Customer Reviews

Sabu Double Feature: Savage Drums & Jungle Hell

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SAVAGE DRUMS
This 1951 film stars Sabu as a professional boxer who gives up his career to become king of a small island country near Indochina. Shortly after his coronation, the island is attacked by Communist troops and Sabu has to flee to the jungle in order to gather forces and try to retake the island. This is the more enjoyable of the two films on this DVD in part because Sabu is able to play a more adult role (rather than a "jungle boy") and because the comic relief provided by Sid Melton and Bob Easton is actually pretty funny at times. Watch also for an appearance by Hugh Beaumont as a newscaster.


JUNGLE HELL
Originally a 1950s attempt at a television series, several episodes were put together to create this 80 minute film starring Sabu, K.T. Stevens and David Bruce. The storyline involves "burning rocks" that are found under trees that have been overturned by a logging project. A scientist suspects that the rocks are radioactive and, unsuccessful in obtaining a sample from the local witch doctor, has to go find some for himself. Much of the film consists of stock footage of elephants (capturing elephants, herding elephants, riding elephants, feeding elephants, using elephants in logging operations, etc.) This can be distracting as the story itself suffers from these long interruptions of the stock footage. Still, being used to jungle movies that involve stock footage of lions, monkeys and snakes, this was at least different. There just should have been less of it. Also, the story itself ends rather abruptly. The description on the back of the case says a flying saucer is part of the story. Well, if there was one, the copy they used to make into this DVD was lacking the flying saucer angle.

The extras on this DVD include a 30 minute interview with Savage Drums actress Margia Dean and trailers for White Gorilla, Island of Desire, and The Jungle

For Sabu fans. Savage Drums is a bit of a pot boiler, but contains some rare footage of a Boeing Stratocruiser. Worth it for that, if you're an aviation buff. Jungle Hell is more interesting. It could easily be a sequel to his first pre-war film "Elephant Boy". Looks like the same India location, the same river, almost the same herds of Elephants (now with their tusks clipped) and Sabu's in the same dhoti style shorts running through the same forested territory. Compare the two films and enjoy! The man was ageless in many ways. Buy it! If you like Sabu! Jungle Hell does appear to have been heavily edited for this DVD, apparently made for TV use. Original reviews contain references to a "flying saucer", a popular subject at the time, but it's not in this version. It won't be missed. Sabu is the star for sure. Excellent transfers.