Comments on: DVD of the Week: The Naked Prey (1966)

by: Taylor Payne

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:18:20 +0100

I love this movie. Remember Cornell’s bush buddy getting baked in the big clay pot? That beginning scene has always grabbed me.

by: Phil

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:33:18 +0000

Cornel Wilde was slated to go to the Olympics as a fencer but opted to go Hollywood instead. if you ever see him fence, you can see he’s head and shoulders better than anyone else. I always like his acting and this was his best movie.

by: cinebeats

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:32:34 +0000

Vanwall - it has that distinctive British Sci-fi feel, like the Quatermass series, or “X The Unknown”, with a little more blood to it.

Now you’ve managed to make me want to see it more! I love British sci-fi + more blood is usually a selling point with me.

Jeremy - I hope you’ll like it once you get to see it. It’s not the kind of film that will probably appeal to the typical Criterion audience (whatever that might be), but I’m so happy they released it.

by: Jeremy

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:34:05 +0000

I have never seen this so I am thrilled that I will finally get the chance. Thanks for the post on it…it sounds really amazing.

by: Vanwall

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:50:16 +0000

Kimberly - I guess I came across as a little harsh about “No Blade of Grass” without meaning to; by all means see it, as it’s an interesting experiment in editing, if a little disconcerting, and it has that distinctive British Sci-fi feel, like the Quatermass series, or “X The Unknown”, with a little more blood to it.

I was and always will be a big SF fan, and had a real wish for another “2001″, but I went to see it anyway, knowing the novel hadn’t impressed me despite some good reviews, and it wasn’t up to level of the novel, much less better SF that was out there. It’s hard to compress good speculative fiction into a coupla hours viewing, so I didn’t expect much, but it did have some little set-pieces that had a nice feel. I won’t give away any spoilers, but there are some obvious hooks that were word of mouth selling points for teenage boys.

Wilde had enthusiasm, that’s for sure, so if some his conviction transferred onto the screen as tedious expounding, then they should remember the book had its share of that, too - lots more of it. I seem to remember all of his directing efforts had a certain amount claret spilled, so that was a hook too. He didn’t direct many films, but all are watchable - the first film that I remembered him in was an obscure racing movie I saw on TV, (I’m also a hard-core gear-head) and didn’t even realize he’d directed it until some years later. Even that was a good afternoon’s escape.

by: cinebeats

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:44:31 +0000

Thanks for the info about No Blade of Grass. It seems like you’re not the only person who didn’t care for the film much since a quick look at IMDb.com brought up lots of unflattering reviews, but I’d love to see it for myself.

I’m impressed with Cornel Wilde’s obvious interest in social causes or issues he obviously cared about a lot since they seemed to pop up in his films.

Does anyone happen to know if Wilde’s biography was ever published? I’ve read that he was in the process of editing it when he died, which makes me assume he completed it, but I can’t seem to find any information about it online. I’d love to read it if it’s available.

by: Vanwall

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:59:16 +0000

As for “No Blade of Grass”, it was an early non-atomic environmental dystopia novel, not the greatest, and Wilde’s film version is very preachy and weirdly cut, but it has some key biker scenes which must’ve influenced the “Mad Max” films, along with their hell-spawned imitations. It isn’t a great film, or maybe even good, but it is grimly riveting, and was the only one of its kind for a while. Believe it or not, I had a flashback to this film while watching of all things “Ice Pirates”, (!!!) the loopy Star Wars meets Road Warrior spoof - there’s a cominallity where even the most honest man is evil in a land where it’s the now the norm and you’re trying to find the last of a life-sustaining essential.

by: cinebeats

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:32:42 +0000

Kevin - A lot of the wildlife footage Wilde shot is really stunning. I was also impressed to discover that he took great care not to harm any of the animals, reptiles or insects he encountered and shot.

As Vanwall mentioned above, Beach Red is terrific as well and I highly recommend it. I’ve never seen Wilde’s science fiction film No Blade of Grass, but I’m really curious about it. Now that The Naked Prey is available on DVD and so is Beach Red, there’s a good chance that No Blade of Grass might get released as well.

Jonathan - I had only seen a pan and scan version of the film on TV myself. The Criterion disc is a real revelation! The movie looks absolutely incredible. I think you’ll enjoy seeing it again and I can’t recommend Prince’s DVD commentary enough.

Keith - I’m glad I inspired you to watch it again. The new widescreen print Criterion restored is really worth a look. It’s an amazing film.

by: Keith

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:17:50 +0000

I saw this years ago on some cable tv station I think. I don’t remember as much about it as I would like to. Your blog definitely has me inspired to want to see it again.

by: Jonathan Lapper

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:43:49 +0000

I’ve haven’t seen this in years and never saw it properly to begin with. I’ve only ever seen it on tv, pan and scan but I can still remember years ago in my long lost teens watching it (probably on TBS) and being captivated throughout. Now that it’s on DVD I can’t wait to see it for the “first” time all over again, the way it was meant to be seen.

by: Kevin

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:05:17 +0000

Great movie! I love the cutaways to life in the wild, it gives a great sense of the environment the movie takes place in and Cornel Wilde was 54?! Geez, most people don’t look that good at 24. Kudos to Wilde.

I’d love to see both Beach Red and No Blade of Grass, as Wilde seemed to be quite ambitious a filmmaker with a desire to explore serious themes which is more than you can say about a lot of other actors-turned-directors (or just plain directors either, sadly).

by: cinebeats

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:23:12 +0000

“Visceral” would be the perfect one-word review for The Naked Prey! I love the way the film approaches what the NY Times critic Dave Kehr perfectly calls “Darwinian fury” and I tried to capture that above in my screen shots. Gampu is terrific in this as well. Seeing the film in widescreen made me fall in love with it all over again. It’s easily one of the best American films of the sixties and I can’t recommend the new Criterion DVD enough.

by: Vanwall

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:11:50 +0000

An amazing film - the very first one I ever videotaped. It’s actually pretty ambivalent towards the race of man in general, and has some touching moments as well as suspense - the hunt among the big succulent trees was beautifully choreographed - but it was sort of life-affirming in the end, surprisingly. I always had a bit of bother in the back of my head as to where it was filmed due to the South Africa problems back then, but it gave a chance for some wonderful African actors, especially Ken Gampu, the lead hunter - he was awesome. (He later shows up in “The Gods Must be Crazy”!) By the end of the film, you feel exhausted, too, a nice bit of empathetic scripting. The close ups you show are all thru the film, adding to the panic in the background. I believe the word ‘visceral’ could never be better used in a one-word descriptive review. Wilde’s “Beach Red” is another minor masterpiece, as well.