MovieChat Forums > Trader Horn (1931) Discussion > Death by rhino

Death by rhino

posted 13 years ago by Zorione
2 replies | jump to latest

Supposedly one of the African extras in this movie was killed by a rhinoceros, and the goring and/or trampling scene that appears midway through is the footage of this real-life event.

It is hard to tell since the film is so dark, but it doesn't look like the rhino and the man were even in the same place at the same time. The man looks like a running shadow--even though the rhino and the other objects in the picture are seen relatively clearly--and the horn doesn't seem to make contact with him. To me, it looks like two separately filmed scenes, with the actor dashing around in front of a screen playing the film of the rhino. Maybe one of the extras did die a real death during production, but it doesn't appear that this was actually shown in the movie.

Anyone know more?

[–] actionfilm-2 13 years ago

Clearly not an actual goring in the film, rather a crude composite shot, whether or not it happened offscreen don't know, but if so it was not captured on film. What did happen onscreen was 2 hunters being within meters of a charging rhino and the shooting of rhino. If anything the scene where a native falls into a crocidile infested river looked quite real, makes me wonder what happened there, there is a shot of a croc munching on what disturbingly looks like an arm (long before spfx prostethics!)

[–] mjlangenbru 12 years ago

I completely agree on the Rhino. It looked extremely fake when I watched it at full speed. Once I slowed it down it became obvious that the two pieces were filmed separately and then fused together to create the "illusion" of a goring. The imagery was really bad if you ask me, but then again it was 1931 technology so I guess I will give them a little leeway. Also, I agree on the scene with the crocodiles, it looked incredibly real.