Have a mercenary day
Here we go, Legion of Fans.... wish me luck for I am about to attempt to employ cutting edge internet technology to bring you a fillum clip from Youtube.
In contravention of many a copyright law I give you... The Flight of the Wild Geese, by Ms Joan Armatrading, and the opening credits of the all-time classic Africa mercenary movie, The Wild Geese. Here goes... click away:
I'm very grateful to Muriel for reminding me in the comments section of my last post what a sensational movie the Wild Geese is. Listening to the delightful Ms Armatrading sing the theme song still sends a little shiver down my spine.
I knew the movie was made in apartheid-era South Africa but what I didn't know (which Muriel pointed out in her comment) was that the directors insisted, and obtained permission for all of the actors, black and white, to live together on-set.
It's a fantastic movie, with some great moments and many of these, I learned today, are captured on Youtube. There's roguish Roger Moore as the roguish womanising Sean Flynn, Richard Burton as the hard drinking commander, and, of coure, legendary actor and Mother Blog heartthrob Richard Harris as the excellently named Rafer Janders. (Mother Blog and Richard Harris once had their photo taken together in the beer garden of an English country pub comparing their legs. It's a long and embarrassing story - I know, as I was there).
John Kani (who was a South African screen legend even before Charlize Theron was born) stars as the young Jessie, who needs to take on mercenary work in order to afford a haircut. "I have this lady barber," he tells Burton, "and she charges by the inch."
Also, I'm a huge fan of Hollywood's favourite German, Hardy Kruger, who plays a South African in the Wild Geese. The crowning moment for Hardy (and one of the best in the film) is where he stops using the "K" word and calls the African guy he is supposed to be protecting a "bloke". Noice.
Incidentally, Hardy also starred in the John Wayne African epic, HATARI. Why has no one nominated Hatari as their favourite Africa pic? Don't scoff, LOF, I own a copy. It's worth buying just to see Elsa Martinelli dancing.
I still want to hear your favourite movies set in or about Africa, so post your comment here and you'll be in the running to win a copy of the SILENT PREDATOR audio book. Competition closes Wednesday, March 4, 6pm Australian east coast time.
"Come on, Rafer, come onnnnnnnnnnnn."
In contravention of many a copyright law I give you... The Flight of the Wild Geese, by Ms Joan Armatrading, and the opening credits of the all-time classic Africa mercenary movie, The Wild Geese. Here goes... click away:
I'm very grateful to Muriel for reminding me in the comments section of my last post what a sensational movie the Wild Geese is. Listening to the delightful Ms Armatrading sing the theme song still sends a little shiver down my spine.
I knew the movie was made in apartheid-era South Africa but what I didn't know (which Muriel pointed out in her comment) was that the directors insisted, and obtained permission for all of the actors, black and white, to live together on-set.
It's a fantastic movie, with some great moments and many of these, I learned today, are captured on Youtube. There's roguish Roger Moore as the roguish womanising Sean Flynn, Richard Burton as the hard drinking commander, and, of coure, legendary actor and Mother Blog heartthrob Richard Harris as the excellently named Rafer Janders. (Mother Blog and Richard Harris once had their photo taken together in the beer garden of an English country pub comparing their legs. It's a long and embarrassing story - I know, as I was there).
John Kani (who was a South African screen legend even before Charlize Theron was born) stars as the young Jessie, who needs to take on mercenary work in order to afford a haircut. "I have this lady barber," he tells Burton, "and she charges by the inch."
Also, I'm a huge fan of Hollywood's favourite German, Hardy Kruger, who plays a South African in the Wild Geese. The crowning moment for Hardy (and one of the best in the film) is where he stops using the "K" word and calls the African guy he is supposed to be protecting a "bloke". Noice.
Incidentally, Hardy also starred in the John Wayne African epic, HATARI. Why has no one nominated Hatari as their favourite Africa pic? Don't scoff, LOF, I own a copy. It's worth buying just to see Elsa Martinelli dancing.
I still want to hear your favourite movies set in or about Africa, so post your comment here and you'll be in the running to win a copy of the SILENT PREDATOR audio book. Competition closes Wednesday, March 4, 6pm Australian east coast time.
"Come on, Rafer, come onnnnnnnnnnnn."
Comments
Cleverer than I thought, because it seems that once you've played the first clip you can view more of the Wild Geese. I am going to listen to Joan singing all day today.
(PS: Shhhhhhhhhhhhh don't tell anyone... Book 7 is about mercenaries).
Shout at the Devil is another Wilbur Smith novel starring Roger Moore & Lee Marvin (brilliant as the drunken ivory poacher). Somehow Wild Geese & The Mercenaries have slipped past me, will now be on the lookout for them too...
PS: Did you still like Charlize Theron in Monster?
And yes, you are a clever boy - great visual opening credits - might have to get that too - and Zulu - and the Bruce Willis one - and ....see what you have started - and I'll guarantee I'm not the only one.
but.......
I'm sure you can do so much better than Charlize Theron.