Hunting Hunters in Film By Gayne C. Young Posted on May 11, 2010 10:29 PM EDT Share White Hunter, Black Heart Movie tag line: An adventure in obsession… Hunter(s) portrayed as: An egomaniac obsessed with nothing but shooting a huge "tusker" elephant – like that's a bad thing. The good: Clint Eastwood plays a damn good egomaniac. His cruelty to those around him is actually pretty funny – in a sick kind of way. The bad: Eastwood never gets his elephant The ugly: Eastwood's tracker gets squished by an elephant. Mogambo Movie tag line: Actually filmed by M-G-M on safari…amid authentic scenes of unrivalled savagery and awe-inspiring splendor! Hunter(s) portrayed as: Tough as nails, strong, all sexy he-man. In other words, right on the money. The good: Clark Gable shoots leopard, drinks, smokes, and sleeps with both Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly – although not at the same time. The bad: Grace Kelly's character just happens to be married, ends up shooting Gable in the arm. The ugly: It ain't Ava, that's for sure. She's built like the proverbial brick outhouse in an era prior to plastic surgery. Southern Comfort Movie tag line: It's the land of hospitality…unless you don't belong there. Hunter(s) portrayed as: Inbred bloodthirsty swamp running moonshine drinking Cajun trash. The good: Action packed, fairly realistic, Powers Booth's voice. The bad: National Guardsmen drowning in quicksand, getting shot, attacked by dogs, getting stabbed,… The ugly: Well, the Cajuns are kind'a ugly… The Mountains of the Moon Movie tag line: The story of Captain Richard Francis Burton's and Lt. John Hanning Speke's expedition to find the source of the Nile. Hunter(s) portrayed as: Tough, resourceful, respectful to game, men of integrity, sexually confused. The good: Speke shoots a lion as it pounces Burton. The bad: Burton catches a spear through the face, Speke's stabbed repeatedly by natives, Speke shoves a gun cleaning rod in his ear to kill a bug, Speke commits suicide. The ugly: David Livingstone showing Burton a bite he received on his pasty white naked English butt. The Ghost and the Darkness Movie tag line: Prey for the hunters! Hunter(s) portrayed as: Saviors, tough guys in touch with their feelings, real manly men, well educated, confrontational, bad tempered, greasy haired, hard drinkers – I'm fond of most of these traits myself. The good: Fairly accurate in terms of hunting. The bad: Not historically accurate. The ugly: Only one woman in the entire 2 hour movie! The Naked Prey Movie tag line: Stripped, turned loose like a wild beast … a manhunt of indescribable terror and screaming suspense! Hunter(s) portrayed as: Some good, some greedy, some cooked and eaten. The good: The beginning elephant hunt is real. The bad: That guy didn't just eat a live snail did he? The ugly: A hunter is tied to a stick, covered in clay, and cooked over a fire alive. Out of Africa Movie tag line: Based on a true story. Hunter(s) portrayed as: Ruggedly handsome, well educated, good story teller, crappy pilot. The good: The scenery, the clothing, the sets, the animals – a beautiful film. The bad: Meryl Streep gets syphilis from her cheating husband. The ugly: Watching baboons listen to a phonograph is just about as wrong as it gets. Actually a chick flick. The Bear Movie tag line: He's an orphan… at the start of a journey. A journey to survive. Hunter(s) portrayed as: The elder hunter as fairly wise, shrewd, comfortable. The younger as impatient, quick to make mistakes. The good: Hunters pretty accurately portrayed in terms of time. The bad: Bear cub having a mushroom trip. The ugly: Bear cub watching two adult bears mate. King Solomon's Mines – 1950 version Movie tag line: Guide Allan Quatermain helps a young lady find her lost husband somewhere in Africa. Hunter(s) portrayed as: Ruggedly handsome, smart, well spoken, snazzy dresser. The good: Most of the hunting scenes are real. Deborah Kerr's attractive and not too wimpy in the field. The bad: Big fake spider. The ugly: Why you gotta be throwing a spear in that guy's gut? Bambi Movie tag line: Love Comes To The Forest Folk . . . and to you, in one of the world's greatest love stories! Hunter(s) portrayed as: Momma killers! The good: Thumper is obviously drunk throughout most of the movie. The bad: Flower the skunk's a sissy! The ugly: Watching animals struggle on ice. The hunters don't pop Bambi when he's older. Deliverance Movie tag line: Deliverance from evil. Hunter(s) portrayed as: Inbred still-running, no teeth having, banjo playing Southern trash. The good: I wasn't on the canoe trip. The bad: Ronny Cox's arm isn't supposed to bend like that. The ugly: Ned Beatty in his whitey-tighties squealing like a pig. What does Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai have to do with hunting in film? Nothing. Nothing at all. Good Will Hunting Movie tag line: Some people can never believe in themselves, until someone believes in them. Hunter(s) portrayed as: What a misleading title! There were no hunters in this movie whatsoever. The good: Minnie Driver's cute. The bad: Boston accents! The ugly: Boston accents! The Last Dinosaur Movie tag line: Wealthy big game hunter along with his group gets trapped in pre-historic times where they are stalked by a ferocious dinosaur. Hunter(s) portrayed as: Blowhard, arrogant, skirt chasing rich oilman hell bent on killing a T-Rex. The good: See the above. The bad: An idiot tries to kill a T-Rex with a wooden spear. The ugly: The dinosaurs are actually guys in rubber suits! Note: This movie was so good I could only find the cover in German. The Deer Hunter Movie tag line: Best Picture 1978. Hunter(s) portrayed as: Nice hard working guys until the Vietnam War comes calling. The good: Robert De Niro likes to take deer down with one shot. The bad: Hunters forced to play Russian roulette for entertainment. The ugly: Hunter playing Russian roulette for heroin money, blowing his brains out. Primeval Movie tag line: The hunt begins soon. Hunter(s) portrayed as: Smarter than average but still a second class character. The good: Giant crocodile eating people. The bad: Giant crocodile is at times a giant load of CGI crap. The ugly: Orlando Jones.