LOST IN THE DESERT (DIRKIE)

South Africa, 1970, 84 minutes, Colour.
Dirkie Uys, Jamie Uys, Wilhelm Ester, Sue Burman.
Directed by Jamie Uys.

Lost in the Desert (Dirkie) is one of the earliest films made by prolific South African director, Jamie Uys. It is the simple story of a young boy, literally lost in the desert, having to cope, rescued by natives and finally restored to his father. Uys himself plays the father and the little boy lost is played by his son Dirk.

Uys was to capitalise on desert films and the presentation of native South Africans in his features of the 70s and 80s. He was one of the few directors making films in South Africa during this period with their release overseas. In the 60s he made Dingaka with Stanley Baker and Juliet Prowse. He is most famous for his film about animals, Beautiful People, but most well known for The Gods Must Be Crazy and its sequel.

1. To what age group would this best appeal? Why? Its appeal for adults?

2. How did the film establish Dirkie as a sympathetic hero? How do the young audience identify with him? What kind of boy was he, especially his illness, his need for medicine, his going on holiday? The loss of his mother?

3. Was his father a sympathetic person? In his love for Dirkie? In his career as a musician?

4. How would the audience respond to the prospect of the holiday on the farm in South Africa? And the film’s preparation for the tragedy with the establishing of his need to take medicine?

5. The excitement and the impact of the crash sequence? The reality of his uncle having the heart attack? The crash landing? Dirkie's saving himself?

6. The importance of the dog staying with Dirkie? How did this help his survival?

7. How strong was the sense of survival in Dirkie? Even though he was a small boy? What made him keep going to stay alive?

8. How sensibly did he handle the radio situation on the plane? The impact of the fire destroying the radio and the plane? The fact that the plane was more difficult to find?

9. How did the film neatly balance the search people and Dirkie wandering in the desert? Did this add to the suspense and the interest?

10. The hyena? How did the hyena serve as the villain of the film? What was the audience attitude towards the hyena? How ugly an animal and cruel was it? The effect when the audience thought the dog had been killed? The relentlessness of the hyena following them?

11. The effect of this continual walking by Dirkie? How sensibly did he walk? Finding things to eat? Talking with the dog, trying to go in a direction in which he would be found?

12. How effective was the photography of South Africa, flora and fauna as background for the wandering and search?

13. How much sympathy was there in feeling for the father in his sorrow and in the search? His not sleeping, his continual waking, the appeal by the papers, the press interviews?

14. The effect of the paper printing the notice for Dirkie? And then their withdrawal? How callous were the paper people? Was the printing of notices a good idea? Were you sorry that it took Dirkie so long to find one?

15. Were you glad Dirkie was found by the native and his son? How well did they care for him? Why was he so afraid of them? What comment on race relationships did this make? Could you understand the reaction of the natives? The father’s leaving Dirkie again?

16. How did he contribute to finding Dirkie ultimately? Was this a satisfying way of ending the film?

17. Was the final finding of Dirkie handled well dramatically?

18. How plausible was the whole story? How realistically done? How involving for an audience? Emotional, involvement? Was the film at times too frightening for younger audiences?

19. What would younger audiences learn about life and death and survival from a film like this?