Duma
Working again in a movie subgenre of which he is the acknowledged master, Carroll Ballard has created in "Duma" another remarkable story of people and wild animals set against a rugged landscape. This time, his four-legged protagonist is a South African cheetah, a magnificent, swift cat, who co-stars with a young boy named Xan (Alexander Michaletos). The two face many dangers and obstacles in a demanding journey to return the animal to his native habitat.
As with all of Ballard's adventure stories, including "The Black Stallion", "Never Cry Wolf" and "Fly Away Home", the potential audience cuts across all age groups. The dangers our heroes confront are at times more terrifying than the PG rating might indicate, meaning the movie might frighten very young children; otherwise, one can't imagine a better movie for the whole family.
However, Warner Bros. apparently is not convinced. The distributor gave the film a three-city test run in April and will open the film Friday in Chicago. Those close to the film say that Warners is looking for strong reviews -- which it undoubtedly will receive -- to encourage further domestic distribution.
"Duma" is based on a book by Xan and Carol Cawthra Hopcraft about living with a domesticated cheetah. From this unpromising premise, screenwriters Karen Janszen and Mark St. Germain have fashioned a tale worthy of Jack London that sends boy and cheetah across a blazing desert, down a raging river and into mountains patrolled by hungry predators.
When Xan and his father (Campbell Scott) rescue an orphaned cheetah cub, they bring him back to the family farm, name him Duma -- Swahili for cheetah -- and raise him until he is almost fully grown. It is then that Dad informs a crestfallen Xan that they must return Duma to his home before his domestication causes him to lose the ability to survive in the wild.
The father's death puts this plan on hold as Xan's mother (Hope Davis) must lease the farm and move to Johannesburg for a job. That they bring Duma along to the city is a bit of a stretch. When Duma escapes the cramped apartment and pays a visit to Xan at his school, this triggers the boy's foolish decision to carry out his father's plan to return Duma to his real home.
The two set out without adequate supplies or water in the father's motorcycle, with Duma occupying the sidecar. When it runs out of gas, the two continue on foot in desert heat. They run into a mysterious tribesman named Rip (British actor Eamonn Walker), who seems to be fleeing something or someone. There is mutual distrust between the two humans -- and for good reason -- but Xan realizes it can only help to have an adult accompanying him and his cheetah through what Rip calls a "land with many teeth."
Unlike most children's films about wild animals, the dangers in "Duma" are real enough. Animals eat and get eaten. So along with scorching heat and river rapids, our heroes must face lions, crocodiles, swarming insects and poisonous snakes. In one highly dramatic sequence, a pride of lions circles the travelers at night as they frantically try to start a fire in the rain that will keep the lions at bay.
A newcomer to film, Michaletos grew up on a farm with cheetahs, so he can act natural around the animals while making this Huck Finn-like character more than credible. Veteran cheetah trainer Jules Sylvester turns the four animals that play Duma into a fully dimensional "character."
Ballard films in a daunting 75 locations ranging from the Entabeni Game Reserve to the Kalahari sands. These are awe-inspiring yet inhospitable-looking terrains, beautifully photographed by Werner Maritz, while designer Johnny Breedt and costumer Jayne Forbes give the journey plenty of realism.
DUMA
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. in association with Gaylord Films presents a John Wells/Gaylord Films production
Credits:
Director: Carroll Ballard
Screenwriters: Karen Janszen, Mark St. Germain
Story by: Carol Flint, Karen Janszen
Based on the book by: Carol Cawthra Hopcraft, Xan Hopcraft
Producers: John Wells, Hunt Lowry, E.K. Gaylord II, Kristen Harms, Stacy Cohen
Executive producer: Doug Claybourne
Director of photography: Werner Maritz
Production designer: Johnny Breedt
Music: John Debney, George Acogny
Co-producers: David Wicht, Vlokkie Gordon
Costumes: Jayne Forbes
Editor: T.M. Christopher
Cast:
Xan: Alexander Michaletos
Rip: Eamonn Walker
Peter: Campbell Scott
Kristin: Hope Davis
Running time -- 101 minutes
MPAA rating PG...
