Customer Reviews

Christian the Lion / The Great Dan Patch

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I haven't had a chance to watch the second movie yet, The Great Dan Patch, but I watched Christian The Lion tonight. If you're an animal lover, this documentary is sure to touch your heart. It takes you through the joys, trials, and sorrows involved in setting up a new pride for the wild. It's beautiful to watch the genuine love and playful affection between Christian and his human companions. If you have any interest in lions, this DVD is not to be missed.

This particular DVD, the one with both "Christian the Lion" and "The Great Dan Patch" on it, is absolutely awful in terms of quality. The movies were copied from old beat-up 16mm films, there is almost no color in the picture, and various other flaws as well.

Don't get me wrong; "Christian the Lion" is a great film. I just believe you should be able to SEE it. There is an authorized DVD of Christian The Lion available, and the quality is FAR better than this one.

Although this DVD contains two movies, I only bought it to see "Christian the Lion," having read the book by John Rendall and Ace Bourke years ago. Christian was purchased in Harrods Department Store in London in 1969 by Rendall and Bourke, who raised him in a boutique in the city until he became too big to keep in captivity any longer. Not wishing to put him in a zoo, they made contact with noted lion expert George Adamson of "Born Free" fame through actors Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna. Ultimately Christian was flown to Africa where he was acclimated to the wild for the first time in his life (his parents were in a zoo) by Adamson.

The film documents Christian's life up through Rendall and Bourke's now-famous reunion with a very grown up Christian, film footage of which is ubiquitous on the Internet. The film is genuinely touching and speaks to the power of the human-animal bond, even in animals like giant predatory cats. I have always loved big cats, and greatly admire the work Adamson did until he was murdered by Somali bandits on August 20, 1989 at the age of 83. He was trying to help a tourist. Adamson was buried on his preserve in Kenya next to his beloved lion "Boy," who is heavily featured in this film and became Christian's mentor and friend as much as was Adamson himself.

I think the world owes a debt of gratitude to Rendell and Bourke for trying to do the right thing for Christian, even though they knew it would mean a shorter and more strife-filled life than if he lived his days out in a zoo. They understood that lions need to be free, and although I cannot imagine letting an animal I loved as much as they loved Christian move halfway across the world and enter such a savage life, they understood the importance of big cats in their natural habitat and I salute them. I couldn't stop thinking about the selflessness of their decision and the lifetime devotion of Adamson to the lions when I watched this film, and while the movie is sometimes painful, it is a wonderful tribute to these men and all the others who helped Christian realize his full potential.

As an afterthought I did watch "The Great Dan Patch," and while I realize that Dan Patch was a genuinely amazing racehorse, the film was nothing out of the ordinary: there's a lot of horse racing, some romance, a barn fire (of course,) and an endlessly-repeated and extraordinarily grating song called "Mixed Team" gracing the soundtrack. It's a perfectly charming little film for what it is, but in no way measures up to "Christian the Lion." "Christian the Lion" unquestionable deserves five stars, but due to the relatively lower quality of "The Great Dan Patch," I gave the DVD a four star rating overall.

It is not often these days that we get to see the real story of how man and a wild animal can truly bond. This will be one of my life time favorites.

What's not to love??

It seems parts of this movie has made headlines recently on YOU TUBE, even though Christian the Lion reunion happened many years ago. This reunion clip hit YOUTUBE so big, millions of people around the world has seen it.

You'll enjoy it as we all have!

This MOVIE is also based on the book title, Christian the Lion. This title was recently re-released and another edition was updated and printed. The authors of this book are also the owners of Christian.

The pictures are based on this movie. It is a must for all of us who love lions! (and love our own little personal lions that live at home with us, and sleep on our beds, and watch TV with us!).

The love,strength, and beauty of this lion, Christian, is special, rare, and film footage like this is even rarer! He was loved by people, loved by other animals, and loved by lions! Christian was a lion with a heart of gold. He was compassionate, friendly, and genuinely loved.

There are those who question whether animals have emotions, but for those of us who have seen this reunion clip, we KNOW that animals have emotions, and that Christian the lion deeply loved John and Ace, and George Adamson.

There is rare footage of George Adamson (of the Born Free fame) which I was delighted to see after all these years.

If you are not familiar with the book and the movie BORN FREE, this is a great introduction to that famous lion, Elsa the lioness!

If you are too young to remember, it is a must to read the books by Joy and George Adamson, Born Free and Living Free, if you liked the YOU TUBE reunion clip of Christian the Lion and the two guys who raised her in their London Apartment back in about 1971.

It is a must to own this video and to be able to know the WHOLE story, not just the short clip available on YOU TUBE.

It is deeply heart warming, it is love with no conditions,and it will stir your emotions down to your toe nails.

Get to know Christian the lion!

WORD OF CAUTION: I would watch this alone the first time out, if you are embarassed about being emotional (read "crying") in front of others.

DISCLAIMER: If you cry, don't sue me. You'll LOVE IT!!

Every once in a while a video makes the rounds in E mails showing a lion reunited with his original owners after a long separation. The lion walks slowly down the rocks intent on the 2 fellows. Suddenly he takes off after them. You expect to see carnage, but instead he jumps into their arms, hugging and licking them to pieces. Christian The Lion is the true documentation of how this all came about. It is beautifully put together complete with haunting music. The whole movie length account is as inspiring as that small clip we've all seen. That particular scene does appear in this movie, but there is so much more. It's unbelievable. It is an extension of the Lions in Born Free which was also true, and a peek into the life of the amazing George Adamson who lives in the wild amongst them. Now I have to see Born Free to link it up in my mind.
The second movie of the double feature, The Great Dan Patch, is also a true rendition done in movie form of the life of a great harness racer. I watched them in a row and have had a really nice Saturday.

Christian the Lion - I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was a little tame, no pun intended, but worth watching. It's a great story. there were some sad parts so don't expect it to be all happy and heartwarming. It is the true story/documentary of Christian and what became of him. I enjoyed it enough to give it as gifts to a couple of friends/family who are animal lovers.

the DVD case it came in was broken when it got to me, but it shipped in a very timely manner and i was just happy to have found this DVD at all (and you can't beat the price)! i just slipped the cover out and put it in an old case i had lying around and it's totally fine.

i'd recommend this film (christian the lion, i haven't watched the great dan patch yet) to all animal lovers.