A Vingança dos Elefantes

Yet another cheap Monogram Pictures' Bomba film, with it's signature phony looking backlot jungle, poorly done rear projection, and an overuse of stock jungle footage. The entry has Bomba stopping evil ivory hunters and is less racist than most entries and also a slightly more enjoyable film than the rest of the series. After having watched five of the 12 Bomba films, I'm not sure I really need to see any more, though I'll probably make myself to just say I've seen all of them. Still, this was probably the most bearable of them that I've seen thus far.

Elephant Stampede (1951)

** (out of 4)

While Bomba (Johnny Sheffield) is in the jungle having a pretty teacher's aid (Donna Martell) teach him to reach, a couple poachers are killing elephants for their ivory. Soon the two men find out about Bomba and must kill him so that they can get back to their business. The sixth film in the series actually turns out to be one of the most entertaining but than again this is a cheap Bomba movie from Monogram so one shouldn't be expecting an actual good movie. I think there are some pretty funny and campy moments throughout and not the ones we're used to seeing like the stock footage o rear projection stuff. There's an entire side-story dealing with this young, beautiful school assistant wanting to have fun with Bomba but he keeps pushing her away instead preferring to learn his ABCs. This leads to her wanting to make him jealous and take off with the two poachers who are constantly sexually harassing her. I'm not sure how many children in the audience knew this or cared about it but I'm sure the majority of the adults watching, then and now, couldn't help but laugh at Bomba for rejecting such a beauty. The film is actually quite dark for children because there's quite a bit of violence against elephants and especially Bomba. Poor jungle boy takes quite a beating here including being pistol whipped and knocked out a couple times. This action does help keep the film moving and I'd say that at times Bomba comes off as such a jerk you really don't mind it. Sheffield is certainly very comfortable in the part by now and he turns in a fine performance. Martell clearly steals the film as the teacher's aid. The support is pretty good as well, which is rare for this series. All in all, fans of the series should be some entertainment out of this but just don't expect something great.

Elephants are strolling around as muscular Bomba (Johnny Sheffield) rides one through the African jingle. Bomba must swing into action when a snake threatens his bird. After this, Bomba visits attractive Donna Martell (as Lola). This shapely brunette is helping "old maid" schoolteacher Edith Evanson (as Miss Banks) teach the natives to read. Bored with her job, Ms. Martell is much more excited to be tutoring Bomba on the side. The jungle boy is a quick study, in academic areas...

Bomba learns to spell "L.I.O.N", but Ms. Martell is more interested in "L.O.V.E." A good jungle boy, Bomba is not interested in finding a mate. Frustrated, Martell decides to make Bomba jealous by seeming to be sexually available for trigger-happy John Kellogg (as Bob Warren) and amorous Myron Healey (as Joe Collins). On safari, this dastardly duo is out to shoot elephants and steal local ivory. Lola's idea is dumb and dangerous. You could say: Whatever Lola wants, Lola doesn't get.

**** Bomba: Elephant Stampede (10/28/51) Ford Beebe ~ Johnny Sheffield, Donna Martell, John Kellogg, Myron Healey

I was lucky to get hold of a copy of this movie as it is quite hard to get hold of, as are all of the Bomba movies.

In this one, some illegal poachers arrive in the jungle and kill an elephant. After killing their leader, they try and kill more elephants but Bomba tries to stop them and eventually succeeds by getting a heard of elephants to trample them to death.

Johnny Sheffield plays Bomba once again and takes a good part. A lot of the scenes involving the elephants running is stock footage I think. Bomba also has a young lady who fancies him in this movie. She is learning him to read.

I enjoyed watching this movie. Watch it if you are lucky enough to get the chance.

Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5.

Miss Banks is a white missionary teacher in the jungle. Her assistant Lola teaches Bomba the Jungle Boy. Joe Collins and Bob Warren are two white big-game hunters who surprise their guide and start illegally killing elephants for their tusks. There is a local cache of ivory which would be a jackpot for the hunters.

This is a Bomba movie and I don't have high expectations. The elephants are mostly in stock footage or probably hired circus elephants. I don't know what I want, but I want more elephant fun. I find most of the movie very boring with bad acting. There are little ok scenes scattered around, but it's not enough.