- Jungle Drums of Africa
Infobox Film
name = Jungle Drums of Africa
caption = Original poster for the serial
director =Fred C. Brannon
producer =Franklin Adreon
writer =Ronald Davidson
starring =Clayton Moore Phyllis Coates Johnny Spencer John Cason Roy Glenn
cinematography =John MacBurnie
distributor =Republic Pictures
released = Flagicon|USA21 January 1953 "(serial)"cite book
last = Mathis
first = Jack
title = Valley of the Cliffhangers Supplement
origyear = 1995
publisher = Jack Mathis Advertising
isbn = 0-9632878-1-8
pages = pp. 3, 10, 132-133
chapter = ]
Flagicon|USA 1966 "(TV)"
runtime = 12 chapters / 167 minutes "(serial)"
100 minutes "(TV)"
language = English
budget = $172,840 (negative cost : $167,758)
awards =
imdb_id =0045945Jungle Drums of Africa (1953) is a 12-episode, American serial film, shot in
black-and-white , which was an original commissioned screenplay byRonald Davidson produced byFranklin Adreon and directed byFred C. Brannon forRepublic Pictures . The story is set inKenya , and involves the efforts of an American uranium processing company's representative and a woman medical missionary, to thwart the efforts of agents of a "foreign power", abetted by a disaffected native witchdoctor, to gain control of a large uranium deposit on lands owned by the latter's tribe. This serial features black American actors in major roles, including that of a college-educated chieftain.Plot
The story is set in
Kenya , and involves the efforts of an American uranium processing company's representative and a woman medical missionary, to thwart the efforts of agents of a "foreign power", abetted by a disaffected native witchdoctor, to gain control of a large uranium deposit on lands owned by the latter's tribe.Cast
*
Clayton Moore as Alan King
*Phyllis Coates as Carol Bryant
*Johnny Spencer as Bert Hadley
*Henry Rowland as Kurgan
*John Cason as Regas
*Roy Glenn as Naganto, the witch doctor
* Bill Walker as Chief Douanga
*Steve Mitchell as Gauss, the store clerk henchman
*Don Blackman as NagantoProduction
"Jungle Drums of Darkest Africa" was budgeted at $172,840 although the final
negative cost was $167,758 (a $5,082, or 2.9%, under spend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1953.It was filmed between
29 September and18 October 1952 under theworking title "Robin Hood of Darkest Africa". The serial's production number was 1935.tunts
* Tom Steele as Alan King/Third Constable (doubling Clayton Moore)
pecial Effects
Special effects created by the
Lydecker brothers .Release
Theatrical
"Jungle Drums of Darkest Africa"'s official release date is
21 January 1953 , although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.This was followed by a re-release of "
Adventures of Captain Marvel ", re-titled as "Return of Captain Marvel", instead of a new serial. The next new serial, "Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders ", followed in the summer.Television
"Jungle Drums of Darkest Africa" was one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in
1966 . The title of the film was changed to "U-238 and the Witch Doctor". This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.Critical reception
Harmon and Glut describes this serial as "an uninteresting arrangement of stock footage and clichés."cite book
last = Harmon
first = Jim
coauthors=Donald F. Glut
authorlink = Jim Harmon
title = The Great Movie Serials: Their Sound and Fury
origyear = 1973
publisher = Routledge
isbn = 9780713000979
pages = pp. 16
chapter = 1. The Girls "Who Is That Girl in the Buzz Saw?" ]Chapter titles
# Jungle Ambush (20min)
# Savage Strategy (13min 20s)
# The Beast Fiend (13min 20s)
# Voodoo Vengeance (13min 20s)
# The Lion Pit (13min 20s)
# Underground Tornado (13min 20s)
# Cavern of Doom (13min 20s)
# The Water Trap (13min 20s)
# Trail to Destruction (13min 20s)
# The Flaming Ring (13min 20s) - a re-cap chapter
# Bridge of Death (13min 20s)
# The Avenging River (13min 20s)Source: [cite book
last = Cline
first = William C.
title = In the Nick of Time
origyear = 1984
publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.
isbn = 078640471X
pages = pp. 254
chapter = Filmography ]ee also
*
List of film serials by year
*List of film serials by studio References
External links
*
s-bef
rows=2
before=Zombies of the Stratosphere (1952 s-ttl
rows=2
title=Republic Serial
years=Jungle Drums of Africa (1953)s-aft
after=Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders (1953)
"(Serial)" + | after=Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders (1953)
"(Serial)"
- s-aft
after= (1953)
"(Intended to be a TV series)"
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