Author Archive: Retro

A reporter goes to rural New Mexico to write a sensational story about the Penitentes, a secretive group of Spanish Catholics who practice flagellation as part of their religious rites. At the end, he is murdered for intruding and the police beat up likely suspects until one confesses. Bizarre exploitation documentary.

Taglines included: Brutal Africa in the Raw! SEE: Rampaging Beasts Charge Like Tanks! SEE: Parades of Primitive Women, Unashamed! Filmed In The Green Hell of Africa’s Jungles! Hordes of Blood Drinkers! Thundering Attack of Frenzied Rhino! East of the Raging Congo! RAW! REVEALING! The Kingdom of Blood and naked enchantment… primitive unashamed customs, butchering beasts in shocking close-ups!

A film about pygmies from the 1930s.

Primitive tribes chase Giant Gorilla. The expedition that shot this film was sponsored by the French Government and the Museum of Man, for the purpose of making a lasting record of the native tribes in French Equatorial Africa, and the USA had nothing to do with except show the film that was shot by the French expedition, and edited into an exploitation stinker. The expedition members consisted of a group of young French scientists. The resulting film that was taken from the extensive day-to-day footage, was chopped down to about only 68 minutes (USA time) and, while there may be unseen and untold thousands of feet on this film at the Museum of Man, the exploitation-type film that resulted was lots of native nudity, a badly-photographed gorilla hunt and the dissection of animals by the natives. Tagged by the producers as a Documentary (to get by the nudity), it got MPPA approval and code seal [...]

This 60-minute documentary was distributed by legendary entrepreneur Kroger Babb. Hardly a subject worth exploiting in the time-honored Babb tradition, Karamoja was nonetheless promoted as a “shocking” glimpse at the “last lost tribe” of Africa. In truth, it was a fairly sedate filmed record of the isolated Karamoja tribe of the Belgian Congo. Dr. William B. Truetle and his wife managed to earn the confidence of the primitive tribesmen, and were thus allowed to film their customs and habits. And, oh yes, the women of the tribe wear very little, a fact not ignored in Babb’s publicity campaign. Karamoja was released on a double bill with another documentary, Half-Way to Hell.

Funny and fascinating documentary explores the customs of marriage among native tribes. Well-made, informative and entertaining.

This film includes footage of a mid-1920s trip to Africa taken by Martin and Osa Johnson and filmed over the years 1923-1927. Traveling by boat, train, oxcart and camel, the Johnsons, together with their African bearers and servants, make their way across Kenya to a forest near a volcanic crater on the Ethiopian border where they will live for four years. Some of the terrain is so rough that trucks containing their supplies must be pulled by men with ropes. On the way, the travelers encounter and photograph native tribes and a performance of a native dance. In addition to supplies and guns, the Johnsons carry twenty cameras–ten motion picture cameras and ten still cameras. The documentary contains footage of Mt. Kenya and of wild game, including elephants, antelope, monkeys, cheetas, birds, giraffe and zebra taken during several journeys across the Kaisoot Desert. Shots of the African animal migration of 1925 are shown. Also included [...]

Narrated by newsman Chet Huntley, this documentary attempts to explain the causes of the 1950s Kenyan uprising against British rule, known as the “Mau Mau Rebellion.” The film starts out well, but its objectivity is compromised by several obviously staged “attacks” that are merely excuses to show “terrified” local women having their clothes ripped off.

Unusual documentary filmed on location in Africa by trailblazing explorers Martin & Osa Johnson. Includes footage of ferocious animals and tribal dwellers.