Search - Hatari! [Widescreen] on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Suitable for Children Movie Release: 1962 DVD Release: 07/24/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Restored/Remastered,Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 37 mins Studio: Paramount Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Adventure Comedy, Romantic Adventure, Romantic Comedy See Also: Hatari! [Widescreen]

Hatari! is Swahili for "danger"--and also the word for action, adventure and broad comedy in this two-fisted Howard Hawks effort. John Wayne stars as the head of a daring Tanganyka-based group which captures wild animals on behalf of the world's zoos. Hardy Kruger, Gérard Blain and Red Buttons are members of Wayne's men-only contingent, all of whom are reduced to jello when the curvaceous Elsa Martinelli enters the scene. In tried and true Howard Hawks fashion, Martinelli quickly becomes "one of the guys," though Wayne apparently can't say two words to her without sparking an argument. The second half of this amazingly long (159 minute) film concerns the care and maintenance of a baby elephant; the barely credible finale is devoted to a comic pachyderm stampede down an urban African street, ending literally at the foot of Martinelli's bed. The other scene worth mentioning involves comedy-relief Red Buttons' efforts to create a fireworks-powered animal trap. Not to be taken seriously for a minute, Hatari is attractively packaged and neatly tied up with a danceable-pranceable theme song by Henry Mancini. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

John Wayne - Sean Mercer
Hardy Kruger - Kurt Mueller
Elsa Martinelli - Anna-Maria D'Alessandro (Dallas)
Gérard Blain - Chips Chalmoy
Red Buttons - Pockets

John Wayne stars in the roaring animal adventure Hatari! directed by Howard Hawks. Paramount has done a commendable job on this 1.85:1 anamophic widescreen transfer (which was previously only available on video and laserdisc in a cropped edition). While the image shows some grain and scratches, overall the transfer has been cleaned up well and looks very presentable. All colors and fleshtones were very bright with edge enhancement being kept to the bare minimum. Audio for Hatari! is presented in Dolby Digital Mono 1.0 and sounds distortion free, if a bit flat and hollow. The dialogue, music, and effects were all clear of distortion and hiss. A Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono French track is also included on this disc, as well as English subtitles. Sadly, the only extra feature available on this DVD is a theatrical trailer for Hatari!, and nothing more. Fans of John Wayne should be excited by this first-ever widescreen release of Hatari!, even if the supplements are a bit slim. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide