WORLD TOUR Day 45 - Congo + Rwanda
BEFORE: As promised, headed deep into the jungles of Africa tonight. Linking from "Casablanca", Humphrey Bogart was in "The Big Sleep" with Lauren Bacall, who was also in "Harper" with Julie Harris (last seen in "Requiem for a Heavyweight").
THE PLOT: The story of Dian Fossey, a scientist who came to Africa to study the vanishing mountain gorillas, and later fought to protect them.
AFTER: Not much to report tonight, since the film is based on actual events, my rating can't be seen as a judgment of the story, merely a judgment of whether it constitutes an interesting one. I'm torn on that issue.
Edit: After further reflection, I suppose I should weigh in here with some added opinion - if not, then why should anyone read my postings? I agree with this film in principle, but it does seem a little overly simplistic in its leanings. Dian Fossey = always right, everyone else = wrong, plus poaching = very, very wrong. I'm with you on that last part, since nobody needs a gorilla-paw ashtray or some untested medical cure made from ground rhino horn.
But there are times that I don't agree with the extremist views on animal rights, such as those put forth by PETA, which is against all animal consumption, and even house-pets. I love my cats, most of them over the years have been strays taken off the streets, and how can that be wrong? They've probably lived longer under my care than they would in the wild. And as for consuming animals, well, I'm an omnivore through and through. Some animals are pets, and some are food. I didn't make the rules.
Gorillas obviously don't fall into either category, and I'm sort of iffy on the concept of zoos, but I'd at least like to think that the animals in a well-maintained zoo have pretty good lives. Sure, it's not their natural environment, but it's three hots and a cot, right? If I were offered the chance to be the human exhibit in an alien zoo, I'd certainly consider it.
Also starring Sigourney Weaver (last seen in "Cedar Rapids"), Bryan Brown.
DISTANCE TRAVELED TODAY: 3,440 miles / 5,537 km (Casablanca, Morocco to Goma, Congo and then Mt. Karisimbi, Rwanda)
DISTANCE TRAVELED SO FAR: 16,657 miles / 26,808 km
RATING: 5 out of 10 college interns
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