SHEENA, QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE
US, 1984, 111 minutes, Colour.
Tanya Roberts, Ted Wass, Donovan Scott.
Directed by John Guillermin.
Sheena, Queen of the Jungle is an entertaining piece of hokum. It is the spectacular comic strip film, so popular with Superman, Conan the Barbarian and, more of a parallel, Red Sonia. The screenplay was co-written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. (who scripted many thrillers and some spectaculars including the remake of King Kong). Direction is by John Guillermin, who directed a number of modest British films in the '50s, moved to more spectacular efforts in the '60s (The Blue Max) and directed such films as The Towering Inferno and King Kong. He made one of the most successful post-Johnny Weismuller Tarzan films, Tarzan's Great Adventure, as well as Shaft in Africa. His ability to use African landscapes for his films is well in evidence here.
In fact, the Kenyan locations are a spectacular asset to the film. The film is a modern version of Tarzan, feminine style. However, the film is firmly set in the '80s with media coverage of everything, the role of television and its influence even in politics (as it photographs assassination attempts). The film also echoes the prevalence of the coup-d'etat in African countries.
Tanya Roberts shows very little ability to act, despite her attractive appearance. Once one of Charlie's Angels, she also appeared in such films as The Beastmaster and From a View to a Kill. Comedian Ted Wass is the hero (The Curse of the Pink Panther).
On the whole, a piece of nonsense - but entertaining of its kind.
1. The popularity of this kind of fantasy adventure? The reliance on spectacular film-making? Comic-strip myth-making? Traditional heroes and heroines - updated?
2. The quality of the spectacular Kenyan location photography - deserts, jungle, beautiful terrain? African villages, towns? The emphases on the animals and birds? The spectacle and the humour with the animals? Spectacular stunts and effects - especially with the helicopter and the flamingos, the tall from the helicopter? The battle sequences and explosions? Richard Hartley's evocative score?
3. The focus on Sheena as Queen of the Jungle? A variation on Tarzan, Lord of the Apes? The parallels between Sheena and Tarzan? Parents, Africa, death, the child being brought up in an African setting, isolated from white society, exercising leadership? The fulfilment of prophecies? The protector of the natives? (A suitable subject for the '80s to have a white leader for black Africans!)
4. The long prologue and its setting the scene: the African buried, his being healed, Sheena's parents as doctors and their concern, going into the cave against the warnings, the echo and the avalanche and their deaths, baby Sheena and her wandering down from the mountain, accepted by the Sharman, her being the fulfilment of prophecy? The collage of her being educated by the Sharman, her mind controlling the animals, the myths of the past, her growing up and the passing of the years? Her emerging as the glamorous Tanya Roberts - and the camera focusing very much on her physical beauty? Her role amongst the people? The transition to the coup d'etat plan, the exploitation of the tribal territory, her letting the Sharman go to the city to warn the King? The psychic contact? her going to rescue the Sharman - and the spectacular use of the animals to break the prison? Her being pursued by Vic Casey and Fletch? Her protecting them from the animals? The pursuit by the Prince and his mercenaries, the strategies to escape them, the running through the jungle, the firing the arrow at the petrol, the pursuit by the helicopter, their giving themselves up, the helicopter ride and the flamingos attacking, the death of the Princess, Sheena being saved, her tribe coming to her rescue, her love for Vic Casey? Her having to adapt to the technology of the 20th. century world - in the primitive dialogue manner? The rounding of the tribe and the attack on the mercenaries? Her pursuit of the Prince? Her being wounded? The rescue of Vic? The finale - and her voice on the tape recorder? Staying as Queen of the Jungle? An entertaining portrait of a comic strip character?
5. Vic as a television reporter, Fletch as his comic sidekick? The scene of the blonde in the jungle, the discovery of the military hardware, the filming of-the banquet, of the arrow? The filming of the prison escape? Following Sheena, the encounter with the lions and the other animals, her protection, Fletch escaping with the film, getting his assistant to get it processed? His return to discover Vic buried? The comic touch with Fletch? Vic and his travelling with Sheena, sharing her adventures. getting to know her, falling in love, the surrender, his bargain with the Prince. his skill in getting control of the four-wheel-drive, his return, his being burnt, healed, the encounter with Sheena, his leaving - his return? His not wanting to expose Sheena to the 20th century exploitation?
6. The plot of the coup d'etat - the American style Prince, his helper and killing him, the banquet, the King, the sports cover, television, the assassination attempt, his relationship with the Princess? The pursuit of Sheena? his control of the attack, the mercenaries, his defeat. his death? The glamorous Princess, her jealousy, wanting to kill Sheena, her tall from the helicopter? The mercenaries and their
relentlessness? The helicopter pilot? The violent military scenes and explosions?
7. The background of emerging Africa, the coup d'etat. western educated men and their takeovers, the exploitation of the media? Military hardware?
8. The details of the adventures and the action, enough excitement for the matinee audience?
9. The popular perennial themes of this kind of matinee material - heroes and heroines, protectors and the protected, conservation and exploitation, right and wrong, the triumph of good?
