The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)

"The Gods Must Be Crazy" (1980, released in 1984 in the United States) is an adventure comedy film set in Southern Africa, primarily in South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. Jami Uys was responsible for writing, directing, and producing the movie.

This film is one of the most clever movies I have ever seen. Filmed like a National Geographic documentary, the movie follows Xi (played by N!xau), a Kalahari Desert bushman with no connection to modern-day society. In addition, the narrator paints a great picture of the people and their daily lives and the contrast of perspective lifestyles of people from the city. A pilot throws a Coke bottle from the airplane, and Xi discovers it. Unfamiliar with such an object, he returns it to his tribe, where they use it until it begins to cause trouble among the tribe's people. From here, Xi decides to get rid of the bottle by tossing it off the edge of the earth. What happens next is a series of paths and events that leads Xi, a school teacher, a microbiologist, and a terrorist group to connect.

This movie has many layers, so addressing some would only be possible. But, interestingly, you don't know how to take it when you first see it. And then the comedy subtly comes in small and clever dosages. There are some geopolitical aspects to this film that I am ignorant about, especially cultural characteristics. However, the film is still enjoyable and offers much more than a regular comedy. I highly recommend this movie for viewing.

Director: Jami Uys

Writer: Jami Uys

Starring N!xau, Marius Weyers, Sandra Prinsloo, Louw Verwey, Michael Thys, Nic de Jager, Brian O'Shaughnessy, Ken Gampu, Paddy O'Byrne

Storyline

The tribal people in a remote African desert live a happy life, but it is all torn to pieces when a Coca-Cola bottle falls from a plane. With the villagers fighting over the strange foreign object, tribal leader Xi (N!xau) decides to return the bottle to the gods to restore peace. However, his journey to the "end of the world" eventually has him crossing paths with a bumbling scientist (Marius Weyers) and a band of guerrillas who take a schoolteacher (Sandra Prinsloo) and her class hostage.