The Emerald Forest

1985 "What kind of man would return year after year for ten years to rescue a missing boy from the most savage jungle in the world? His father."
6.9| 1h54m| R| en| More Info
Released: 26 June 1985 Released
Producted By: Christel Films
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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For ten years, engineer Bill Markham has searched tirelessly for his son Tommy who disappeared from the edge of the Brazilian rainforest. Miraculously, he finds the boy living among the reclusive Amazon tribe who adopted him. And that's when Bill's adventure truly begins. For his son is now a grown tribesman who moves skillfully through this beautiful-but-dangerous terrain, fearful only of those who would exploit it. And as Bill attempts to "rescue" him from the savagery of the untamed jungle, Tommy challenges Bill's idea of true civilization and his notions about who needs rescuing.

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Director

John Boorman

Production Companies

Christel Films

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The Emerald Forest Audience Reviews

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.
Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.
Nessieldwi Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.
TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.
ma-cortes Ecological thriller that has in highlighting the destruction of the South American rain woods ; being based upon a real story and filmmaker John Boorman cast his own son , Charley Boorman , in the starring character . Bill Markham(Powers Boothe) moves his family to Brazil where has a job as an engineer in construction a dam project . After the son (Charley Boorman) of engineer is abducted by an aboriginal tribe on the edge of the rain forest, the engineer and his wife (Meg Foster) spend the next 10 years searching for him . Ultimately Markham is captured by a cannibal and bloodthirsty tribe and ironically rescued by "Tomme," who only has dim memories of his biological dad . The teenager spends the next years living under jungle law and integrating an alternative lifestyle . Finally , the father discovering a happily adjusted boy who may not want to go back to so-called civilization . Although Bill wants desperately to have his son accompany him back to civilization, "Tomme's" loyalties now belong to "The Invisible People." The rain forest of the Amazon are disappearing at the rate of 5000 acres day . Four million Indians once lives there , 120.000 remain.An ecological adventure with mystical touches that was ahead of its time in denounce about forest destruction . This exciting film contains thrills , emotion , adventure and action scenes of infighting between violent rival tribes that generate a lot of entertainment . Inspired by an uncredited story about a Peruvian whose son disappeared under similar circumstances . According to director John Boorman's book 'Money Into Light', his initial choice for the part of Tomme was C. Thomas Howell. When he was unavailable, John decided to use his own son Charley for the part. He plays a boy grabbed by tribesmen whose community is facing disappearance because of the building of a massive dam designed and built by his daddy . Glamorous and lush cinematography by Philippe Rousselot who photographs wonderfully the Amazon jungle , obviously filmed under difficult conditions on location .This engrossing and enjoyable film with interesting screenplay by Rosco Pallenberg was well directed by John Boorman . He's a good professional filmmaking from the 6os , though sparsely scattered and giving various classics . John started as an assistant direction and his friendship with Lee Marvin allowed him to work in Hollywood as ¨Point Blank¨ (1967) and ¨Hell in the Pacific¨ (1968) from where he returned to the UK and directed ¨Leo¨ (1970) , a rare Sci-Fi titled ¨Zardoz¨ (1974) or the ¨failure Exorcist II¨ (1977). His films are without exception among the most exciting visually in the modern cinema . He became famous for Excalibur (1981), the best of them , ¨Emerald forest¨ (1985) with a ecologist denounce included and his autobiographic story ¨Hope and Glory¨ (1987) and which brought him another Academy Award Nomination after ¨Deliverance¨ . Rating ¨Emerald forest¨: Better than average . Wholesome watching .
nbwritersinbox Remember the 80s? For some of us, that's now along time ago. I recall "green" issues becoming a hot topic, at least among the Intelligensia. With only 47 reviews, there's little evidence to suggest this film appeals to wider audiences. A sad indictment that green issues are still overlooked.One of the better cinema releases made during that decade (when politics took a sharp turn right) was this technically masterful production. So, I'm surprised Emerald Forest only limps in with a 6.8 rating. I doubt films this well-made would get past the accountants in 2011.Boorman's wonderful films include Excalibur and Deliverance. Here, deep in the Amazonian Jungle, he's at the top of his game. We have beautiful cinematography, gritty and memorable acting, a thundering plot that keeps us entertained throughout the movie.Okay, there's the typical "Noble Savage" motif and a rather convenient conflict between two tribes (the Fierce People seemed over-simplistic). But it's a mainstream movie, so we cannot expect too much. At least Boorman attempted to research Amazonian Tribal Life, so this film does not suffer too much from ignorant stereotyping.A feature of many Boorman Films is the focus on touching relationships. Here, we have two different kinds of "father-son" interaction, Tomme's real determined father and Tomme's wise, tribal one. There's also the Romeo & Juliet style interaction between Tomme and Kachiri (handled sensitively by Boorman). Other more complex relationships are also explored, such as interactions between different tribes, or the exploitative practices of some "western" visitors, whose treatment of the natives is less than fair.The film's a rich tapestry. I still find it breathtaking viewing.
