Animals Are Beautiful People
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| - | '''''Sclerocarya birrea''''', the '''marula''', ([[Greek language|Greek]] σκληρός, ''sklērós'', "hard", and κάρυον, ''káryon'', "nut", in reference to the stone inside the fleshy fruit) is a medium-sized [[dioecious]] tree, indigenous to the [[miombo]] woodlands of Southern [[Africa]], the Sudano-Sahelian range of West Africa, and [[Madagascar]]. The tree is a single stemmed tree with a wide spreading crown. It is characterised by a grey mottled bark. The tree grows up to 18 m tall mostly in low altitudes and open woodlands. The [[fruit]]s are used in the [[liqueur]] [[Amarula]]. The distribution of this species throughout Africa and Madagascar has followed the [[Bantu peoples|Bantu]] in their migrations, as it has been an important item in their diet since time immemorial. | + | '''''Animals Are Beautiful People''''' (aka '''''Beautiful People''''') is a 1974 [[nature documentary]] about the [[wildlife]] in [[Southern Africa]]. It was filmed in the [[Namib Desert]], the [[Kalahari Desert]] and the [[Okavango River]] and [[Okavango Delta]]. It was produced for cinema and has a length of slightly more than 90 minutes. |
| - | The fruits which ripen between December and March have a light yellow skin, with white flesh, rich in [[vitamin C]]—about eight times the amount found in an [[orange (fruit)|orange]]—are succulent, [[Acid|tart]] with a strong and distinctive flavour. Inside is a walnut-sized, thick-walled [[seed|stone]]. These stones, when dry, expose the seeds by shedding 2 (sometimes 3) small circular plugs at one end. The seeds have a delicate nutty flavour and are much sought-after, especially by small rodents who know to gnaw exactly where the plugs are located. | + | ==General description== |
| - | '''Relationships:''' Belongs to the same family [[Anacardiaceae]] as the [[mango]], [[cashew]], [[pistachio]] and [[sumac]], and is closely related to the genus ''[[Poupartia]]'' from [[Madagascar]]. | + | This [[South Africa]]n film tells about life in these areas in a humorous way. |
| + | It was directed and written by [[Jamie Uys]], who is most famous for his later film ''[[The Gods Must Be Crazy]]''. | ||
| - | ==Popular culture== | + | The film begins in the Namib desert, with the narrator saying: "You'd think nobody could make a living here." But the film proves the opposite and shows the lives of the animals that live there. |
| - | The alcoholic distilled beverage (maroela mampoer) made from the fruit is referenced in the stories of the South African writer [[Herman Charles Bosman]]. | + | The narrator concludes: "But to the [[Oryx]] and the little creatures of the Namib, this waterless, hostile desert is paradise." |
| - | The marula fruit is also eaten by various animals in Southern Africa. In the movie ''[[Animals Are Beautiful People]]'' by [[Jamie Uys]], released in 1974, some scenes portray elephants, warthogs and monkeys becoming intoxicated from eating fermented marula fruit. Later research showed that these scenes, at least in large animals were improbable and, in all probability, staged. Elephants would need a huge amount of fermented marulas to have any effect on them, and other animals prefer the ripe fruit. The amount of water drunk by elephants each day would also dilute the effect of the fruit to such an extent that they would not be affected by it. Reports of elephants becoming intoxicated from marula fruit, however, are persistent. | + | The second third of the film shows the rich life in the [[Okavango River]] and [[Okavango Delta]] (see [[#Marula|Marula]], below), and the last third of the film focuses on life in the Kalahari desert. |
| - | ==See also== | + | ==Criticisms== |
| - | *[[List of Southern African indigenous trees]] | + | |
| + | One scene depicts [[baboon]]s, [[elephant]]s, [[giraffe]]s, [[warthog]]s and other animals eating rotten, fermented fruit of the [[Marula]] tree. The intoxicated animals then stagger around for comic effect. In the morning, we see one baboon wake up, disheveled, next to a warthog, and quietly exit the burrow, as not to wake her. Some experts have claimed that some scenes were likely staged; elephants would be too large, for example, and drink too much water (diluting the alcohol) to get intoxicated. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Classical music== | ||
| + | |||
| + | The film uses [[European classical music|classical music]] and especially well-known pieces to support a scene. A few examples: | ||
| + | * "[[Hungarian Dances (Brahms)|Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5]]" with acrobatic [[baboon]]s | ||
