search

Roar

Roar

Is it possible for a movie to change genres decades after the fact? The answer, seemingly, is yes. Roar, the brainchild of actress Tippi Hedren (The Birds) and then-husband Noel Marshall, was released in 1981 as a work of fiction. Looked at that way – in terms of plot, character, and structure – it's easy to see why the film flopped. It really doesn't succeed on any of those levels. But once you know the story behind the production, Roar works magnificently as a documentary about a bunch of sincere, yet misguided, Hollywood types who did something massively irresponsible and captured it all on camera. The film, which is now back in theaters thanks to Drafthouse Films, is the craziest, most breathtakingly bizarre motion picture you are ever likely to see. Imagine Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom as reimagined by Stephen King.

On a fictional level, Roar is about a wildlife preservationist named Hank (Marshall) who lives in Africa among a large assortment of wild animals, most notably lions, tigers, and jaguars. He's fighting to protect them from poachers. Hank hasn't seen his wife Madelaine (Hedren) or their children (played by the couple's real-life clan, John Marshall, Jerry Marshall, and eventual Oscar nominee Melanie Griffith) for a while, so they travel to his compound for a visit. While he's out in the field, they're left in his sprawling home with dozens of large cats, who proceed to terrorize them. The movie ends with a message about the importance of protecting animals, set to a cheesy ballad. No great shakes, really.

On a documentary level, the disclaimer in the publicity material tells you what's so amazing about Roar:

"No animals were harmed in the making of this film. 70 cast and crew members were."

Murray and Hedren, well-known animal right activists, put themselves, their children, and other actors in the middle of real wild animals, filmed what happened, then crafted a story around it. Murray even includes an onscreen note saying that since the animals did whatever they felt like, it was only fair for him to share writing and directing credits with them.

We're not talking about well-trained animals standing in proximity to actors, with safety precautions all around; we're talking about completely wild beasts surrounding, and often attacking, the vulnerable cast members. Some scenes, such as one where Hank's beasts get riled up while he tries to fend off poachers, shows the actors getting bitten and shedding real blood onscreen. Murray-as-Hank, at one point, is tackled by about eight or ten massive lions, like a football player at the bottom of a pile-on. Later, poor Melanie Griffith is pinned down by one of the creatures. We can visibly see it gnawing on her midsection before clamping onto her face. The actress required facial reconstruction surgery as a result.

Roar has a scene where Siberian tigers are driven in a convertible. Another tiger sinks a rowboat, leaving its passengers scrambling for dry land. A zebra is torn apart by lions, its body parts carried in different directions for consumption. A big cat learns to ride a skateboard. A jaguar licks honey off Tippi Hedren's face. (Stop and think about how badly that could have gone!) The sights are almost impossible to believe. You literally cannot avert your eyes from this thing.

Every single person shown on screen is clearly injured at some point, as these wild animals “improvise” around them. Many, many scenes make you wonder about the sanity of those involved. For instance, one of the young Murrays climbs into an icebox, while a lion yanks the door open and begins violently pawing at him. It takes a certain type of dedication to enter a confined space and allow a ferocious animal to come at you. Cinematographer Jan de Bont (who went on to direct Speed and who was scalped by a lion during production, requiring 120 stitches in his head) races to keep his cameras on the unpredictable action throughout, and he succeeds.

There is something absolutely hypnotic about this movie. Again, it doesn't work on a level of fiction. You won't care about the “story” or characters. There is, however, great drama in viewing people being chased, tackled, bitten, and mauled by some of the most beautiful, deadly creatures on the face of the earth. In scene after scene, Roar ramps up the crazy factor, putting its cast in increasingly dangerous situations. It is alternately exciting, funny, scary, fascinating, and utterly bewildering. Hedren and Marshall thought they were doing something important. Instead, they were risking their own safety, as well as the safety of everyone else. As an example of humans foolishly thinking that wild animals “get” and “respect” them, the movie is every bit as effective as, say, Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man.

It's a miracle no one got killed making this picture. It's another miracle that Roar can once again deliver its mind-blowing impact to audiences.

— Mike McGranaghan, The Aisle Seat

Roar

Fri & Sat October 30 & 31, 2015, 7:30 only, Muenzinger Auditorium

USA, 1981, English, Color, 102 min, 2.35:1,PG, DP

recommend

Tickets

10 films for $60 with punch card
$9 general admission. $7 w/UCB student ID, $7 for senior citizens
$1 discount to anyone with a bike helmet
Free on your birthday! CU Cinema Studies students get in free.

Parking

Pay lot 360 (now only $1/hour!), across from the buffalo statue and next to the Duane Physics tower, is closest to Muenzinger. Free parking can be found after 5pm at the meters along Colorado Ave east of Folsom stadium and along University Ave west of Macky.

RTD Bus

Park elsewhere and catch the HOP to campus

International Film Series

(Originally called The University Film Commission)
Established 1941 by James Sandoe.

First Person Cinema

(Originally called The Experimental Cinema Group)
Established 1955 by Carla Selby, Gladney Oakley, Bruce Conner and Stan Brakhage.

C.U. Film Program

(AKA The Rocky Mountain Film Center)
First offered degrees in filmmaking and critical studies in 1989 under the guidance of Virgil Grillo.

Celebrating Stan

Created by Suranjan Ganguly in 2003.

C.U. Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts

Established 2017 by Chair Ernesto Acevedo-Muñoz.

Thank you, sponsors!
Boulder International Film Festival
Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts

Looking for a gift for a friend?
Buy a Frequent Patron Punch Card for $60 at any IFS show. With the punch card you can see ten films (a value of $90).

We Want Your Feedback

Cox & Kjølseth
: Filmmaker Alex Cox & Pablo Kjølseth discuss film topics from their own unique perspectives.

Z-briefs
: Pablo and Ana share Zoom-based briefs on what's currently playing at IFS

Search IFS schedules

Index of visiting artists

Mon Apr 1, 2024

Hot Shots! Part Deux

At Muenzinger Auditorium

Sat Apr 20, 2024

Super Mario Bros.

At Muenzinger Auditorium

more on 35mm...