Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Amateur movie with Big budget

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

I watched this movie in the early seventies, at my hometown in Mexico. I must have been 14 or 15 at the time. I liked the movie a lot not because of the acting, but because of the subject, which captivated me. The ethical and philosophical question of what constitutes humanity. Maybe the cinematographic quality of the film is not great, but having seen this movie only once and still remembering its impact on me after almost forty years is a tribute to its merits. I remember vividly the shock the climax scene caused in me, and the anger at the injustice done to the poor critters, and their unresolved fate, which undoubtedly would not be a good one if we go by the conventional wisdom of the time. I do believe this movie is much better conceptually than it is generally considered. I hope it will someday be released on DVD. I would certainly buy it.

(Maybe some teeny spoilers)... A rollicking tale as anthropologists searching for signs of a "Missing Link" in New Guinea, discover a living group of them amidst the jungle. The expedition's villainous financier (Paul Hubschmid), upon discovering Phosphorus in the area, puts the little creatures to work as miners.The film's ending court case regards the "humanity" of a child stillborn to one of the lead creatures, the alleged result of an indiscretion by Burt Reynolds.Great cast includes appearances from Ausie great Chips Rafferty, Burt Reynolds, Wilfred Hyde-White. Some great creature make-up work by Bud Westmore rarely mentioned in the books.Sadly, apparently not yet released on DVD.

This was not a film about "action", nor was it "boring", unless you are the type that requires external stimulation as a substitute for actually thinking. This was a very poignant film about human rights and what, exactly, being human means. As another reviewer said, the climactic ending brought me to tears. This is not a film that should be viewed by a bunch of kids at a sleepover... it will be totally lost and wasted on them. This is a film that should be shown in every political science and philosophy class for discussion. Don't let the pathetic reviews scare you away if you can find this movie... it was the viewer that was lacking, not the film...

Taped this late night movie when I was in grade 11, watched it on fast forward. I sugest you do the same. I though it would be and action film, but went to a cort tv type movie. In the end it fits in with the early 70's social activest type films. Glad I missed that era. 2/10