.... Beautiful film

Press, 6 July 1977, Page 12

.... Beautiful film

By

NEVIN TOPP

Beautiful People. Directed by James L'ys. Running time, two hours and 17 minutes: “Beautiful people, .you live ■in the same world as I do,” runs the song by a popular foikzsinger, Melanie Safka, and that line applies to this film, which has had a preview in Christchurch. The film has the occasional covert sex, the occasional scenes of violence and arguments as the actors and actresses really live it up in a fast style — because living is short. Only the “people” taking part in this film are not people — they are animals hamming it up naturally, in beautiful settings in Namibia.

It took James Uys four years and 500,000 ft of film to capture the Beautiful People in action, and he has done just as good a job as Jacques Cousteau has done for the sea. The emphasis of the film

is on the animals in their natural state — except that through the narrator, or by action, the animals are given human attributes and emotions, which made the audience laugh. However, the laugh was on the audience. Take for instance the high point of the film. Here various animals, including monkeys, elephants, warthogs and giraffes gorge themselves on rotting fruit. But, the fruit ferments in the stomachs of the animals, causing them to become drunk. The Beautiful People stagger about, fall down, and sway about uncertainly just like people in a similar predicament do much to the delight of the audience — particularly those who have been through the ordeal themselves.

And the following morning after sleeping it off? The monkey clutches his head, looks glassy-eyed, and . a worse shade of grey than usual — and not an aspirin in sight. Which also delights the masochists in the audi-

The only people who are in the film are natives who are part of the natural environment. They are not out of place, but take their share like all the animals.

Just as all age groups find work of Jacques Cousteau appealing so this film has the same wide range of appeal. Unfortunately, however, those interested will I have to wait as it is not being shown in Christchurch until after the August school holidays. With the film is a New Zealand National Film Unit feature entitled “The Kingston. Flyer” — about the excursion train that runs between Lumsden and Kingston in Southland.

It is a beautifully-exe-cuted, steam-nostalgic piece of work, really fringing the memories rolling back for those who remenjber steam. And for those who do not, it is a time to get acquainted and v , share the inexplicable romanticism some people feel about steam trains.