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Fang and Claw
Always interesting, at times exciting, and produced with an expert knowledge of showmanship values - these are usually the characteristics of Frank Buck's jungle films. This one is no exception. It is excellent child entertainment, and also has a definite appeal for adults, particularly those who have not seen his preceding films. Buck's future problems as a producer will consist largely in finding new stunts for animals to perform on their native heaths, or is it veldts? In this one he captures three pythons in three different ways, each more exciting than the preceding one. First he grabs one by the tail and pulls it out of some bushes with the help of his native boys. Then he throws a burlap bag over its head and grabs it by the neck while they tie it on a pole. A second python is shot out of a tree and dropped into a net. A third entwines itself around the head guide and is unwound with plenty of struggling. Buck knows how to build up his scenes. Tigers are captured in various ways and one is lowered over a cliff. A rhinoceros with an injured ear is operated upon. A crocodile is tied to a pole after much lashing about. In one sequence a tiger pursues a native into his cabin and then up a tree before being shot. There are the usual comedy touches with bears and monkeys. Buck's narrative runs through most of the film, with orchestral accompaniment to fill in the silent places and build the effects. The photography by Nicholas Cavaliere and Harry E. Squire is excellent, and Winston Sharpies did a good job on the music.
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