The Origin of Wildlife Documentaries

The first sound movie made entirely in Africa, Congorilla chronicles the Johnson's 3rd trip between 1930 and 1931. Premiering in 1932, the movie permitted audiences to hear what they had only been able to see during the Johnson's earlier work. In the movie, Martin and Osa revisit familiar territory in Kenya and Tanzania before moving on to Uganda and teh Congo basin. Along the way they film thousands of flamingoes at Lake Nakuru, migrating wildebeest and zebra in the Serengeti, and charging rhino in the Northern Frontier District of Kenya. Filming from a small boat on the Nile in Uganda, the Johnsons and their film crew recorded exciting encounters with large crocodiles and hippos. The latter part of the film is devoted to the seven months they spent in the Ituri Forest with the Mbuti peoples. They capture village life despite the high humidity which caused batteries to corrode and mildew to form on camera cases.

This film is available on dvd for sale and footage is available for licensing from www.SafariMuseum.com.