Hotel Mark

If it seems strange to review a film more than 40 years old, this is the recently relleased special edition DVD. This was arguably the finest British war film ever made, or any war film come to that. The story of the defence of mission station Rorke’s Drift in Natal, South Africa, during the Angl Zulu war in 1879.

The film made no attempt to tell the full story of the war, and how British forces invaded Zululand, stripping the country of it’s independence, depriving the King of his throne, then dividing the country into fragments, and leaving it to civil war and later Apartheid. Some people misinterpreted the film as being about Imperialist images, the thin red line holding back the Zulu savage. In reality, the film conveyed very well that, far from heroism, the British soldiers were fighting for their lives because they were put in this postion, and had no other choice.

Drakensburg mountain range, location of filming Zulu.

Like the best war films, Zulu was an anti war film. It was often said the best recruitment officer at that time was Jack Frost and unemployment. The Rorkes Drift battle was in fact of no real strategic importance to the war, and was used as propaganda by the British to partially cover up for the disasterous defeat the same day at Ishandlwana. Why else would 11 VC’s have been awarded, more than any other single engagement.

War memorium, in the shadow of Ishandlwana.

The culture of the Zulu nation was focused on in the film, not as just savage warriors, though the ferocity of the warriors did indeed come accross. At the end, emotions expressed were that of tragic waste. But the reality for the Zulu nation was to be far worse.

The special features disc features the Zulu music track, and how composer John Barry was inspired by the Zulu chants and songs for write the main theme. There follows a making of documentary, which highlights some interesting facts, some little known;

• Cetawayo was played by chief Buthelezi.
• Buthelezi’s wife was Great Granddaughter of Cetawayo
• Private Henry Hook was in fact a model soldier.
• James Booth, who played Hook, never travelled to Natal. His part was filmed in Twickenham studios.
• The Zulu extras had never seen films prior to this. They were sent Laurel and Hardy to get the idea!
• Zulu extras numbered no more than a few hundred.
• To create the feeling of overwhelming numbers director Cy Enfield used shields on the ground with plumes on top to look like warriors.

The DVD is in widescreen format, aspect ratio 2.35:1, with Dolby Digital surround sound. This emphasises what for me was a major plus for this film, the chanting of the warriors against the Welsh vocals among the soldiers, most of whom were portraying the South Wales Borders.

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