“THE EDGE OF THE WORLD”

By Raymond Benson

One of the more under-seen and underrated films from 1985 is John Boorman’s impressive The Emerald Forest, which gave us an ecological message long before that was much in the public consciousness.

Of a more cinematic significance, this picture is a grand adventure full of action and spectacle, much like Boorman’s Deliverance (1972) or Excalibur (1981) before it. The production values also indicate that this was no easy feat of a movie to make.

The Emerald Forest was shot in and near São Paolo, Brazil, right smack by the Amazon River and in the rain forest. Native extras populated much of the movie, which possibly for the first time provided to audiences of a mainstream motion picture depictions of how indigenous tribes in the jungle live. The result is fascinating, and the National Geographic lesson is enhanced by an exciting tale of kidnapping, exploration, survival, and human trafficking!

Powers Boothe is Bill, a high-ranking engineer with a corporation that is building a large hydro-electric dam on the edge of the rain forest. He’s moved his family of a wife and two young children—a boy and a girl—to the city. One day while overseeing the work of clearing the area of trees, Bill and his family have a picnic at the edge of the jungle. Little does he know that the “Invisible People,” a tribe that has not had contact with civilization, has dared to get close to what they refer to as “the edge of the world.” When Tommy wanders off, he is kidnapped by the tribe. Bill thus embarks on a long process to search for his son, but to no avail.

Ten years later, Tommy (Charley Boorman) has assimilated into the tribe and become one of the Invisible People. His “father” of the tribe (Rui Polanah) loves him like a son, and Tommy loves him back, although he has dreams of “Daddy.” Now Tommy is ready to take a mate, and he chooses young and beautiful Kachiri (Dira Paes). Meanwhile Bill and a photographer embark deep into the jungle to look for Tommy again. They encounter the hostile “Fierce People,” who force Bill to become prey in a hunt through the jungle. Tommy ends up saving Bill, and the real father and son reunite. Tommy, however, refuses to accompany Bill back to his first home. And then the human traffickers enter the story. To say more would spoil the tale!

There is a lot of “Tarzan movie” aspects to this picture, but without the unintentional racism. There is also a lot of nudity of all the indigenous people on display, which received some criticism when the picture was released (Dira Paes was only fifteen years old). However, this was not exploitation. Boorman and his team took great pains to be accurate and truthful in the depiction of the tribes’ customs and ways. Yes, the Fierce People are portrayed as the villains and the Invisible People are ultimately shown to be good at heart (even though they kidnapped a young white boy). There is indeed some idealism and moral ambiguity going on in The Emerald Forest, especially when it comes to the film’s climactic raid on a human trafficking center in the jungle. Finally, there is the message that indigenous people are being wiped out by the actions of white people who are cutting down rain forests.

Powers Boothe does an admirable job here, but it is Charley Boorman (son of the director) who steals the movie. He was around eighteen when the picture was made, and he manages to speak the indigenous language, perform jungle stunts, and carry on with his native costars as if he were one of them. Boorman’s direction is notable, too, given the locale and the cast with whom he had to work. Philippe Rousselot’s cinematography is also quite commendable.

Kino Studio Classics’ new Blu-ray release is a welcome one, and its 1920x1080p presentation is colorful and rich. There is an audio commentary by filmmaker Edgar Pablos and film historian Nathaniel Thompson that sheds light on the production. Supplements include the theatrical trailer and other Kino trailers. There is also reversible sleeve artwork.

The Emerald Forest is for fans of director John Boorman and of jungle exploration adventures. Recommended.

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