TxMike DVD rental from Netflix, the video is very nice, the sound is only Prologic for this older movie.It is best to say this movie was "inspired by" real events, but certainly does not closely represent what actually happened when an US Engineer in charge of building a dam in the Amazon lost his young son who was about 7 at the time. He learns 10 years later that the blonde boy was actually taken by the tribe who call themselves the "invisible people" because with their green-based markings make themselves almost invisible in the Amazon forest.Powers Boothe is the Engineer, Bill Markham. He never gives up and over the 10-year construction of the dam finally locates his son, who has grown up as a member of the tribe, embracing their ways and his new father and mother.The Tommy of 17 is played by the director's son, Charley Boorman. His tribe calls him "Tomme" which is derived from his birth name. Tomme has reached the age where he must go through the ritual to become a man, then take a young girl as his wife. His chosen one is pretty Dira Paes as Kachiri, a resident of the neighboring friendly tribe. Dira was just an ordinary girl who grew up in the Amazon, and according to her IMDb information was about 15 during filming in this, her first movie. I see she has gone on to a nice acting career, and photos show she grew into a very attractive woman. She has a great smile and reminds me of Jennifer Lopez.The drama starts when owners of a brothel bargain with some hostile natives, known as the "fierce people". For a machine gun and ammunition, if they will bring in some new young ladies. They end up raiding the village, killing some, and kidnapping a dozen or so young ladies, including Kachiri, and forcing them into prostitution. Tomme searches for and finds his original dad again, to get his help to defeat the fierce people and get their women back. Another interest is conservation of the rain forest, and in the end Tomme prays for frogs, because when the frogs sing it rains. An unexpected flood tears down the almost complete dam and that area of the native forest is safe for a while.Good movie, and probably fairly authentic since the director lived with a native tribe for a while to get a feel for their ways. There is of course a lot of natural nudity, but it seems authentic rather than erotic. Much like what is in "The Bounty" with Mel Gibson.
Coventry They often say that facts are stranger than fiction and that movies based on true events are far more implausible and far-fetched than anything that could ever spawn from the over-imaginative minds of scriptwriters. This theory is most certainly applicable to John Boorman's "The Emerald Forest". If this movie didn't loud and proudly claim that it was inspired by a true story, literally no one would take it seriously and even now you still can't help being skeptical and assume that very large parts of the script are pure fiction. It's even a bit frustrating how the movie almost uses the true-story element as an excuse to get away with an utmost incoherent narrative and indigestible plot-twists. The movie basically exists of three large chapters. The first one is brilliant and captivatingly dramatic, and probably the main reason why I personally still can't be too harsh in general. Powers Booth – always a criminally underrated actor – is magnificent as a construction site engineer rising up a dam on the edge of the Brazilian rain forest. His 7-year-old son is taken by a primitive tribe of Indians and for the next ten years – and whilst carrying on his work as well – he searches through the forest for a trace. He goes on risky expeditions and seeks contact with dangerous tribes, which leads him deep into the jungle where he's finally reunited with Tommy. The tone and concept of "The Emerald Forest" then suddenly drastically change, as the discovery of the meanwhile adolescent Tommy leads to a rather irksome plot reminiscent to "The Jungle Book" and "A Man Called Horse". The boy integrated with the people, became intimate with nature, learned the language and found a girl, so even though he remembers his father, he's unwilling to return to the so-called civilized world. During the last and most disappointing chapter of the film, father and estranged son even join forces to assure the survival of the tribe and the conservation of the rain forest. I realize John Boorman's rudimentary intention was to spread moral values and to make viewers aware of mankind's continuous destruction of nature, but nonetheless the final half hour feels too fantasy-like. For example, it's rather hypocrite to play the "true story" card but then simultaneously suggest that a gathering of croaking frogs can bring down a gigantic dam. One thing I cannot possibly deny – and don't even want to, for that matter – is that "The Emerald Forest" is a ravishingly beautiful movie to look at. The authentic Brazilian filming locations are breath-taking and especially during the middle-section it feels as if you're watching a collage of postcard images or a National Geographic best-of compilation. The strong opening, the wondrous scenery and Powers Booth's strong performance are definitely what save this film from mediocrity.