Congo (1995)

When an expedition to the African Congo ends in disaster, a new team is assembled to find out what went wrong.

Director:

Frank Marshall

Writers:

Michael Crichton (novel), John Patrick Shanley (screenplay)

Stars:

Laura Linney, Tim Curry, Dylan Walsh

2 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Laura Linney	...	Dr. Karen Ross
Dylan Walsh	...	Dr. Peter Elliot
Ernie Hudson	...	Captain Monroe Kelly
Tim Curry	...	Herkermer Homolka
Grant Heslov	...	Richard
Joe Don Baker	...	R.B. Travis
Lola Noh	...	Amy (as Lorene Noh)
Mary Ellen Trainor	...	Moira
Misty Rosas	...	Amy the Gorilla
Stuart Pankin	...	Boyd
Carolyn Seymour	...	Eleanor Romy
Romy Rosemont	...	Assistant
James Karen	...	College President / Elliot's Boss
Bill Pugin	...	William
Lawrence T. Wrentz	...	Prof. Arliss Wender

Storyline

A megalomaniac C.E.O. sends his son into the dangerous African Congo on a quest for a source of diamonds large enough and pure enough to function as powerful laser communications transmitters (or is it laser weapons?). When contact is lost with his son and the team, his sometime daughter- in-law is sent after them. She is a former CIA operative and, accompanied by gee-whiz gadgetry and a few eccentric characters (including a mercenary, a researcher with a talking gorilla, and a a nutty Indiana-Jones-type looking for King Solomon's Mines), sets out to rescue her former fiancé. What they all discover is that often what we most want turns out to be the source of our downfall.

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Plot Keywords:

lost city | gorilla | diamond | talking gorilla | ape | 

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Taglines:

Where you are the endangered species

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for jungle adventure terror and action and brief strong language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English American Sign Language

Release Date:

9 June 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kongo

Filming Locations:

Costa Rica

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,642,539, 11 June 1995, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$81,022,101

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$152,022,101

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures,The Kennedy/Marshall Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Frank Marshall originally intended to use the computer work pioneered on Jurassic Park (1993) for the gorillas, but opted for models as the computers weren't capable of reproducing hair.

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Goofs

The position of the plane when the trucks arrive.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Rudy, TraviCom Security: [over PA system] Doctor Ross. Doctor Ross. We've got satellite in the Congo.
Dr. Karen Ross: What did they say, Rudy?
Rudy, TraviCom Security: I can't repeat anything in here.
Dr. Karen Ross: It's Charles.
Rudy, TraviCom Security: It's Charles.
Rudy, TraviCom Security: [trying her access card] It won't work.
Dr. Karen Ross: You changed the code already?
Rudy, TraviCom Security: The old man's got me changing it every 3 hours now.
[imitating Cary Grant for voice print]
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in A.P. Bio: Walleye (2018)

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Soundtracks

California Dreamin'
By John Phillips & Michelle Phillips

User Reviews

"Legends of the Hidden Temple" with intelligent gorillas and science

OK, this movie is best watched on a rainy day or when you're pretty bored. The fake looking gorillas were obviously not very well-made, whereas the 1993 film Jurassic Park had familiarized audiences with CG dinosaurs. In fact, CGI was originally planned for the grays, but the technology had not yet been developed to the point where realistic hair could be created. While smooth skinned dinosaurs were possible, hairy apes would have looked inappropriately cartooned. Therefore, animatronics, masks and puppetry had to be utilized. So that was kind of a damper on the special effects as well as Tim Curry's bad acting. The movie could have been a lot better, but it was viewable. If you got over the gorilla puppets and Tim Curry's accent, you have a pretty decent movie. I thought the story was good. It's not Jurassic Park, but it's Michael Crichton. Congo wasn't very realistic, but neither was Jurassic Park. It was like that show "Legends of the Hidden Temple" with intelligent gorillas and science. There was action and a plot. So I could sit and watch it. I'll give it (barely) 6 stars.