The Naked Prey (1966)

[Mr. Arkadin]

Comes on Friday. Cornel Wilde stars as a Safari hunter in Africa who is the only remainder of his party after being slaughtered by a tribe they have disrespected. Wilde is given "The Lion's Chance" and sent naked and weaponless into the bush for the warriors to stalk (with only a ten second head start!).

A very interesting film with lots of undertones, The Naked Prey has recently enjoyed a Criterion release so we will have a great print. Don't miss this one!

[jdb1]

This is a good movie, but not for the squeamish. I find the first part, where the outsiders are being abused and tortured, very hard to watch - be advised.

Wilde directed it as well, didn't he?

[Mr. Arkadin]

According to my checking IMDB, he did. I can't wait to check out this print. Heck, I might just buy the DVD for the higher resolution. It just came out this month.

Other than having seen this a long time ago, I don't have a ton of insight as it has been OOP for years. If anyone has thoughts or comments--please join in!

[Ollie]

I usually vote this as one of my top 3 action-adventure films. This, and NEVER CRY WOLF (1983, Charles Martin Smith studies wolf populations in Alaska). And John Boorman's EMERALD FOREST (1985).

The ending is pretty unexpected - the salute of recognition. But I have to admit, the torture scenes were only needed to be seen once for me to get the very disturbing idea.

I'm glad this film takes such patience in capturing so many of the elements of the chase and the survival strategies.

[MikeBSG]

This is a very good movie. Oddly, the only place I've read about it was an old Citadel Press book called "The Great Adventure Movies." How was it received in the mid-60s I wonder?

[jdb1]

I didn't see this one in the theater, but I remember that it got some fairly good press, and people I knew who saw it were impressed with Wilde's efforts (and his physique). However, the film sank out of view until now, and was probably discussed only in film schools.

I found ony one contemporaneous review online, that of Roger Ebert. I think you might put it in the damning with faint praise category. The rest of the reviews all stem from the movie's recent re-release.

I also saw online that Wilde originally intended the story to be set in the American West, but that got too expensive, so he moved it to Africa.

[movieman1957]

I have seen this film in the last year or two. I can't rememebr if it was Cinemax or Encore. It's a very exciting film. Sometimes you wonder how Wilde can outlast those who are chasing him but it is exciting.

There is very little dialogue and some of the scenes are violent but it is worth a look.

Mike:

I have the book you refer to. It is one of the few places that I remember any mention of it as well.