Top-Rated Episodes
S1.E10
Shaka helps Farewell and a Zulu delegation to get to Cape Town, where Lord Somerset imprisons them; Nandi's death sends Shaka into a frenzy of destruction.
S1.E6
Shaka goes deep into the Nkandla forest and has a blacksmith forge a stabbing spear, which he has empowered by "The Nameless One" and given magical powers. However, it is predicted that the weapon ...
S1.E8
Fynn traces the history of Shaka and the Ndwandwe king Zwide after Shaka orders the Britons to help fight Zwide, who was responsible for the death of Dingiswayo.
Marlon Wayans explains how a White Chicks sequel could still be in the future, even 15 years after the movie's first release.
Related News
-
‘The Conqueror’ is a romanticized Shakespearean effort presented by John Wayne
03 March 2013 | SoundOnSight -
DVD Playhouse--Dec. 2012/Jan. 2013
08 January 2013 | The Hollywood Interview -
Shaka Zulu Restaurant Review – A Carnivore’s Dream
25 September 2012 | Obsessed with Film
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Shaka Zulu (1986)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Episodes
Learn more
More Like This
Shaka Zulu: The Citadel
(TV Movie 2001)
Drama
Director:
Joshua Sinclair
Stars:
David Hasselhoff,
Karen Allen,
Henry Cele
Zulu Dawn
(1979)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
History
Director:
Douglas Hickox
Stars:
Burt Lancaster,
Simon Ward,
Denholm Elliott
Shogun
(1980)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
History
Stars:
Richard Chamberlain,
Toshirô Mifune,
Yôko Shimada
Zulu
(1964)
Drama
|
History
|
War
Director:
Cy Endfield
Stars:
Stanley Baker,
Jack Hawkins,
Ulla Jacobsson
One in a Billion
(2016)
Documentary
Director:
Roman Gackowski
Stars:
Dan Barto,
Balbir Singh Bhamara,
Satnam Singh Bhamara
Into the West
(2005)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
History
Stars:
Joseph M. Marshall,
Irene Bedard,
Gil Birmingham
Roman Empire
(TV Series 2016)
Documentary
|
Biography
|
Drama
Stars:
Aaron Irvin,
Sean Bean,
Aaron Jakubenko
Zulu
(2013)
Crime
|
Drama
|
Thriller
Director:
Jérôme Salle
Stars:
Orlando Bloom,
Forest Whitaker,
Conrad Kemp
Edit
Cast
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Framed around Queen Victoria's decision on England's political stance towards the Zulu Nation, this mini-series details King Shaka's rise and fall with mythic detail. Prophecy is mixed with recorded fact regarding Shaka's birth, exile, innovations in warfare, assumption of the throne, building of the Zulu Empire, first contact with Europe and the events that lead to his downfall. Written by Renee Ann Byrd <byrdie@wyrdbyrd.org>
Taglines:
The Most Savage Warrior of All Time!Certificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
Edit
See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Release Date:
24 November 1986 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Shaka Zulu See more »Filming Locations:
South AfricaEdit
Box Office
Budget:
$24,000,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Production Co:
Harmony Gold, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Tele München Fernseh Produktionsgesellschaft (TMG) See more »
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (original)Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1
Edit
Lt. Francis Farewell: Well, a gourd is used... with a narrow neck. Bait is dropped into the gourd: a piece of fruit, or - or something shiny. The monkey puts his hand into the gourd to get the bait, and then he's trapped... because he can't get his fist out.
Shaka: Once he realizes he's trapped, why doesn't the monkey let go of the bait?
Lt. Francis Farewell: Because his greed makes him blind.
Shaka: And ...
[...]
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
This Crawford Production has been rescaned from a negative print and reframed for a 16:9 presentation and aired on the WIN Network in Australia in November 2017. See more »Quotes
Shaka: [their final meeting before Shaka's return to his capital, where Shaka will be assassinated by his own aunt] ... Tell me - How do you catch a monkey?Lt. Francis Farewell: Well, a gourd is used... with a narrow neck. Bait is dropped into the gourd: a piece of fruit, or - or something shiny. The monkey puts his hand into the gourd to get the bait, and then he's trapped... because he can't get his fist out.
Shaka: Once he realizes he's trapped, why doesn't the monkey let go of the bait?
Lt. Francis Farewell: Because his greed makes him blind.
Shaka: And ...
[...]
See more »
Alternate Versions
Also released on video in an edited, 'feature length' version. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.On IMDb TV, you can catch Hollywood hits and popular TV series at no cost. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free!
Enjoy a night in with these popular movies available to stream now with Prime Video.
Although not a despot known to many, Shaka Zulu controlled an empire at the height of his power comparable to that of Napolean and was as brutal as Vlad the Impaler; this miniseries very successfully shows his rise to power, relationship with British envoys, and eventual fall.
As the mini-series opens, a solemn South African representative listens to the British elite, including Queen Victoria, belittle his people and then begs them to let his people keep their sovereignty. The series then flashbacks to the British embassy going to meet Shaka, running into trouble, and eventually earning his trust after an assassination attempt. The series then flashbacks to his rise to power from a young boy to the most powerful man on the continent of Africa. The flashbacks never get confusing, the story is always well told. The cinematography is brilliant, the acting (especially by Henry Cele in the title role) is very competent, and the characters are very compelling.
The series has a little something for everyone, although I think it would appeal more to history buffs like myself. In addition, there is substantial amounts of nudity, as most of the African women go around topless. While the nudity didn't detract from the narrative or become gratutitious, it is something to think about before letting younger viewers watch.
All in all i heartily recommend this mini-series, whether for a really, really rainy day or an hour at at time after work.