The Savage Paradise : Cheetahs – The Blood Brothers
(1993)
A charismatic and incredibly dramatic account of the lifestyles and interrelationships of different cheetah groups on Africa's Serengeti plains, Cheetahs – The Blood Brothers documents a lone female, a mother and cubs, three dominant blood brothers, and a young set of twins.
Broadcast as part of the BBC's The Savage Paradise series, this fifty minute production employs the talents of world famous wildlife cameraman Hugo van Lawick. An outstanding example of his distinctive filming style, the cheetahs are presented as individual characters, their unique personalities brought to the forefront as the wet season approaches and tensions rise.
Stunning cinematography emphasises the harsh beauty of the wild Serengeti, with van Lawick skillfully building up the suspense as the different groups realise they are covering the same ground. Casting the blood brothers as the bandits of the piece, memorable footage details the trio as they swagger in unison across the dusty plains, the 'showdown' scene hugely reminiscent of those in old Western movies.
Powerful and perceptive, with a vivid sense of place, Cheetahs – The Blood Brothers offers an incredible insight into life in one of Africa's last great wildernesses.
The Savage Paradise : Wild Dogs - A Tale of Two Sisters (1993)
