Africa Speaks!

"The sound camera makes the dark continent give up its most amazing and closely-guarded secrets."

Aug 15 1930 Approved 1h 15m
Adventure, Documentary, History

Explorer Paul Hoefler leads a safari into central Africa and what was then called the Belgian Congo, in the regions inhabited by the Wassara and the famous Ubangi tribes.

Plot

Hear the hoof-beats of the gnus and see a young boy chased down and killed by a lion (sans the screams)was what "Africa Speaks!" promised, and delivered. Filmed on the Colorado African Expedition of 1928, headed by Paul L. Hoefler, this film rose above the 'jungle-graph' films of the past---"Chang" excepted---because of the sound and not the views of the Dark Continent offered, albeit most of these were new views that some of the critics debated over whether or not some of them were staged. It contained: a locust swarm that devoured everything but the expedition camera; a visit to the duck-billed pygmy tribe in which the females of the tribe had discs inserted beneath their lips when very young and, as they grow older, larger discs replace the previous discs; an antelope---called and spelled illampa in the film---that jumps forty feet backward or forward when frightened and some slow-motion shots are used. "Africa Speaks!" showed Africa to be both dangerous and noisy.

Written by

Walter Futter

Directed by

Walter Futter

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Colorado African Expedition, Walter Futter Productions

Languages

English

Awards

N/A

Scores
# of Votes
146
Average Rating
5 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA