Sands Of The Kalahari

FIERCE BABOONS & STUNNING LOCATIONS ENHANCE THIS ACTION ADVENTURE
SANDS OF THE KALAHARI is an absorbing, retro action adventure about of group of random people who survive a chartered plane crash in the wilds of an African desert. Their pack leader is Stuart Whitman who devolves to a brutal animal -- all the better to fight the bloodthirsty baboons circling their make-shift encampment. But when the final confrontation comes, will it result in justice or revenge or rescue? The Blu-ray disc looks great. This much-wanted cult classic finally arrives with no fanfare and no extras. Fine direction from Cy Enfield, a great cast, stunning African location as well as the fierce colony of baboons add immensely to the authenticity of this riveting survival drama.

david h
This film is a classic from the mid 1960s. It is a struggle for survival under adverse conditions. It begins in a very similar manner to "Flight of the Phoenix" (in fact both films were made at about the same time) in which a plane with a handful of passengers crashes in the desert, this one caused by locusts.

The characters consist of several men and one woman, namely Susannah York. The search for food and water along with fighting the elements becomes critical. Stuart Whitman's character assumes leadership of the group in an aggressive and autocratic style while Stanley Baker endeavours to ensure everyone's safety.
Inevitably tensions between these two lead to violence in the fight for control (shades of "Lord of the Flies").

I won't give away the ending, but it is quite alarming. This movie is exciting and well put together with superb character development and well worthwhile watching.

The Greatest Baboon Movie Ever!
Long ago, I saw this as a child back in the Sixties when it was shown on television. Decades later, with the internet available to track it down, I finally got a knock-off DVD of it. Now I am excited to see it has been given the final glory- bluray!
This is one of those excellent plane-crash in remote areas genre of films from the Fifties and Sixties. The cast is terrific, the location is gloriously desolate, and then there's those baboons. My favorite character is Whitman's who devolves into a primal man, willingly abandoning civilization. There seems to be a backstory to him, but that is left as a mystery.
And now an observation after viewing this fine film 40 years later. And this is a spoiler, so don't read further if you haven't seen it. When O'Brian has his final battle, I had always assumed the worst. But, as he did kill the leader, what if the others are not attacking him, but gathering to recognize the new baboon king? This would complete his devolution. Just a...

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