Out of Africa Came the Movies

Those who travel to East Africa immediately fall in love with the dramatic scenery, herds of wildlife and various ethnic groups. And beautiful environs and people likewise live in what might be described as rustic, even primitive styles.  Sunsets under the whispering palms of an indian ocean island or nights spend under a canopy of stars blanketing a campsite. East Africa was the birthplace of mankind. The allure of East Africa lies in its mountains, rain forests, jungles and deserts. There is the call of the wild. It is where the Big Five game animals dwell in simple, naturThis has inspired movies to be made and this include

1.       Sydney Pollacks award winning Out of Africa in the 1980’s

2.    Robert Ruack’s Something of Value

3.       Kitchen Toto

4.       John Huston’s The African Queen (based on CS Foresters classic novel) filmed in bot the Congo and Kagera rivers

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5.       Mogambo – filmed in Kenya (featured Kenyan Actor David Makio) – much of it was filmed in Amboseli National Park bordering Tanzania, lake Chala and Lake Jipe in Taita Taveta district 

   North of Mombasa, West of Zanzibar – filmed in Kenya 

7.       Where No vultures fly – filmed in Kenya

 

8.       Black Cargo a documentary that inspired The Movie – The last of the Nuba by Leni Riefenstahl.

9.       The snows of Kilimanjaro

 -   THE Green hills of Africa

1- Jumbo the African Lion – filmed in Kenya in the 1960’s (Featured William Holden who went on to become a household name in Kenya and is one of the founder members of the original exclusive Mount Kenya Safari Club)

-   - The lion – Filmed in Kenya in the 1960’s

1 -  The last Safari – Filmed in Kenya in 1960

1-Born Free – based on a book by Joy Adamson – filmed in Kora Northern Kenya.(it featured Kenyan actor Peter Lukoye)

1-  Gorillas in the mist (filmed in Kenya and Rwanda)

1- Men of ochre – documentary on the Maasai.

1- Serengeti shall not die - documentary

1-The singing wells – documentary

1-  Richard Leakeys seven part series – the making of mankind (includes scenes in Olduvai gorge and Koobi Fora)

2   Out of Africa – filmed in Karen, the Ngong hills and the Karen Blixen museum (formely Blixens home)

 -  Annie Hall

2 Flame trees of Thika

23.   The winds of change filmed in Mombasa (was an episode in Granada’s after the war series)

24.   White mischief featuring the life of the Happy Valley set (wanjohi)residents who include notable name like Cholmondley

So I suppose its time to grab some popcorn, dim the lights and take a journey back into history. It might allow me to learn a thing or two about my native land.