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 | Terrorism | Rebellion

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 | Portugal:M/12 | 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:

Was banned shortly after release in Trinidad and Tobago following protests from pressure groups that claimed it was racist.

Goofs:

Continuity: The spool of thread on the sewing machine changes colour between shots (from beige to green and back) before Sam Boga hits it.

Quotes:

Narrator: Sometimes they hear a thundering sound when there are no clouds. They assume the gods have eaten too much and their tummies are rumbling. Sometimes they can even see the evidence of the gods' flatulence.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Og Must Be Crazy (1990)

Lots of laughs, honest joy.

I don't know that I've ever seen a movie that had such innocent joy - I'm not sure if any other movie I've seen had any innocent joy, for that matter.

Perhaps what true joy I've seen in movies is civilized and therefore self-conscious.

Anyway, you can look at the crazy civilized world through the eyes of these innocents and have joy about it instead of cynicism. Can ordinary pain relievers do that?

The premise is how one empty Coke bottle in the garden of Eden could corrupt it. They do a totally believable job of it, too.

Lots of laughs, kids loved it. I saw it in the theaters in the mid-80's and am glad I saw it again. You'll like it. It will lighten your heart.