Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey (1988)
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A dedicated naturalist risks everything to study and protect the vanishing mountain gorillas of Africa.
The story
Occupational therapist Dian Fossey is inspired by anthropologist Louis Leakey to devote her life to the study of primates. After convincing Leakey of her conviction, they travel to the Congo where she is equipped to make contact with rare mountain gorillas. Settling deep in the jungle with a local tracker, Fossey locates a troop of gorillas but is soon forcibly evicted by Congolese soldiers during the Congo Crisis. Resigned to returning to the United States, she is motivated to stay in Africa by her companions and establishes new research efforts in the jungles of neighboring Rwanda.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Inspired by Louis Leakey, Dian Fossey travels to the Congo to study mountain gorillas. After being evicted by soldiers during the Congo Crisis, she relocates to Rwanda's Karisoke region. Her work gains international attention, leading National Geographic to send photographer Bob Campbell to document her research. Fossey and Campbell eventually become lovers, though their relationship ends when Campbell refuses to leave his gorillas for her. Fossey forms a deep bond with a gorilla named Digit and fights against poaching and the export of gorillas. Her frustrations peak when Digit is beheaded by poachers, leading her to lead anti-poaching patrols and burn down poachers' villages. On Boxing Day, 1985, Fossey is murdered in her cabin by an assassin with a machete. She is buried in the same cemetery as Digit. An epilogue notes that her actions helped save the gorillas from extinction, though her death remains a mystery.
- First release year
- 1988
- Runtime (minutes)
- 129
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Michael Apted
- Writers
- Anna Hamilton Phelan · screenplay; Anna Hamilton Phelan · story; Tab Murphy · story
- Cast and characters
- Sigourney Weaver · Dian Fossey; Bryan Brown · Bob Campbell; Julie Harris · Roz Carr; John Omirah Miluwi · Sembagare; Iain Cuthbertson · Dr. Louis Leakey; Constantin Alexandrov · Van Vecten; Waigwa Wachira · Mukara; Iain Glen · Brendan
- Genres
- biographical drama; adventure
- Themes
- Environmental conservation; Animal rights; Dedication; Sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- Biographical; Dramatic; Absorbing
- Premise and plot tags
- Biographical; Science; Wildlife; Drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- A book of the same name by Dian Fossey and articles by Harold T. P. Hayes and Alex Shoumatoff of Vanity Fair.
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising both Weaver's performance and the technical accomplishments of the movie while some were frustrated by the lack of depth in Fossey's on-screen characterization.
- Awards and nominations
- Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama · Golden Globe Awards · 46th · Won; Best Original Score · Golden Globe Awards · 46th · Won; Best Actress · 61st Academy Awards · 61st · Nominated; Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium · 61st Academy Awards · 61st · Nominated; Best Motion Picture – Drama · 46th Golden Globe Awards · 46th · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film features live footage of gorillas seamlessly blended with gorilla costumes by Rick Baker.; The film grossed a worldwide total of $61,149,479.; The film was based on a book of the same name by Dian Fossey.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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