An important footnote to last year's presentation of "Cooper, Schoedsack and Friends", Michel Viotte's documentary is almost wholly composed of footage shot by Martin and Osa Johnson between 1912 and 1937 - footage which stands comparison with any wildlife and ethnographical film ever recorded. Illinois-born Johnson (1884-1937) began his career accompanying Jack London on his expeditions, and subsequently touring a show, The Snark, publicising London's adventures. He was soon drawn to moving pictures, and in 1917 made his first expedition to the South Seas in company with his young wife Osa (1894-1953), who was to remain an equal partner in all his enterprises until Johnson's death in a civil airliner crash in 1937. Together they made more than a dozen films of their explorations, including most memorably Simba; Johnson also published many associated books. With the coming of sound and particularly the critical reception of their film Congorilla, the tide of opinion turned somewhat against their style of brash showmanship. They were, however, remarkable pioneers in specialist filming techniques, in financing their films by sponsorship (George Eastman was among their enthusiastic backers), in the use of aircraft as tools of exploration, and in commercial marketing of documentary films. In addition, they left behind a rich treasure of documentary records of societies and customs that have long since disappeared.

This French documentary has been broadcast on Britain's Sky television's travel channel, somewhat shortened, under the title Search for the Cannibal Tribe. - David Robinson


(La Sept Arte / Nestor Productions, France / US, 2001)

Dir: Michel Viotte;
prod: Sébastien Deganne, La Sept Arte/Nestor Productions,
con /in assoc. with CNC/PROCIREP;
story: Michel le Bris;
sc: Paul Grattan;
ph: Martin & Osa Johnson;
ed: Bénédicte Mallet;
voices: Paul Kriwaczek, Matt Jeschenik, Stephanie Holm;
mus: K Music, Zomba, Sonimage, Koka Media;
ph. archives: Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum, Chanute, Kansas, California State Parks, Jack London Collection, San Francisco Maritime Museum, American Museum of Natural History, Special Collections, Nestor Productions;
film archives: Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum, Chanute, Kansas, Nestor Productions, American Heritage Collection, Clark Getts Collection;
Video, Beta SP, 57', bn / b/w, La Compagnie des Indes.