THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS

US, 1996, 109 minutes, Colour.
Michael Douglas, Val Kilmer, Tom Wilkinson, John Kani, Bernard Hill, Brian Mc Cardie, Emily Mortimer, Om Puri.
Directed by Stephen Hopkins.

In darkest Africa, 1898, rogue lions (called the Ghost and the Darkness) savage workers on a railway line construction. The engineer sent from England is brave, but cannot defeat the lions and workers' fears. Authorities send in American big game hunter and together they confront the lions. Val Kilmer is good as the engineer and Michael Douglas looks like his father as the hunter. The film looks spectacular at times with the location photography. Some of the sequences with the lions are quite frightening but, while the film has a lot going for it, it does not stay in the memory as a great adventure.

Tom Wilkinson appears as the employer, Bernard Hill as the doctor, John Kani as the supportive African and Emily Mortimer as Kilmer’s wife (who is involved in a nightmare sequence with the lions). Direction is by Stephen Hopkins (Predator 2, Blown Away, Under Suspicion, Life and Death of Peter Sellers).

1.An entertaining film? Impact? History? Horror?

2.The African locations, the beauty of the open spaces? His historic circumstances and the building of the bridge? The African towns? The contrast with London, offices, societies? The musical score for atmosphere?

3.The lions, the real lions, the special effects and animatronics? The combination – for realism, for terror? The title and the reference to the lions?

4.The film based on actual events and characters? John Patterson, his history in India, building bridges in the 1890s? The atmosphere of empire? His going to the office, the commission to build a bridge in Africa? The discussions with the head of the company, his seeming friendliness, his argumentativeness, being demanding? Robert Beaumont?

5.John and his relationship to Helena? Her pregnancy, expecting to return for the birth of his child? Taking up the challenge and the time limits for the building of the bridge?

6.Patterson going to Africa, his love for Africa, his meeting Samuel? The welcome, the men, the commission, the terrain? The beginning of the bridge-building? Progress? The Arabs and the workers? Abdullah as leader?

7.The introduction to the lions, on safari, John Patterson and his shooting a lion with a single shot? His reputation?

8.The ghost and the darkness, their beginning to menace, seen and unseen? The ravages on the various victims? The widespread killings? The hospital? Doctor Hawthorne and his trying to cope? Patterson and his concern about the building of the bridge? Samuel and the information and advice? The Arabs wanting to leave? The confrontations with Abdullah, Patterson taking a firm stand? The bridge unable to continue because of the menace of the lions?

9.Charles Remington and his arrival? The great white hunter appearance? The history of Remington and the civil war, the loss of his family? Hunting in Africa? His reputation, his confrontation with Abdullah, saving Patterson? His taking charge?

10.The hospital, his wanting a new hospital built? His strategy for tracking the lions? The building of the new hospital, placing blood all over the old hospital, tempting the lions? The irony of the lions resisting it, going to the new hospital, the massacre and ravaging? The death of Doctor Hawthorne? The effect on Charles and Patterson?

11.Tracking the lion in the jungle? The change of rifle? The stalking, the sudden attack, Patterson being mesmerised, his rifle not firing? Charles and his killing the lion? The point that Patterson was hit? Remington being hit when the lions attacked the hospital?

12.Samuel, his advice, his trust? His support?

13.The final stalking, the confrontation, the death of the lions?

14.Patterson, his nightmare, Helena arriving with the child, her being attacked and savaged by the lion? The vivid sequence – and audiences first assuming that this is what happened?

15.The support group for the building of the bridge, Angus and his help? Friendship? Samuel and his place? Abdullah and the Arabs finally moving out?

16.The death of Charles Remington? The hero dying in the jungle – the anticipation of the Hemingway style of hero? People mourning him?

17.The completion of the bridge, Helena arriving, the child – and the happy ending? The overall effect of the historical re-creation of bridge-building in Africa? The menace of the lions?