Kane from the hands of demented billionaire Marduk. Steve enlists the aid of four martial arts experts for this important assignment. Enroute to Marduk's stronghold, they are ambushed, but finally make it to the fortress. Captured, the martial arts are all these men have when they are thrown into an arena to fight for their lives. ... Read more