There are very few movies that have truly shocked me and ROAR (1981) is absolutely on the top of the list. The film focuses on the story of a family that lives with scores of live lions and fight to protect the lives of these lions from poachers etc. What makes the film shocking is that this film is actually more documentary than drama. Yes, the storyline is fiction, but Tippi Hedron, Melanie Griffith, and family made the film while actually on "set" with the lions and other animals. The film's cast and crew suffered numerous injuries, as the tagline goes "No animals were harmed in the making of this movie. 70 members of the cast and crew were."
I think that John Waters describes the film best when he recommends watching "Tippi Hedren’s real-life snuff movie starring her entire family that was made in 1981 but not released in the US until 2015. Watch, slack-jawed, as Tippi is scalped and her daughter Melanie Griffith mauled by the wild-animal extras who turn out to be the real stars of this nutcase action film." That's a perfect description of the film. Producer, and star, Noel Marshall repeatedly attempts to calm the lions and assert himself as the alpha. These attempts aren't really all that effective and what is supposed to be a gentle film demonstrating the beauty of these magnificent cats, ends up as a stressful experience as you wonder whether the "cast" will make it out alive.
I'm not kidding. This is not a film with "special effects," unless you mean "actually getting mauled by a lion" as your definition of special effects.
It is the most insane film I've ever watched and if you ever wanted to know why there are so many rules about film production and safety, you only need look at ROAR.
Alamo Drafthouse is hosting a virtual cinema viewing of the movie Wednesday April 8th, 2020 and I recommend you give it a watch if you've got the time. It's an experience not to be missed and Alamo's on to something cool with their virtual cinema events.
I think that John Waters describes the film best when he recommends watching "Tippi Hedren’s real-life snuff movie starring her entire family that was made in 1981 but not released in the US until 2015. Watch, slack-jawed, as Tippi is scalped and her daughter Melanie Griffith mauled by the wild-animal extras who turn out to be the real stars of this nutcase action film." That's a perfect description of the film. Producer, and star, Noel Marshall repeatedly attempts to calm the lions and assert himself as the alpha. These attempts aren't really all that effective and what is supposed to be a gentle film demonstrating the beauty of these magnificent cats, ends up as a stressful experience as you wonder whether the "cast" will make it out alive.
I'm not kidding. This is not a film with "special effects," unless you mean "actually getting mauled by a lion" as your definition of special effects.
It is the most insane film I've ever watched and if you ever wanted to know why there are so many rules about film production and safety, you only need look at ROAR.
Alamo Drafthouse is hosting a virtual cinema viewing of the movie Wednesday April 8th, 2020 and I recommend you give it a watch if you've got the time. It's an experience not to be missed and Alamo's on to something cool with their virtual cinema events.
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