Roar (1982)
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A naturalist living on a remote African preserve with a pride of big cats faces a perilous situation when his family arrives.
The story
Hank, a naturalist living on a nature preserve in Tanzania, shares his home with a variety of big cats, including lions and tigers. When his wife Madeleine and their children travel to join him, they find themselves in a tense environment where the animals are not merely pets but wild creatures. The narrative follows the family as they navigate the dangers of the preserve, while Hank and his assistant, Mativo, attempt to manage the behavior of the pride. The situation becomes increasingly perilous as the presence of the family and the proximity of the wild animals create a high-stakes atmosphere of survival and unpredictable encounters.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Hank, a naturalist in Tanzania, lives with a collection of big cats to study their behavior. When his wife Madeleine and children John, Jerry, and Melanie arrive, they are confronted by the animals. A grant committee member, Prentiss, threatens to shoot the cats, but a fight between lions and a subsequent tiger attack on the committee members causes them to flee. Later, while Hank and his assistant Mativo are traveling to the airport, tigers jump onto their boat, causing it to sink. The family arrives at the ranch and is besieged by lions, specifically a rogue lion named Togar. Hank and Mativo are forced to navigate the grounds while being pursued by tigers. The family eventually finds refuge in a nearby house but remains surrounded by the pride. In the climax, Prentiss and another member, Rick, shoot several big cats, leading to a final confrontation where Togar kills both men before a final standoff with the lead lion, Robbie. Ultimately, the family is reunited with Hank and Mativo, and they agree to stay for the week.
- First release year
- 1981
- Runtime (minutes)
- 98
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Noel Marshall
- Writers
- Noel Marshall · writer
- Cast and characters
- Tippi Hedren · Madeleine; Melanie Griffith · Melanie; Noel Marshall · Hank; John Marshall · John; Jerry Marshall · Jerry; Kyalo Mativo · Mativo
- Genres
- adventure; comedy; thriller
- Themes
- animal protection; man vs. nature
- Tone and mood
- tense; dangerous
- Setting
- A nature preserve in Tanzania (portrayed as a ranch with a house).
- Premise and plot tags
- survival; wildlife; cult classic
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, praised for its message on wildlife protection and the realism of animal interactions, but criticized for its plot, dialogue, and inconsistent tone.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 72% · scale: percentage · review count: 25; Metacritic · score: 65 · scale: 100 · review count: 9
- Production trivia
- The film is described as 'the most dangerous film ever made' due to numerous injuries to cast and crew.; The production was plagued by a flood that destroyed much of the set and equipment.; The film was not initially released in North America until 2015.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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