Zulu Dawn (1979)
In 1879, the British suffer a great loss at the Battle of Isandlwana due to incompetent leadership.
- Douglas Hickox
- Peter MacDonald
- David Tomblin
- Cy Endfield
- Anthony Story
- Cy Endfield
Rating: 6/10 by 101 users
Alternative Title:
Amanecer Zulú - ES
Zulu Dawn - Die letzte Offensive - DE
Striden i gryningen - SE
天摇地摆震山河 - CN
血海山河 - CN
天摇地荡震山河 - CN
Country:
Netherlands
United States of America
South Africa
Language:
isiZulu
English
Runtime: 01 hour 57 minutes
Budget: $11,750,000
Revenue: $0
Plot Keyword: fight, british empire, victory, prequel, battlefield, battle, death, colonialism, spear throwing, surrounded, standoff, mortar, zulu, tribal warfare, army life
Though certainly epic in cinematographic terms, this is a really meandering and over-cast depiction of the Zulu defeat of the British garrison at Isandlwana at the end of the 19th century. I'm assuming it was made as a precursor of - and to capitalise upon - the far superior "Zulu" (1964) but right from the get-go it's just wordy and ponderous and, well, lacklustre. Peter O'Toole does exude a certain arrogance in his role as the Commander of the army (Lord Chelmsford) but Burt Lancaster - and his distinctly ropey accent - as "Col. Durnford", features all too sparingly to offer much more than a casual dig at the incompetencies of his boss as the Zulu and the soldiers of the Queen square up. This cast list is impressive but none of the assembled stars of stage and screen are really used to any great effect. History tells us what happens next, and the colourful action scenes are well put together with enthusiastic efforts from the Zulu themselves delivering well staged combat scenes. Sadly, though, we have to wait far too long for these to rescue this from the doldrums of colourful but procedural cinema that offers us little to nourish either our interest in the characters or in the colonial and ambitious politics of the region that prevailed at the time. Underwhelming, sorry!
