Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4701 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-04-27
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 113 minutes

Synopsis
ZULU DAWN depicts the bloody Battle of Isandhlwana, in which 30,000 Zulu warriors wiped out nearly 1,500 British troops stationed in Natal. The film focuses most sharply on the preparations for battle and the political situation in the region at that time. Taking Zulu chief Cetshwayo's defiant stance on tribal customs as a declaration of war, General Lord Chelmsford sends in hundreds of British troops in order to squash the spear-carrying Africans with superior fire power. The sheer number of Zulus, however, overwhelms the British infantry.

Customer Reviews

The sound is very poor on this Arrow Films dvd
I've just compared this dvd briefly to the perfect edition in France by a label called Opening. On this UK dvd by Arrow Films, there is poor sound with crackling right through the film. A bit like being at a cinema back in the 70's! On the dvd by Opening in France, the sound and picture are perfect, no crackling and a slightly sharper picture with English audio (and optional French audio too). I'm returning this dvd to amazon shortly. Buy the dvd from France, the best in the world!

Not anamorph
I have to agree with Mr Wilkinson, it is a disgrace that this decent and epic British classic with an outstanding cast including Burt Lancaster, Peter O'Toole, John Mills, Denholm Elliot and Bob Hoskins, is again only released in bad quality. The first time I bought this film on VHS I had to call distributor Mosaic to complain about the wrong 1,85 format and they sent me a VHS copy with a correct 2,35 ratio. When they released it on dvd they only used the wrong format again. (and it looked awful too)
Don't get your hope up that this is a big improvement.
What does one have to do to get a British classic in the best possible version ? Buy it in France...

An Epic Catastrophe well enacted.
Comparisons are always going to be made with this films much better known predecessor "Zulu". So I will nail my colours to the mast early on and commit possible
heresy and perhaps lose all street cred by stating that I prefer this film out of the two. I am of course in a very small minority. The film did not fare well at the box office perhaps confusing audiences with its sympathetic treatment of the Zulu.

"Zulu Dawn" (79) was directed by Douglas Hickox and was scripted by Cy Endfield who also co-wrote "Zulu". It is based on true events leading up to the invasion of Zululand in South Africa in 1879 and the subsequent battle that took place at Isandlwana on the 22nd June in that year. In this battle between Zulu impis under the leadership of their King Cetshwayo and British troops commanded by General Lord Chelmsford, the British were virtually annihilated. A total of 1762 troops died, a figure not including 350 wagon drivers and camp followers. It was a catastrophic defeat for the British army. This battle took place shortly before the events at Rorkes Drift depicted in "Zulu"

The first half of the film revolves around the administrators and officials of the Cape colony. Sir John Mills plays Sir Henry Bartle Frere the British High Commissioner for South Africa, who provokes the Zulus into war by giving them an impossible ultimatum. Lord Chelmsford played by Peter O'Toole is portrayed as the arrogant British military Commander. Burt Lancaster also appears as Col Durnford the sympathetic commander of the Natal native contingent who stays and dies with his men.

The second half of the film is concerned with the invasion and subsequent battle in Zululand. The battle itself is realistically played out. The fighting is spread out and both panic and bravery are shown in equal measure. The difficulty in opening the ammunition boxes is graphically shown. There are of course inaccuracies as military experts of the period would be quick to point out. Perhaps the most glaring being the fact that the British infantrymen were shown using Calvalry carbines, when in fact they used the famous Martini-Henrys. Durnford also used a Webley MkV1 .455 revolver which was not introduced until 1915. The solar eclipse that occurred was also omitted. But these are minor blemishes. I love the scene at the end when Lt Vereker played by Simon Ward saves the colours by shooting the Zulu carrying them. He watches them floating down to the water below knowing he is a doomed man. Of course that is not historically true but does it really matter?

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It strives to be accurate and is very believable. At the end we see brave men under poor leadership, dying as a result of an ill conceived and incompetently executed plan. It makes for compelling viewing and is deserving of a better quality DVD transfer. I have unfortunately had to lose one star for this reason. Highly recommended viewing.