La Chasse du comte Zaroff

THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (RKO Radio, 1932), directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack and Irving Pichel, from the short story by Richard Connell, is a highly suspenseful drama with a neat twist in theme. But for the benefit for those who have never read Connell's original story nor seen the movie, this is something to really consider, especially for action and adventure fans. Categorized as a horror film, the only horror is the thought of a hunter being the hunted, especially by a crazed individual.

The story begins with an explosion and the sinking of a yacht with Robert Rainsford (Joel McCrea) becoming the sole survivor of the perished crew. He swims to safety on a remote island and soon encounters an ancient mansion where lives the Russian Count Zoroff (Leslie Banks), and his muted servant, Ivan (Noble Johnson) and Tatur (Steve Clemento). After getting into some dry clothes, Rainsford is introduced to Zoroff's other guests, Eve (Fay Wray) and her brother, Martin Trowbridge (Robert Armstrong), also shipwreck survivors. Gathering in the living room, Zoroff discusses his interest in game hunting, but instead of hunting animals, which now bores him, he hunts his new interest - a most dangerous game. Later that night, Zoroff has made the drunken Martin his latest prey, and after returning from his all night hunt, Zoroff shows Eve and Rainsford his trophy room, consisting of human heads and corpses, with Martin's body being among them. Because Rainsford is a noted author and hunter, Zoroff wants him to go game hunting with him, the hunting of man. Refusing to take part in his mad scheme, Rainsford, in turn, becomes Zoroff's next prey. Zoroff promises that if Rainsford eludes him until sunrise, he and Eve are set free, and if he doesn't, gets to recapture Eve alive, since he doesn't hunt the "female animal." Being given a 12 hour head start for preparation, Rainsford, with Eve's help, works against time using his brains instead of his feet to try and outsmart the hunter, but after midnight, the hunt begins, with Zoroff's tracking them down with weapons ranging from bow and arrow, rifle, and, as the last resort, the release of his vicious dogs, climaxed by surprises for both hunter and the hunted.

THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME ranks one of the very best stories ever transferred on screen. In spite of alterations to Connell's original story, such as adding a female to accompany Rainsford, this adaptation is a fast-pace 65 minutes that never lets up for a minute. The first half hour devotes itself to character study, with Robert Armstrong's drunken performance somewhat slowing down the pace instead of providing humor. However, second half of the movie is tight on suspense, with the camera capturing every move and reaction from the three central characters, with Max Steiner's underscoring setting the mood and pace. Of course there's plenty of close calls and near misses to add to the excitement, making this a well staged and truly memorable experience after it is all over. What makes THE MOST DANGEROUSGAME worthy is the uncanny performance of British actor Leslie Banks, in his Hollywood debut, hamming it up to perfection, making his insane hunter come to life as intended by the author. Closeups of his eyes during the hunt is truly effective. If the jungle settings look familiar, it's the same set used for the much more famous adventure, KING KONG (RKO, 1933), that also features Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong.

While Joel McCrea has been on screen since the silent era, starting from small roles to the elevation of leads, THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME showcases him to best advantage, but cannot take away from the performance of Leslie Banks. While never a high rank leading man, McCrea did become a Hollywood survivor, better known for westerns, retiring from his successful career by 1962.

THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME was remade as A GAME OF DEATH (RKO, 1945) with John Loder and Edgar Barrier; RUN FOR THE SUN (United Artists, 1956) with Richard Widmark, and recycled numerous times, but none have captured the greatness to the 1932 original. It's also interesting to note that the theme was used as the basis in one of the better episodes to the comedy series, GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, titled "The Hunter" with Rory Calhoun guest starring as the title character who hunts people, namely Gilligan (Bob Denver).

