Shaka Zulu (TV series)
| Television series | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Shaka Zulu |
| Country of production | United Kingdom / United States |
| original language | English |
| year | 1986 |
| length | 50 minutes |
| Episodes | 10 in 1 season |
| genre | Drama / history |
| Theme music | Margaret Singana |
| idea | Joshua Sinclair |
| music | Dave Pollecutt |
| German-language first broadcast |
October 24, 1986 on ZDF |
| occupation | |
|
Main actor:
Supporting cast:
| |
Shaka Zulu is a drama / history series from director William C. Faure based on a literary source of the same title by Joshua Sinclair . Which was produced British - American mini-series for the South African South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in 1986. The film was shot, among others, on location in South Africa. Even Australia , Germany and Italy were involved in this production.
action
The plot , which partly draws on the oral history of the Zulu, revolves around the main character Shaka Zulu , played by Henry Cele . Shaka is the ruler of the Zulu people and promoted the expansion of the Zululand empire from 1816 to 1828, with little approval from the British colonial rulers in Cape Town .
In 1823 the governor of Cape Town asked King George IV to arm himself against the Zulu empire, who had grown into a threat to the British colony. The latter refuses, however, in complete ignorance of the reported military superiority of the Zulus. As an emergency solution, the governor and the war and colonial minister Lord Bathurst decide to send an intermediary to Shaka Zulu in order to end the threat in some way.
The choice falls on the eccentric retired naval lieutenant Francis Farewell , who promises himself as a reward to build up a flourishing ivory trade. He sets out on a small expedition, but is shipwrecked on the coast at what will later be Port Natal , but is able to save a lot of his cargo and build a temporary base. They quickly meet a Zulu patrol and ultimately get to know Shaka Zulu personally. The whole story of Shaka is revealed to them from the very beginning, beginning with his conception and a prophecy.
Finally Farewell can prove himself to Shaka and receives from him the rank of Zulu chief and the rights to Port Natal, as well as all raw materials.
- Episodes
- The expedition
- In the king's kraal
- The Prophecy
- The outcast
- A new warrior
- The avenger
- Deadly intrigues
- The trap
- The ambassadors
- The shadow of evil
background
Shaka is still one of the most famous characters in African history today. For the Zulu, he remains a national hero: every September they celebrate “King Shaka Day”, which is celebrated with a ceremony at the memorial near the place where Shaka died in KwaDukuza . In the ideology of the Inkatha , the South African Zulu party, he plays a central role as the founder of the nation.
Although the series historically correct picks up many real personalities of this time, and seems very plausible, the plot deviates in many points from the actual processes and naturally fills the plot with purely speculative conversations. For example, Farewell made two attempts for his expedition to Port Natal and suffered the first shipwreck off St. Lucia .
The series was controversial because it was shot in South African locations while the apartheid regime was still boycotted around the world. The British actors who were featured were almost blacklisted by the United Nations .
“Shaka Zulu” was broadcast in Germany from October to December 1986 by ZDF , in 1996 by the Berlin local broadcaster Puls TV and since 2002 in a premiere series several times .
Margaret Singana's sung song "Shaka Zulu Theme" ( We Are Growing ) was not released on DVD , which was only released in the UK in 2004. The age rating of the DVD is 15 years. On January 30, 2009, the series was published in Germany by Polyband in a very heavily cut version and received the age rating FSK 12.
Individual evidence
- ↑ This and that for "Shaka Zulu"
- ↑ BBFC reference BVV078591 ( Memento of the original dated August 6, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
Web links
- Shaka Zulu in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Trailer on Google