Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey (1988)

Director:

Michael Apted

Writers (WGA):

Harold T.P. Hayes (article)
Dian Fossey (work)

Release Date:

23 September 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

In a land of beauty, wonder and danger, she would follow a dream, fall in love and risk her life to save the mountain gorillas from extinction.

Plot:

The story of Dian Fossey, a scientist who came to Africa to study the vanishing mountain gorillas, and later fought to protect them.

Plot Keywords:

Gorilla | Mountain | Africa | Environmental | Love For Animals

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Sigourney Weaver	...	Dian Fossey
Bryan Brown	...	Bob Campbell
Julie Harris	...	Roz Carr
John Omirah Miluwi	...	Sembagare
Iain Cuthbertson	...	Dr. Louis Leakey
Constantin Alexandrov	...	Van Veeten
Waigwa Wachira	...	Mukara
Iain Glen	...	Brendan
David Lansbury	...	Larry
Maggie O'Neill	...	Kim
Konga Mbandu	...	Rushemba
Michael J. Reynolds	...	Howard Dowd
Gordon Masten	...	Photographer
Peter Nduati	...	Batwa chief
Helen Fraser	...	Mme. Van Vecten

Also Known As:

Gorillas in the Mist: The Adventure of Dian Fossey (International: English title) (poster title) (International: English title) (DVD title)
Gorillas in the Mist (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Malaysia:U | Australia:M | South Korea:15 | UK:12 (video re-rating) (1999) | UK:15 (original rating) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Sweden:11 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Karisoke Research Centre, Virunga Conservation Area, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Company:

Guber-Peters Company, The

Trivia:

Sembagare (John Omirah Miluwi), is based on Rosamund Carr's former house boy and now co-worker at the Imbabazi orphanage, which they both set up in 1994 after the Rwandan Genocide, and still operational.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scenes where Dian drives from the town to the mountains in a land rover, the vehicle used is Series III Land Rover, which first went into production in 1972, in 1966 the Series II was the production Land Rover, and sported a wire grill, and inset headlights, as opposed to the III's plastic grill, and lights in wings, as in the film.

Quotes:

Dian Fossey: Get off my mountain!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Curse of Monkey Island (1997) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Sugar

Anyone who loves animals must see this film....

While this film may have taken certain creative license with some facts, this story is important and upsetting. Many people in the US are still not aware of the poaching issues, the wild horses that are being sold for profit now, and many horrific things that still go on, simply because animals have no one to protect their rights.

This film is upsetting and sad, but also beautiful. To see the silver back gorillas, how gentle they are to each other, and see Sigourney Weaver as Dian Fossey, who attempted to communicate and understand them.

It is sometimes difficult to learn what inhumanity man is capable of; against both humans and animals. But by learning about this issue, one may be galvanized into learning more, joining a humane association, or teaching their children to respect animals. Animals, especially in the wild are also God's creatures, and deserve to be respected. 10/10.