★ 8 / 10
Muscular Mayhem! Dark of the Sun (AKA:The Mercenaries)
John Chard
Muscular Mayhem! Dark of the Sun (AKA:The Mercenaries) is directed by Jack Cardiff and adapted to screenplay by Ranald MacDougall (alias Quentin Werty) and…
Muscular Mayhem!
Dark of the Sun (AKA:The Mercenaries) is directed by Jack Cardiff and adapted to screenplay by Ranald MacDougall (alias Quentin Werty) and Adrien Spies from Wilbur Smith's novel "The Dark of the Sun". It stars Rod Taylor, Jim Brown, Yvette Mimieux, Peter Carsten and Kenneth More. A Panavision/Metrocolor production, music is by Jacques Loussier and cinematography by Edward Scaife.
A band of mercenaries embark upon a dangerous mission during the Congo Crisis...
Back upon release it was met with some consternation by critics who thought it overtly violent and unpleasant, today it is met with disdain by the PC brigade who are unable to view a 1968 movie and accept it as just that!
Anyone order a curry in a hurry?!
Jack Cardiff's picture is a ballsy men on a mission piece, full of meaty muscular mayhem, acetylene augmented action and preposterous political postures. Wonderfully raw, story sends Bruce Curry (Taylor) and his band of not very merry men on a steam train journey based mission through the Congo. They are to retrieve some diamonds and enact the rescue of civilians caught up in the rampage of the Simbas. Enter a very fractured group dynamic - with Carsten's Swastika sporting merc very much a fulcrum - a number of brutal confrontations involving all manner of weapons, and an exhaustive last quarter of film that's in turn terrifying and troubling as it is potent. A major flip-flop in the narrative annoys a lot, and Mimieux - although not doing anything wrong - is merely dressage to lower the testosterone levels.
It should be noted that the pic was filmed in Jamaica and not as listed in some reviews as Africa (splendid scenery utilised, though some pointless back projection work annoys and is baffling), while caution is advised on purchasing a home format copy since cuts have been made over the years. This may lack the ferocious nastiness of The Dirty Dozen, or the intelligent action strains of Where Eagles Dare, but it sure as heck fire punches the gut and tingles the adrenaline beats. 8/10
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★ 7 / 10
Spectacular and violent motion picture about African wars and intervention of avaricious mercenaries
ma-cortes
This Africa-set picture concerns about some mercenaries (Rod Taylor, Jim Brown and Peter Carsten) hired by a Congo leader (Calvin Lockhart) to retrieve…
This Africa-set picture concerns about some mercenaries (Rod Taylor, Jim Brown and Peter Carsten) hired by a Congo leader (Calvin Lockhart) to retrieve diamonds from a besieged city by the Simbas . As the movie's MacGuffin is a cache of uncut diamonds valued at US $50 million . They risk their lives facing off nasties and rebel warriors ; confronting several dangers and adventures . Besides , they must help out various inhabitants (Ivette Mimieux , Andre Morrell and others) lay siege and only backed by a boozer doctor (Kenneth Moore). Meanwhile , a locomotive travels through a treacherous countryside in Africa taking on a lot of risks . The movie is based on real events and dealing with a train-in-peril across hostile landscapes . From start to finish the exciting warlike action is nonstop . In the movie there is tension , suspense , emotion , frenetic action and a little bit of violence when the fights happen ; besides , being fast movement , for that reason results to be entertaining . The movie was made and released about three years after its source novel "Dark of the Sun" by Wilbur Smith had been first published in 1965 . The book was Smith's second novel with this film being the first ever screen adaptation of a Wilbur Smith story and being adapted by screen-writer Ranald MacDougall . Based on historical facts ; thus , creating the independence Republic Congo (1960) with Lumumba , though later there took place a state coup by Mobutu Sese Seko . Tshombe proclaimed the Republic Katanga with the supporting of mercenaries , mine companies and European countries . The civil war bursts and causes destruction , starvation , rampage and millions of deaths . In fact , publicity for this picture declared that it was the first major motion picture to examine the Congo Rebellion which is aka the Congo Crisis aka the Congo Uprising .Rod Taylor as the tough and two-fisted mercenary is top-notch . However , Clint Walker was the early choice for the lead Captain Bruce Curry role which in the end was cast with Rod Taylor . Ivette Mimieux is enticing and marvelous . This movie re-unites Rod Taylor with Yvette Mimieux eight years after they co-starred in 1960's "The Time Machine" . Furthermore , Jim Brown as the loyal and hunk pal is splendid and agreeable appearance by Kenneth Moore as drunken doctor . Special mention for Peter Carsten who interprets a first-rate villain . Original and thrilling Music by Jacques Loussier , including catching leitmotif . Edward Scaife cinematography is colorful and glittering , as it is splendidly reflected on the awesome jungle outdoors . Picture was lavishly produced by George Englund and well directed by Jack Cardiff , famous cameraman who photographed a lot of classic films . Rating : Above average . Very well worthwhile seeing .
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So happy to find this movie here. You just brought back my childhood.