The Producer’s Comments
Since I have not seen this movie since it was released, I was excited to learn that it has been included on imdb.com. The movie was suggested by Dr. Phillips, then Director of the San Diego Museum of Man, to the actor Jeffrey Hunter when they worked together on a project in Central America. It was developed as a documentary, and when completed, it was quite good. However, when we could not sell it, we sold it to a private firm, and they, in order to make it more exciting, and without our O.K. hired prostitutes from Mexico to introduce some wild scenes. These scenes were filmed in Balboa Park in San Diego. A major professional reviewer stated that he liked the documentary, but WHAT WERE THOSE HALF-NAKED WOMEN DOING IN THE FILM? Incidentally, I furnished the funds for the documentary. (IMDb entry made by Chet Sampson)
“Why in all that is sensible would you post this pressbook?” asked Zombos. He was scolding first, then withholding, second, my very savory Painkiller drink. It was late evening. I was tired, and so in need of that rum, cream of coconut, pineapple, and orange juices concoction that Chef Machiavelli was expert at whipping up when most needed that my only thoughts were drink, bed, and late morning rise. But he did have an annoying habit of interrupting my thoughts. Often.
“I like the poster art,” I tried.
“I see,” he said, waiting for more.
Think fast, rabbit, I mouthed to myself as my arm reached for the drink. He would have none of that and stepped back a bit, out of my reach.
“There’s also an interesting story behind the movie,” I offered. He nodded a green-light.
“Well,” I continued, “the film started as a documentary using footage shot by the actor William “Bill” Phillips and his wife Eve. The original idea was to film the Choco and Cuna (Guna) indigenous peoples of Panama. When they couldn’t find a buyer, it was sold and the new buyers added headhunters and women-in-fur-bikinis played by prostitutes from Tijuana. New scenes were spliced in that were actually filmed in Balboa Park in San Diego’s eucalyptus forest. Funny, but the actual attack of the jungle women is very short and occurs off screen. So the poster art is the only exciting thing about this movie.”
“Okay.” Zombos handed me the drink and headed to bed. He turned around. “We are never ever going to watch this movie, right?” It was more a command than a question.
“Positively never,” I said. He nodded and left the room. I took a long sip.
Darn! I forgot to mention the one cool thing about the movie. Paul Frees did the narration and even handled many of the characters’ voices. Don’t know the name? You know his voice as it lives on as the Ghost of the Haunted Mansion Narrator, Boris Badenov in Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Burgermeister Meisterburger in Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.
Maybe we will watch it after all, thought the rascally rabbit (which would be me, long suffering valet to Zombos). If any foolish mortals dare watch this movie too, you can find it on Cultpix. For heaven’s sake, don’t watch this one without a Painkiller in hand.
