Zulu Dawn (1979)

Victory by bare footed natives

Zulu Dawn is an excellent and historically accurate movie. It seems to have been actually filmed at Isandalwana, Natal where the action took place. Unfortunately, this movie should have come out before the excellent 'Zulu', simply because the massacre at Isandalwana occurred before the fight at Rourkes Drift depicted in Zulu.

It is also not quite as good of a film as is 'Zulu' which is a bit difficult to understand because this is clearly the better and more expensive production. In 'Zulu' the acting is decidedly uneven. In "Zulu Dawn" the acting is very good.

This is the story of the largest, or one of the largest, destruction of European troops at the hand of 'barefooted natives' in history. The British, because of supposed Zulu provocation, invade Zululand. The Zulu prepare for a fight. The British aren't worried--they have little respect for the fighting qualities of the Zulu--and split their force. One force, split off from Gen. Chemsford's [Peter O'Toole's] main force by several miles, chances on a few Zulu herders. At least they think it is just a few Zulu. Zulu Impis have concealed themselves in broken ground in front of the British camp.

The Zulu attack taking heavy casualties from the fast shooting English but things start to go wrong. The movie shows an overly officious ordinance NCO as being tardy in the distribution of ammunition. Other sources claim, however, that the rifles got gummed up and jammed by black powder residues. No matter. The English couldn't maintain their rate of fire and suddenly the Zulu were among them, stabbing with their lethal assegai's [in Zulu the name of the weapon is for the sound of the short spear being jerked from a wound]. Suddenly the entire English force is in disarray and the Zulu are among the tents. They run down and kill soldiers trying to flee.

I'm still not sure why this is not as good of a film as 'Zulu'. Maybe it's because it's a defeat.

Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico August 22, 2008

Zulu Dawn

Great acting about a true event in African/British history. It was sad to see how being 'stiff' and following tradional and order defeated the British. Good movie. August 11, 2008

Good double feature with Zulu.

While this movie isn't up to the level of Stanley Baker's "Zulu" it's pretty good and makes for a good double feature with that movie, which is why I bought it. July 19, 2008

The forgotten epic

It is exciting to find this available for US distribution as it was previously only found in other region code DVD offerings, you had to have a non-region player to see it. The photography is grand and the score works. The opening and closing titles are wonderful bookends and the scenes in the King's kraal are magnificent. There are scenes missing from the original release so this is not a restoration, simply a good transfer of what has been available. Folks put this film down but they are nuts, this is the best depiction of this battle ever filmed and I doubt it will be done again so this is it. Denhom Elliot is great, Bob Hoskins, plenty of fine actors. Burt Lancaster in one of his last performances adds his star quality. John Mills is solid but the waste is with O'Toole who should have had much more to do, needed more scenes. Watch for his horse riding as he uses his whip as he did as Lawrence on the camel (hut-hut). The power of the film is the unbelievable, unthinkable, outcome and you see it unfold before you. You see how a disaster just grows. July 2, 2008

very poor product

The product I received was jerky in play, volume fluctuated and of poor quality. Thinking it may be my driver, I tried another dvd and had no problems. June 9, 2008

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