Rating: Summary: The first movie was great Review: that's why it gets 5 stars. Unfortunately, you can't get one without the other. But, you don't have to watch the second one.The God's Must Be Crazy is my husband's all time favorite film. We are so excited that it is now on DVD as we have worn out one VHS tape and would probably have worn out the replacement as well. I do not normally care for comedies but this one is rife with great sarcasm some obvious, some not so. It is a hilarious commentary on modern times and how, perhaps, all our technology and advancements aren't all as wonderful as we'd like to think. But this is a film that did not need a sequel (do any of them?). The second film seems contrived and forced. The humor does not seem to be as natural as the first and the story line with the children is far to "cute-sy" for my taste. Both my dh and I were extremely disappointed.
Rating: Summary: You have to see this...again....and again...and again!!! Review: These movies are timeless and so appealing on so many levels. Jamie Uys deserves an Oscar in my book! It goes without saying that you'll love this little piece of Africa, and for those complaining about the foreign language special features just be thankful that the films are now available again! I spent months searching the Internet a couple of years ago and you couldn't find Gods Must Be Crazy I for love or money, and I remember reading that the original "master" or whatever it's called no longer exists, so even though it is likely that the reproduction quality of the DVD might not be 100%, who cares - you still gotta buy it! I also recommend Beautiful People, also by Jamie Uys, which seems to be available now too. The scene with the elephants and baboons getting drunk on marula berries is just too funny for words. I wish other Jamie Uys material was available - there were other features such as Crazy People that I would dearly love to find.
Rating: Summary: the gods must be crazy Review: I thought I had lost my mind until I read the other reviews. No defect on the DVD, also no English translation on the most interesting part of the film, the interview with the main character. We want our money back Sony. The films are fine, the first is the best, but what is the point of special features in a language not native to this country?
Rating: Summary: This pair is a winning hand! Review: The release of this dual-film DVD fulfills a long overdue need. Few films are as timeless as this duet. The terms describing these films vary as much as a thesaurus will allow - "quirky", "off-beat", " even "arty" has been applied. They all disguise the fact that first and foremost, these films are fun to watch. Nearly everybody in them is an innocent at some level - the rebel chief and the poacher alike. True evil doesn't appear. The rebel doesn't kill children and the poacher's booty is a shame, but neither intrude on their respective stories. To those who've never seen these films [are there truly such?] the first story provides three paths. A Kalahari bushman finds an abandoned Coke bottle which changes his life and that of his extended family. A biologist - "I collect manure" [Marius Weyner] who's terrified of women is charged with retrieving the new schoolteacher [Sandra Prinsloo] from an isolated bus-stop. A rebel band flees from a botched political assassination. As we trace the strings of events that will bring these protagonists to the film's climax, we are given wonderfully scenic shots of southern Africa. We are also presented with some of the most hilarious scenes on film. My favourite remains the Pretoria woman posting a letter. Well, perhaps the unoccupied bush vehicle wandering up and down the hilly road . . . There are simply too many to count. There is much seriousness, here, also. The Bushman kills a goat and "they gave him the death sentence", mutters Mputi. An incisive statement about the "civilised" world's ability or otherwise in dealing with indigenous peoples. The would-be assassin turns kidnapper - of a schoolful of children. They must be fed and cared for. How do you approach a known killer with such hostages? Finally, how does someone transported from the urban world learn to deal with life in the bush? In Africa, these remain vital questions and few lasting answers have emerged. The second film abandons all the characters of the first with the exception of Xi, played by the Bushman, N!xau. As the star of both films, he stands out for his portrayal of the "natural" man caught up in travails of encroaching civilisation. As he seeks his missing children, who have inadvertantly been "kidnapped" by a pair of bumbling poachers, another biologist [Hans Strydom] and a lawyer [Lena Ferugia] are airborne to lofty heights together. When they descend, their isolation is defined by a simple clap of the hands. The animals don't scatter at the sound. Nearby, a Cuban mercenary and a government soldier wrestle for the title of "most inept military figure in Africa". These two alone show Uys' invention in characterisation and situation. You never tire of watching their antics. Meanwhile, the poachers strive to make a rendezvous to deliver tusks and skulls. Is it "politically correct" to chastise the producers for failing to label this disk with a "health warning"? Watching them both in succession can cause stomach cramps from laughter, or tears from the poignant episodes. Nothing in these films disappoints or appears contrived. Uys' genius has never gained the recognition he deserved. The "Special Features" gives some indication of how he worked and any Hollywood director would give his ulcers to duplicate his ability while earning new ones duplicating the labour he put into making "Gods". Enjoy the fruits of that effort. It still rewards after many viewings. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating: Summary: Are they kidding Review: I like both of these movies very much and they are fine on the DVD. I cannot believe the special feature mess-up. It makes me not only angry but I feel like Columbia Tri-Star ripped me off. The most interesting special feature is when they go back to interview n!xau and ask him questions. WHERE ARE THE ENGLISH SUBTITLES????? WHAT IS HE SAYING?????? You, like me will have no idea. This is not against amazon but... buy this DVD directly from Columbia-TriStar and when you do tell them you only want it if it has english subtitles in the special features. THEY SHOULD RECALL THE DVD!!!!!! IT SUX.