Once regarded a "lost" movie, a print of THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME was discovered in the 1970s, and introduced to the small screen for the first time on public television in 1976. Prints shown in its initial premiere were crystal clear, but sadly, by the early 1980s, in the wake of home video, transfers circulated by distributors had that third to fourth generation look. A public domain title, it's unfortunate that a movie as good as this couldn't be available with better better picture quality. Aside from TV showings on various cable channels such as Nostalgia Television, and currently on some public TV stations after the midnight hours, THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME had yet to be shown on any commercial free classic movie channels until Turner Classic Movies aired it on June 28, 2007, but because of its reputation, continues to circulate in the VHS and DVD markets to a very favorable audience. An instant classic not to be missed. (***)

This tale was efficiently developed in this first of several versions using Richard Connell's famed novel , one of the most anthologized short stories of all time . The picture gets adventure , noisy action , a love story , thriller , exciting pursuits with numerous odds , risks and perils and results to be pretty entertaining . After their luxury cabin cruiser crashes on a reef, and sinking itself , Bob Rainsford (Joel McCrea) finds himself washed ashore on a far island . He finds a remote fortress-like house and the owner , Count Zaroff (Leslie Banks film debut) who seems to be quite welcoming . While their host is initially hospitable, he quickly reveals his true purpose : to hunt down and kill each of his visitors , as he has done with everyone unlucky enough to set foot on his island . Apart from Zaroff's servant "Ivan the Cossack" (Noble Johnson, a multi-talented African-American actor) , the only other people present are Eve (Fay Wray) and her brother Martin (Robert Armstrong) , also survivors of their own shipwreck . As the crazed hunter Zaroff kidnaps people and turns them loose on his private estate , where he hunts them for sport . Bob along with the stirring heroine in distress who's threaten by the nutty villain go out throughout the lush jungle . Maniac Hunts Humans . In A Jungle Hell! ...Defenseless against the deadly hunter . Hunting Humans Was His Favorite Game He hunted humans for the sheer sport of killing ... and made his island paradise into a Hell on Earth! The foulest passion of them all! A race for life in a chase against death¡ How far will you go to Stay Alive?

This is a classic of the horror genre with spellbinding direction by Ernest B. Schoedsack , dealing with Count Zaroff kidnaps people and releases them into his jungle island and then hunts them down . The movie contains terror , adventure , action , moving pursuits with an "outdoor chess" game and a deep disquisition about human nature . The yarn is compellingly paced in this first of a great number of adaptations based on Richard Connell notorious novel . This film and "King Kong" were filmed at the same time, though "Kong" was released later probably due to the special effects required for it . The sets are perfectly atmospheric and production uses most of actors , scenary , set design , exteriors and some of the screams of the sailors as the ship sinks are the same as the screams of the sailors from ¨King Kong¨ (1933) . Most of the standing sets and jungle scenes were also used for simultaneous shooting of jungle scenes in King Kong . Thus , here appears same King Kong's actors : Fay Wray , Robert Armstrong , composer Max Steiner and filmmaker Ernest B. Schoedsack who usually shot with Merian C. Cooper. The flick will appeal to terror fans and adventure cinema-goers . The movie all still holds up after more than 70 years . Rating : Good , if you haven't seen it , you don't miss the chance the next time .

It has been remade several times , as the reboots of Richard Connell's famous short story, "The Most Dangerous Game," about a madman who hunts human prey on his personal island habitat are the following ones : ¨A Game of Death¨(1945) by Robert Wise with John Loder , Audrey Long , Edgar Barrier, Russell Wade . ¨Run for the sun¨ by John Boulting with Richard Widmark , Jane Greer , Trevor Howard . ¨Bloodlust!¨(1961) by Ralph Brook . ¨The Suckers¨(1972) by Stu Segall . An erotic rendition titled ¨La comtesse perverse¨ (1974) by Jesús Franco with Robert Woods , Alice Arno , Lina Romay . ¨Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity¨ (1987) by Ken Dixon . ¨Surviving the Game¨ (1994) by Ernest Dickerson with Ice T , Charles S. Dutton , F. Murray Abraham , Gary Busey and Rutger Hauer that is more violent and noisy than preceding ones .

"Until you've hunted men, you haven't hunted" -Jesse Ventura, April 2001.

The story of a hunter having the tables turned on him is overly familiar to today's audiences. The basic premise of Richard Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game" has also been reinvented as a Game of Death, Run for the Sun, Hard Target, Surviving the Game, The Running Man, and even Predator (starring the Governor Ventura himself). But the irony and purity of the story are exercised best in this 1932 quickie, made by the King Kong team, using the same cast members and sets. It's legacy has been somewhat overshadowed by the popularity of Kong, but don't let it slip away, The Most Dangerous Game is a game worth playing.

