Africa Speaks! (1930)

Explorer Paul Hoefler leads a safari into central Africa and what was then called the Belgian Congo, in the regions inhabited by the Wassara and the famous Ubangi tribes.

Director:

Walter Futter

Writer:

Walter Futter

Stars:

Harald Austin, Paul L. Hoefler, Lowell Thomas

Cast

Credited cast:
Harald Austin	...	Himself
Paul L. Hoefler	...	Himself (as Paul Hoefler)
Lowell Thomas	...	Himself (narrator)

Storyline

Hear the hoof-beats of the gnus and see a young boy chased down and killed by a lion (sans the screams)was what "Africa Speaks!" promised, and delivered. Filmed on the Colorado African Expedition of 1928, headed by Paul L. Hoefler, this film rose above the 'jungle-graph' films of the past---"Chang" excepted---because of the sound and not the views of the Dark Continent offered, albeit most of these were new views that some of the critics debated over whether or not some of them were staged. It contained: a locust swarm that devoured everything but the expedition camera; a visit to the duck-billed pygmy tribe in which the females of the tribe had discs inserted beneath their lips when very young and, as they grow older, larger discs replace the previous discs; an antelope---called and spelled illampa in the film---that jumps forty feet backward or forward when frightened and some slow-motion shots are used. "Africa Speaks!" showed Africa to be both dangerous and noisy.

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Plot Keywords:

africa | belgian congo | pygmy | safari | gnu | 

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Taglines:

Misshaped and marvelously disfigured folk...customs of odd humans and beasts never before seen or photographed! (original ad)

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Genres:

Documentary | Adventure | History

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

Afrika spricht!

Filming Locations:

Democratic Republic Of Congo

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walter Futter Productions, Colorado African Expedition

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Spoofed in Africa Squeaks (1940)

User Reviews

Awful grandeur

This film is striking for several reasons. The obvious footage of animals and insects was magnificent, and so was the scenes of the veldt, regardless of the animals. But, beyond that, the whole feeling of the daily hardship of life on the African continent 70 odd years ago was almost overwhelming. This film brought the living in fear of lions, locust, tsetse flies and other dangers into sharp relief for me. It was well worth watch if only to get the historical sense of life on the dark continent.