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Half dark comedy and half slapstick, THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY is a humorous KOYAANISQATSI set in South Africa, poking fun at the craziness people accept as normal-- life out of balance, basically.
Well...that's a stretch.
But there is a roughly five minute introductory part in which the narrator contrasts the untamed Kalahari with the tamed Johannesburg. "Which is really crazier?", the narrator seems to ask. Excerpt-
"Only miles to the south, there's a vast city. And here you find civilized man. Civilized man refused to adapt himself to his environment. Instead he adapted his environment to suit him. So he built cities, roads, vehicles, machinery. And he put up power lines to run his labour-saving devices. But he didn't know when to stop. The more he improved his surroundings to make life easier, the more complicated he made it."
But I'm getting ahead of myself-- most of those reading don't know what the film's about. Synopsis is RT's, couldn't sum the film up better: "A tribe of bushmen living in the Kalahari Desert find their peaceful, happy existence threatened when a Coca-Cola bottle falls from the sky. The natives squabble incessantly over ownership of the mysterious item, which they believe to be a gift from the gods. Hoping to restore order, one tribesman is elected to return the bottle by journeying to the ends of the earth, which brings him into contact with modern civilization."
I may be making it sound a bit heavy handed. Don't get that impression. THE GOD'S MUST BE CRAZY is a comedy, and a heartwarming one at that.
I won't give away any more. It's a clever, inventive plot, and I wouldn't want to spoil it.
So see it for yourself, and tell me what you think. "Recommended" or "Two thumbs up" would be a bit of an understatement.
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Blake B on 11/5/09 at 4:48 PM
The stark contrast between the white guy driving his car down the driveway to pick up the newspaper with the journey the bushman makes on foot is poignant. It worked then and it still works. My favorite thing of the whole movie
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Agent Orange on 11/6/09 at 1:30 PM
I'd also say that five minute introduction was my highlight of the film; that little bit you mentioned was funny but also a bit sad. As you eloquently observed, it was indeed one of the most poignant parts of the film.
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Weatherbox on 11/5/09 at 4:58 PM
I've wanted, but never have seen this movie.
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Mr. Bo Ziffer on 11/5/09 at 6:06 PM
I've honestly never heard of this movie, but you have very good taste, so now I am obligated to see it!
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Escapefromalcatraz on 11/5/09 at 6:41 PM
Bo, this film is an absolute must-see! It's done in a documentary style and is on the cheap budget-wise, but the story is fantastic.
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FJ on 11/5/09 at 6:32 PM
I need to see it again but when I first saw it I didn't think it was that great.
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Escapefromalcatraz on 11/5/09 at 6:53 PM
Great review of what was once my favorite film of all time. A treasure and well worth the 100% value. Interesting bit of trivia: Xixo's frequent look of bewilderment was genuine, since actor Nxau, an actual Sho, was seeing many of these things for the very first time! How is that for cool!?
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Agent Orange on 11/6/09 at 1:24 PM
Haha, that explains things- definitely contributes to the realism of his performance.
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Mark M Bonner on 11/5/09 at 7:30 PM
Wow, I remeber this movie a long time ago. It was the style of speeding things up. Also a lot of comedies from South Africa that did not paint the people there in a very smart light.
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sayurkangkung on 11/6/09 at 2:53 AM
One of the best comedies (and unfortunately underseen) of 80s
Indonesians LOVE this movie, they keep airing this every year at Christmas or another holiday
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Agent Orange on 11/6/09 at 1:21 PM
ha that's a very interesting little anecdote, I would never expect that.
It does have a very universal appeal, though, in its themes, so I can see why lots of different people would dig this one.
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Steve Pulaski on 11/6/09 at 5:27 AM
I remember we were going to watch the sequel to this at camp. Never did. I have always wanted to see, but I have never got around to it. After reading this very professional like review I think I will.
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Agent Orange on 11/6/09 at 1:19 PM
From what I saw of the trailer, the sequel looked a bit forgettable. You'd do better seeing the first one, of course, first.
Interesting that the camp would show the sequel instead of its superior predecessor...
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Psycho Manana Banana Man on 11/6/09 at 10:58 AM
Nope, I'm afraid I've never heard of this film. Good review though.
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A. Khan on 11/6/09 at 11:07 AM
This is one of my father's favorite films, and yes, I think it's hilarious.
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Agent Orange on 11/6/09 at 1:16 PM
Although there are many hilarious scenes, one of my favorites is the initial terrorist attack. On the way in, the door slams the two front guys in the face. It has great comic timing.
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A. Khan on 11/6/09 at 2:11 PM
Yeah, a lot of this movie is slapstick humor, but my father was a big fan of "Three's Company" too, which had a lot of the same kind of humor.
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RT-Steveo on 11/6/09 at 12:18 PM
Congrats on Review of the Day!
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Agent Orange on 11/6/09 at 1:34 PM
thanks steve-o
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kovacuator on 11/6/09 at 12:39 PM
Form the cover, I wouldn't have bothered watching this, but you can never judge a "movie" by its cover.
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AK on 11/6/09 at 1:04 PM
I really wanna see this movie.
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Agent Orange on 11/6/09 at 1:32 PM
Keep an eye out for it in stores like Target, you may very likely find it at a bargain price (how I first got it myself).
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Mr. Burns on 11/6/09 at 1:50 PM
Good review. This movie is a good one, no doubt about it. Although, I don't know that I'd go quite as far as to call it great.
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Agent Orange on 11/7/09 at 7:47 AM
Sometimes I give movies I love but don't really think are "genius" a little extra on the top; usually because they deserve a larger audience than they get.
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Mr. Burns on 11/7/09 at 9:14 PM
Fair enough.
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piratefan60 on 11/6/09 at 4:08 PM
I saw this in 2001 on a High School Band trip. I really couldn't hear what they were saying (60 band students and 10 of us parents) but what I could see of the movie was funny.
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Agent Orange on 12/3/09 at 4:13 PM
you should see it in a better environment, I think you'll like it!
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King Kubrick on 11/9/09 at 5:54 PM
Good review. I watched this for the first time a year ago and I had low expectations based on the snippets I saw on tv. But damn me if it ain't funny. Good review.
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Agent Orange on 12/3/09 at 4:13 PM
thanks
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Robert Allen on 11/10/09 at 5:36 PM
The 80's did a good job at establishing the sub-genre this comedy falls into, good review on a movie I forgot all about.
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Agent Orange on 12/3/09 at 4:14 PM
very true, and thanks
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Debjyoti G. on 12/3/09 at 7:38 AM
Very Good Review....I had seen this way long back...such that I am hardly able to recollect ....have to see this once again.......
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Agent Orange on 12/3/09 at 4:14 PM
cheers mate
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