Cannibal Attack

I have just obtained a copy of Cannibal Attack and rather enjoyed it.

In this one, a ship load of cobalt is ambushed by people disguised as crocodiles and they try to pinch it. Jungle Jim (Johnny Weismuller using his own name) and some others investigate this and face several dangers in the process including crocodiles, a big eagle and a leopard, which Jim kills. He and somebody else are then caught by unfriendly natives and are fed to the crocodiles, but are rescued at the end and the thieves are caught or killed.

Joining Weismuller in the cast are Judy Walsh and David Bruce.

I obtained this movie from the same source as I get the Bomba movies. This is worth watching if you get the chance as it is quite rare. Great fun.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5.

Don't let the cast credits fool you. This is actually a Jungle Jim picture. Although Weissmuller is credited as playing himself, he is dressed in his Jungle Jim outfit. Moreover, the plot follows much the same formula as previous entries. Indeed it rather resembles Mark of the Gorilla, with crocodiles substituting for the apes. But though the dialogue is stilted and the situations familiar, the juvenile audience this movie is intended to please, will probably not notice. In fact the story moves at such a fast clip, it makes for a reasonably exciting diversion. Naturally, production values are helped along by a few stock shots from previous Jungle Jim entries (such as the eagle, and the underwater fight with the croc), plus quite a few clips from Columbia's library of ancient stock footage (the elephants). It all makes for plenty of action, including a fairly exciting climax. Johnny Weissmuller is his usual competent self whilst the heroine, an attractive lass, will fascinate the older boys in the audience. Unfortunately, the rest of the support players are an undistinguished lot, easily outclassed by that talented chimp, Kimba (even if he obviously doesn't really cut the prisoners free). Sholem's direction is reasonably proficient, though it provides only an occasional flash of imagination (such as the menacing crocodile shadow in the cave). The sets, however, are mighty impressive.

I desperately try to find a lousy JUNGLE JIM film, forgetting that all those movies are genuinely lousy from the beginning, you must not watch them seriously. Useless to point it out. I mean finding a bad JUNGLE JIM movie is not that easy, because all of them are enjoyable, fun, and never boring to watch. Here, the cobalt issues mixed up with crocodiles must be seen to be believed. This episode - movie actually - is as efficient as the others. Sam Katzman the producer, for once, succeeded in cheap B movies. Of course young audiences of 2023 would laugh in front of such material, but for old timers as me, it's really worth.

Jungle Jimbo and Kimba, the furry monkey, are gesticulating all over the tropical thicket trying to appropriate all the cobalt they can before the greedy natives can get their grubby paws on it. The jungle shenanigans are so vacillating, it'll make your head spin. John Weissmuller and Judy Walsh star.

In 1948, Johnny Weissmuller was signed by Columbia Pictures to make a series of films starring him as "Jungle Jim," the character originated(in 1934) and drawn (through the 30s and early-40s) by Alex Raymond but owned outright by King Features Syndicate.

From 1948 into 1954, Columbia house-producer Sam Katzman made 15 films starring Weissmuller as "Jungle Jim" Bradley, while Columbia paid royalties to the King Features Syndicate (owner of the comic script)for the use of the character. Universal Pictures Corporation, via their in-house Adventure Serials Inc., setup produced a 12-chapter serial featuring the character in 1937.

Columbia Pictures Corporation, with Sam Katzman as the producer made the following 15 "Jungle Jim" films, starring Johnny Weissmuller: "Jungle Jim (1948); "The Lost Tribe" (1949); "Captive Girl" and "Pygmy Island" (1950);"Fury of the Congo" and "Jungle Manhunt" (1951); :Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land," "Voodoo Tiger" and "Savage Mutiny" (1952); "Valley of the Headhunters" and "Killer Ape (1953)and the last "Jungle Jim" film in the series, "Jungle Man-Eaters" in 1954.

Following "Jungle Man-Eaters" Columbia chose not to renew their rights to the "Jungle Jim" character, but still had Weissmuller on a contract that had three films to go. Ipso facto, make three more films exactly like the previous 15 "Jungle Jim" films but have Johnny Weissmuller playing a character named "Johnny Weissmuller." And those three non-Jungle Jim films starring Johnny Weissmuller (playing a character named "Johnny Weissmuller") were: "Cannibal Attack" (1954) and "Jungle Moon-Men" and "Devil Goddess" in 1955.

And, no Izzy the Himself-Role Names Lover, Johnny Weissmuller did not play HIMSELF in those three films.