As with all of Ballard's adventure stories, including "The Black Stallion", "Never Cry Wolf" and "Fly Away Home", the potential audience cuts across all age groups. The dangers our heroes confront are at times more terrifying than the PG rating might indicate, meaning the movie might frighten very young children; otherwise, one can't imagine a better movie for the whole family.
However, Warner Bros. apparently is not convinced. The distributor gave the film a three-city test run in April and will open the film Friday in Chicago. Those close to the film say that Warners is looking for strong reviews -- which it undoubtedly will receive -- to encourage further domestic distribution.
"Duma" is based on a book by Xan and Carol Cawthra Hopcraft about living with a domesticated cheetah. From this unpromising premise, screenwriters Karen Janszen and Mark St. Germain have fashioned a tale worthy of Jack London that sends boy and cheetah across a blazing desert, down a raging river and into mountains patrolled by hungry predators.
When Xan and his father (Campbell Scott) rescue an orphaned cheetah cub, they bring him back to the family farm, name him Duma -- Swahili for cheetah -- and raise him until he is almost fully grown. It is then that Dad informs a crestfallen Xan that they must return Duma to his home before his domestication causes him to lose the ability to survive in the wild.
The father's death puts this plan on hold as Xan's mother (Hope Davis) must lease the farm and move to Johannesburg for a job. That they bring Duma along to the city is a bit of a stretch. When Duma escapes the cramped apartment and pays a visit to Xan at his school, this triggers the boy's foolish decision to carry out his father's plan to return Duma to his real home.
The two set out without adequate supplies or water in the father's motorcycle, with Duma occupying the sidecar. When it runs out of gas, the two continue on foot in desert heat. They run into a mysterious tribesman named Rip (British actor Eamonn Walker), who seems to be fleeing something or someone. There is mutual distrust between the two humans -- and for good reason -- but Xan realizes it can only help to have an adult accompanying him and his cheetah through what Rip calls a "land with many teeth."
Unlike most children's films about wild animals, the dangers in "Duma" are real enough. Animals eat and get eaten. So along with scorching heat and river rapids, our heroes must face lions, crocodiles, swarming insects and poisonous snakes. In one highly dramatic sequence, a pride of lions circles the travelers at night as they frantically try to start a fire in the rain that will keep the lions at bay.
A newcomer to film, Michaletos grew up on a farm with cheetahs, so he can act natural around the animals while making this Huck Finn-like character more than credible. Veteran cheetah trainer Jules Sylvester turns the four animals that play Duma into a fully dimensional "character."
Ballard films in a daunting 75 locations ranging from the Entabeni Game Reserve to the Kalahari sands. These are awe-inspiring yet inhospitable-looking terrains, beautifully photographed by Werner Maritz, while designer Johnny Breedt and costumer Jayne Forbes give the journey plenty of realism.
DUMA
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. in association with Gaylord Films presents a John Wells/Gaylord Films production
Credits:
Director: Carroll Ballard
Screenwriters: Karen Janszen, Mark St. Germain
Story by: Carol Flint, Karen Janszen
Based on the book by: Carol Cawthra Hopcraft, Xan Hopcraft
Producers: John Wells, Hunt Lowry, E.K. Gaylord II, Kristen Harms, Stacy Cohen
Executive producer: Doug Claybourne
Director of photography: Werner Maritz
Production designer: Johnny Breedt
Music: John Debney, George Acogny
Co-producers: David Wicht, Vlokkie Gordon
Costumes: Jayne Forbes
Editor: T.M. Christopher
Cast:
Xan: Alexander Michaletos
Rip: Eamonn Walker
Peter: Campbell Scott
Kristin: Hope Davis
Running time -- 101 minutes
MPAA rating PG...
- 8/25/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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