| + | * [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky's]] "Waltz of the Flowers", showing the miracle of the [[Flower|blooming]] [[desert]] | ||
| + | * [[Carl Maria von Weber|Weber's]] "Invitation to the Dance" orchestrated by Berlioz, featuring the animals' celebration of Paradise's return | ||
| + | * [[Bedrich Smetana|Smetana's]] "Die Moldau", throughout the movie, especially during the river scenes | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Featured species== | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''This incomplete list does include almost all mentioned species.'' | ||
| + | {| | ||
| + | |- valign=top | ||
| + | | | ||
| + | * [[Baboon]] | ||
| + | * [[Chameleon]] | ||
| + | * [[Cheetah]] | ||
| + | * [[Duck]] | ||
| + | * [[Dasypeltis|Egg Eating Snake]] | ||
| + | * [[Elephant]] | ||
| + | * [[Gekko]] | ||
| + | | | ||
| + | * [[Gemsbok]] | ||
| + | * [[Giraffe]] | ||
| + | * [[Go-away-bird]] | ||
| + | * [[Honey Badger]] | ||
| + | * [[Honeyguide]] | ||
| + | * [[Hornbill]] | ||
| + | * [[Hyena]] | ||
| + | * [[Impala]] | ||
| + | | | ||
| + | * [[African Jacana|Jacana]] | ||
| + | * [[Kingfisher]] | ||
| + | * [[Kudu]] | ||
| + | * [[Lion]] | ||
| + | * [[Marabou Stork]] | ||
| + | * [[Meerkat]] | ||
| + | * [[Oryx]] | ||
| + | * [[Ostrich]] | ||
| + | | | ||
| + | * [[Pelican]] | ||
| + | * [[Porcupine]] | ||
| + | * [[Secretary Bird]] | ||
| + | * [[Scorpion]] | ||
| + | * [[Bitis peringueyi|Sidewinder]] | ||
| + | * [[Springbok]] | ||
| + | * [[Stapelia]] | ||
| + | * [[Stone Curlew]] | ||
| + | * [[Tambuti]] | ||
| + | | | ||
| + | * [[Turaco]] | ||
| + | * [[Warthog]] | ||
| + | * [[Weaverbird]] | ||
| + | * [[Wildebeest]] | ||
| + | * [[Zebra]] | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Trivia== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Parts of this film were featured in the 1983 film ''[[Overdrawn at the Memory Bank]]'' (and were subsequently mocked when that film appeared on ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]''). | ||
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Animals Are Beautiful People (aka Beautiful People) is a 1974 nature documentary about the wildlife in Southern Africa. It was filmed in the Namib Desert, the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango River and Okavango Delta. It was produced for cinema and has a length of slightly more than 90 minutes.
Contents |
[edit]
General description
This South African film tells about life in these areas in a humorous way. It was directed and written by Jamie Uys, who is most famous for his later film The Gods Must Be Crazy.
The film begins in the Namib desert, with the narrator saying: "You'd think nobody could make a living here." But the film proves the opposite and shows the lives of the animals that live there. The narrator concludes: "But to the Oryx and the little creatures of the Namib, this waterless, hostile desert is paradise."
The second third of the film shows the rich life in the Okavango River and Okavango Delta (see Marula, below), and the last third of the film focuses on life in the Kalahari desert.
[edit]
Criticisms
One scene depicts baboons, elephants, giraffes, warthogs and other animals eating rotten, fermented fruit of the Marula tree. The intoxicated animals then stagger around for comic effect. In the morning, we see one baboon wake up, disheveled, next to a warthog, and quietly exit the burrow, as not to wake her. Some experts have claimed that some scenes were likely staged; elephants would be too large, for example, and drink too much water (diluting the alcohol) to get intoxicated.
[edit]
Classical music
The film uses classical music and especially well-known pieces to support a scene. A few examples:
- "Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5" with acrobatic baboons
- Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers", showing the miracle of the blooming desert
- Weber's "Invitation to the Dance" orchestrated by Berlioz, featuring the animals' celebration of Paradise's return
- Smetana's "Die Moldau", throughout the movie, especially during the river scenes
[edit]
Featured species
This incomplete list does include almost all mentioned species.
[edit]
Trivia
- Parts of this film were featured in the 1983 film Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (and were subsequently mocked when that film appeared on Mystery Science Theater 3000).
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Animals Are Beautiful People" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
