Gorillas in the Mist is a wonderfully produced biopic on the famous part of Dian Fossey's life. It misses out on being great by seemingly not bothering to investigate that part of her life that compelled her to suddenly make life changing decisions which resulted in her moving to Africa to study mountain gorillas.
Occupational therapist Dian Fossey (Sigourney Weaver) is inspired by the anthropologist Louis Leakey (Iain Cuthbertson) to devote her life to the study of primates. But we never really get an inkling of what might make an OT specialising in the treatment of children, suddenly feel she can make a contribution to zoology, specifically the study of gorillas. She does drop the odd line with Leakey about the use of body language , but that's about it, in terms of motivation. And from where exactly did her love of animals come? In other words nothing of her early life, prior to meeting Leakey is covered, which leaves us still asking questions about her unusual personality at story's end.
The performances are terrific, especially those of Weaver and the magnificently expressive John Omirah Miluwi as Sembagare, her personal assistant and native guide of many years. The integration of gorilla footage, with humans acting the parts in specially made suits is seamless. The African onsite location cinematography is frequently breath - taking.
There's no doubt Michael Apted's film does broadly and quite strongly cover that part of her life which gained her no small amount of fame and indeed, some notoriety, in certain places, particularly some offices in the Rwandan government and among animal traders and smugglers. Her increasingly eccentric behaviour and physical disabilities in the later parts of her life are alluded to, without being dwelt upon in minute detail. But I for one would have appreciated more back story of her life; that which led her towards her later accomplishments, as well as possibly failures in things such as personal and social relationships.
Occupational therapist Dian Fossey (Sigourney Weaver) is inspired by the anthropologist Louis Leakey (Iain Cuthbertson) to devote her life to the study of primates. But we never really get an inkling of what might make an OT specialising in the treatment of children, suddenly feel she can make a contribution to zoology, specifically the study of gorillas. She does drop the odd line with Leakey about the use of body language , but that's about it, in terms of motivation. And from where exactly did her love of animals come? In other words nothing of her early life, prior to meeting Leakey is covered, which leaves us still asking questions about her unusual personality at story's end.
The performances are terrific, especially those of Weaver and the magnificently expressive John Omirah Miluwi as Sembagare, her personal assistant and native guide of many years. The integration of gorilla footage, with humans acting the parts in specially made suits is seamless. The African onsite location cinematography is frequently breath - taking.
There's no doubt Michael Apted's film does broadly and quite strongly cover that part of her life which gained her no small amount of fame and indeed, some notoriety, in certain places, particularly some offices in the Rwandan government and among animal traders and smugglers. Her increasingly eccentric behaviour and physical disabilities in the later parts of her life are alluded to, without being dwelt upon in minute detail. But I for one would have appreciated more back story of her life; that which led her towards her later accomplishments, as well as possibly failures in things such as personal and social relationships.