Robert Rainsford (Joel McCrea) is a big game hunter who is shipwrecked somewhere off the east coast of South America. He washes up on a beach of a lonely island and makes his way through the jungle where he is greeted by the eccentric Count Zaroff who has settled in a restored Portuguese fortress. The Count escaped Russia before the revolution and travelled the world hunting animals. But having killed all of the most savage he has grown bored and needs an animal with wits, cunning, and intelligence. Man; the most dangerous game of all.

Finding his match with Rainsford, the Count releases him into the jungle, along with the screaming Eve Trowbridge (Fay Wray), and promises him freedom if he can survive the next 24 hours. The sets, the Gothic atmosphere, and even the loneliness creates a wonderful atmosphere. As one of the first "talkies" the film is backed-up by a score (in a time when music really had to carry wordless motion pictures) that really stands out to me for several reasons. It's certainly the earliest film I have seen with a recognizable melody and even goes as far as having the Count play the theme on his grand piano; a nice little in-joke. I never thought I'd recommend a score from a 1932 movie for being mysterious and action-packed but, if you excuse the pun, I suggest you hunt it down.

At 63 minutes the film doesn't outstay his welcome, but James Ashmore Creelman's screenplay was written as a film lasting no less than 85 minutes, so I'm curious to know what RKO Pictures cut out to keep the budget down.

Criterion did a good job with the DVD, but the film desperately needs a full HD restoration. I suppose the original camera negative is gone, but a 4k master from a complete 35mm print is what this film needs. No nicks, no scratches, no missing frames. If The Most Dangerous Game doesn't get this an overlooked classic may be lost forever.

Cooper and Schoedsack are, of course, the same directors who made King Kong. They actually made it right after they made this film on some of the same sets, and you'll recognize that, if you're a Kong aficionado. The Most Dangerous Game probably would be as well known as King Kong if it were a half-hour longer. As it stands, it's only 63 minutes. Half of that is exposition, and the other half the chase. That first half does drag a little. Some people will say the same thing about the exposition of King Kong, though I'd disagree. The comical drunk in The Most Dangerous Game is quite annoying, I must say. No matter. Once the hunt begins, I dare you to try to take a breath. I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat that entire half-hour. Bravo, good sirs. Once again, you have proved yourselves to be entirely undervalued filmmakers. Make sure, if you like this and/or King Kong, to see their early documentaries Grass and Chang, which are two near masterpieces themselves. 8/10.

The Most Dangerous Game is a film totally dominated by Leslie Banks's florid portrayal of the mad Russian Count Zaroff who has built is own little world on a Pacific island where he hunts for sport and pleasure what he considers The Most Dangerous Game.

Though I'm sure he must have had a lot of offers from American studios after this film, Leslie Banks went back to the United Kingdom where he was a stalwart presence in a variety of roles for British cinema. Still Banks never got a part as good as Count Zaroff in which he could chew enough scenery for a three course meal and not be noticed.

Joel McCrea plays an American big game hunter who is the sole survivor of a shipwreck who is washed up on Banks's island. In the palatial home he's built out of an old Portugese fort, McCrea encounters brother and sister Robert Armstrong and Fay Wray. Armstrong, in an unusual part for him, plays a wastrel playboy who is consuming the liquor at the home at a prodigious rate. He's taken to the 'trophy' room and not seen again.

The next night McCrea and Wray discover that The Most Dangerous Game is man himself. Banks sends his guests out into the woods and stalks them like wild animals. Supposedly if they can elude him for 24 hours they earn their freedom, but no one ever has.

The Most Dangerous Game is one of those films where you have no doubt who the hero and villain are. No moral ambiguities in this one. For all of Banks's talk about man being the most challenging animal to hunt, the only other man besides McCrea we see him hunt is drunk and pathetic Robert Armstrong. In McCrea because he's a hunter Banks finally meets an opponent who's a challenge. If Armstrong is a sample of what he hunted before, Banks ranks as one of the most malevolent villains ever portrayed on screen.

If the sets look familiar to you remember the team of Meriam C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack is bringing you this film. A year later these same sets were utilized by RKO for the classic King Kong. Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong got to know that back lot jungle very well.

Banks meets a most fitting end for one as evil as he which I can't reveal, but viewers will find it poetic indeed. After 75 years, The Most Dangerous Game is still one exciting, heart pounding, entertaining film.