Rating: Summary: Excellent movie, but WORST special features!!! Review: I REALLY REALLY love these movies. God must be Crazy part 1 & 2 But i expect something good since they have finally come out on DVD with special feature. But i'm REALLY DISSAPPOINTED cuz the special feature is very POORLY Translated. LAZY!! Let me repeat, very very POORLY and LAZY Translation!! The special feature has only 2 subtitles. ENGLISH and JAPANESE. I believe this dvd is originally from Japan. And it was only ripped from Japanese DVD or Laser Disc and they just add English subtitle. Lazy!! Let me explain How BAD is the translation!! and Let me define the meaning of LAZY! in this translation! When N!XAU speak in his language, only Japanese translation available. The English Subtitle only POP-up when poeple speak ENGLISH. That is VERY VERY LAME. Here is United Stated! People speak English. We DO UNDERSTAND ENGLISH! Why they only translate ENGLISH, ONLY when people speak ENGLISH? What about "Bushmen's language"?? Did The translator just Don't understand or they were just too LAZY? (they can translate from japanese translation) For the whole approx 20 minutes non English translation documentary, I have no idea what are they talking about. How do you expect people to fully understand what is going on without good translation. Only Japanese people do, cuz they translate EVERYTHING in Japanese. Including ENglish and (N!xau)Bushmen's language. I'm saying that the movies are excellent. But the special feature is very bad translated. I feel like being cheated. I have the tape or VHS of God must be Crazy 1 & 2. But the reason i want DVD is the special features. And guess what i got,..ripped off! This comment is got nothing to do with Amazon.com (^_^) If you just like the movie and dont care about the special feature, then is good for you. However, if you looking for special feature and other goodies, NO GOOD! I hope this review is useful for you guys
Rating: Summary: Bad Picture Quality Gods Must be Crazy II DVD Review: Finally, TGMBC I & II are on DVD, but what a disappointment in picture quality TGMBC II is. Scratches, vertical white lines, bright spots, and other artifacts throughout the movie. What a shame! Even my old VHS tape is better. Too bad no one in the company cared enough about this treasure to find a decent copy for transfer. I don't think I'll be purchasing Columbia Tri-Star DVDs in the future. Come on guys, get your act together!
Rating: Summary: Great to see this finally on DVD Review: These are very entertaining films, both. Way overdue for a release. I also noticed the problems with N!xau's lack of translation. I was doubly frustrated when I realized that the Japanese subtitles run while N!xau speaks; but not English. Obviously, Sony didn't spend much effort quality checking this one. Maybe they'll fix it on a future print, who knows. Still, I can't give these movies a bad review.
Rating: Summary: STILL FUNNY AND POIGNANT Review: Poignant slapstick is at the heart of THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY I & II (Columbia Tristar). The late South African filmmaker Jamie Ulys struck gold with his original story about a simple Bushman Xi -- played to perfection by real life Bushman N!xau -- whose world turns upside down when a Coke bottle drops out of the sky and creates numerous problems for his fellow Bushmen. On his quest to throw the bottle off the edge of the world and return it to the gods, Xi encounters the nutty civilization of the white man. The sequel, THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY II is slicker and the contrived plot more complex but the laughs and insights are far fewer. In an obvious attempt to be politically correct, there's a bonus feature documentary that goes in search of N!xau. We find him living in harsh, primitive conditions. It is made clear that the fantasy Eden of the film does not really exist nor does it reflect N!xau's reality. N!xau is interviewed and he gives extensive answers, but there are no English subtitles (on my review disc). N!xau dies shortly after the interview and there are glimpses of his fellow Bushmen grieving at his funeral. This amazing natural actor and charismatic man was loved all over the world. The irony that he retreated by choice or circumstances to the hard, primitive world that made him famous is hard to grasp. Too bad we can't hear what he has to say when he speaks.
Rating: Summary: Great Film....but a flaw in the dvd extras Review: Outstanding comedy, excellent films. I can't add anything to what has already been written. My problem is with the main extra on the first film. It was great to see N!xau after the film and just before he died. In the interview with him, he was asked a couple of questions, which you hear in English. Of course N!xau replies in his language. The problem is that they never translate what he says! No subtitle translation, no English translation. What happened to the editorial checking in post production? This is the only, but significant flaw in the dvd package. The film IS a 5 star, but this extra flaw drags the entire package to 4 stars for me. Nevertheless, I do recommend it.
|