The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)
When Civilization Drops in Unexpected Ways
Life in the Kalahari Desert is simple, peaceful, and shaped entirely by nature for the San hunter-gatherer tribe that calls it home. Their world turns upside down, though, when a glass Coca-Cola bottle thrown from an airplane falls into their midst. At first, it becomes a useful tool, then a source of discord. To restore harmony, Xi (Nǃxau) journeys to the “edge of the world” to return the bottle to the gods. Along the way, he’s joined by a bumbling scientist, a schoolteacher, guerrilla terrorists, and lots of slapstick trouble clumsy adventures, cultural misunderstandings, and free-spirited observations that quietly poke at how modern “civilization” works.
Directed by Jamie Uys, The Gods Must Be Crazy is a comedy that pairs breathtaking natural scenery with affectionate satire. The humor is gentle but pointed comedy of manners, of contrast, of what happens when two very different worlds collide. It’s visually gorgeous, refreshingly light in many spots, yet thoughtful enough to leave you laughing and thinking about perspective, greed, innocence, and what we consider “progress.”
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Genre: Comedy
Director: Jamie Uys
Rated: PG
