MovieChat Forums > Duma (2005) Discussion > our Cheetahs thank you

our Cheetahs thank you

posted 18 years ago by ndlovu8
83 replies | jump to latest

We supplied the cheetahs for Duma and my son was one of the team that handled all the cheetahs and bushbabies. I worked the lions. After all the hard work everyone put into the 5 months of prep and 4 months of travel and shooting, we were all so bitterly disappointed by the treatment that the film received from Warners (prompted by the failure of their 'Two Brothers' tiger film). It really is good to read the comments here and to know that people are getting to see the film in some Art house theatres and on DVD - and that families are enjoying Carroll's film. We really had high hopes for the project, maybe it will get 'cult status' and go on and on entertaining people. thanks to all for the support of this great little film.

Jim Stockley
South Africa

[–] arkansaslegs 13 years ago

And we thank your cheetahs and bushbabies. I loved the movie. My husband and I just finished watching it via netflix. We couldn't figure out how the movie got on our list, or even what it was about, but when we started watching, we were hooked within the first 2 minutes.
How are the animals doing now, 5 years later?
Thanks again, Jim, for doing your part in such a lovely film.

[–] BronzeKeilani26 13 years ago

awww...that must be really fun to work w/ such beautiful animals and their cubs!! Realize you are so blessed to live in Africa amongst the animals and land which is still as is from the beginning of time. You can feel any closer to God then that, living in such beauty. So many of us dream of maybe having that oppotunity on the other side.

I loved The White Lion, and Two Brothers, and have watched it like 6x's already ..didnt care much for Duma but I loved the animals. Actor Eamonn Walker and your cheetahs carried the entire flick which was the only reason we were able to sit thru the entire film.

My IMDb credentials:
http://www.imdb.com/user/ur7441441/comments

[–] ndlovu8 13 years ago

I read your oher post and gathered you didn't like Duma much ;-)
So glad you liked our boys though !
very best to you

[–] horrormovieman89 13 years ago

I haven't seen the film, my friend actually brought it up to me today as I was turning into a mushy baby while watching videos on Youtube of animals reuniting with their former care takers in the wild after they've been released some years ago, haha. I had to take advantage of the fact that the person who supplied the animals for the movie has an IMDB account, so I have a question or two if you don't mind!

Being an aspiring film maker myself(in college at the moment) I always told myself I would avoid writing animals into films to not use them/support companies that keep animals captive to perform. Were the animals you use unable to return to the wild, or were they bred in captivity and kept to perform/were rescued from somewhere else? Maybe I'm naive, but I like to assume most companies that use performing animals treat them with the utmost respect, but we do live in the world we do and sometimes-..most of the time the animals get the short end of the stick.

I hope Im not offending anyone, just curious. Im rather against the idea of zoos/circuses/performing animals/pets/animals in captivity unless unable to return to the wild, or something to that extent. As stated, Im a film maker as well, but quite the little soldier for animal welfare and the idea of animals being caged for human entertainment tugs at my heart strings.

Thanks for any information.

[–] ACA13 12 years ago

Great movie and your Cheetas...wowwwwwwwwww
How are they? What is their lifespan? when do they mature?

Again thanks for coming here.

Watched in Damascus, Syria.

[–] vern-mueller 12 years ago

I live in Pennsylvania.
Recently, I have been going to South Africa for business. I taught a class at Farm Inn, in Pretoria. While there, I met Anthony.
He is older now. But he was great. He just loves people.

Anthony played Duma in the movie.

[–] ndlovu8 11 years ago

I have not been back here for a while. Alex's own cheetah 'Anthony' did indeed have a few scenes in the movie, especially long shots where Alex is out in the middle of the location, alone with a cheetah. Alex felt more comfortable with Anthony for those scenes. The bulk of the work in the movie was performed by the four cheetahs - Sasha, Azarro, Savannah and Nikita.

It's quite interesting how many cheetah facilities in South Africa that cater to tourists all claim that 'their cheetah' starred in the movie ;-)

Sad to relate that both Sasha and Azarro have both passed on now and are buried side by side in my garden. Cheetahs are not very long-lived animals, both boys made it past 12yr with Sasha going first, followed by Azarro a year later.

They leave a very big hole in our lives.

[–] vern-mueller 11 years ago

Anthony is doing well.
He lives at Farm Inn, in Pretoria.
He does have a job there.... he is often the ring bearer for the many weddings there.
He is old now. But his health is good.

[–] watjordan-134-41428 10 years ago

It is almost 8 years since your post here. I am watching the movie for the first time right now. Excellent... It was sad to see that it did not make much money at the box office. May have been bad timing or marketing. Great movie.

[–] ndlovu8 9 years ago

It's very sad about the lack of commercial success.
My grandchildren love it though and watch it often ;-)

[–] Malamute26 9 years ago

Just watched this for free off of comcast on demand. Not a bad flick. I guess WB never marketed it much? I never heard of it before that.

[–] ender342 8 years ago

I think it's at least as sad that Alex didn't choose to go on with films. He certainly made a promising start. (A poster in a different thread took a different view and dumped a load of trash on Alex's head.)

I have noticed on many boards that posters' evaluations of actors -- and especially of juvenile actors -- are so wildly spread that they are best ignored.

(I must include myself in that stricture: the only performance I ever really detested was that of an actor who played Marc Antony in the 1950s film ofShakespeare's 'Julius Caesar'.
I thought his rendition of Antony's funeral oration was far worse than that of the boy who played the role in our high school performance.

The filmed actor won the award for Best Actor that year. His name was Marlon Brando ;-) )

[–] nagmashdriver 9 years ago

I'm a cat-lover and like Xan, was left fatherless at a young age. At least once a year I pull out the DVD and watch this great movie and I feel less sorry for myself afterwards..............

Thanks for a wonderful piece of entertainment and (cheap) therapy.