Where the River Runs Black (1986)

Wow! Such a good movie.

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Powerful

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

An orphaned boy who was raised in the Amazon jungle is brought back to civilization by a priest who knows his father. Where the River Runs Black was a bit interesting but still disappointing, it's storyline is a mix between Tarzan meets Mowgli so it pretty much lacks creativity and that's kind of sad since we're talking for a 1986 film so it's pretty damn old right? The movie also has a very slow pacing that makes it even harder for me to follow it closely and as far as perfomances go? I wasn't emotionaly driven with any of the actors or their characters as a whole, definitely a very big disappointment especially for such an old movie that were talking about. (3/10)

This film could be taken as a powerful treatise on the Catholic Church's idea of morality, or on the cultural contrasts and difficulties faced by a large emerging south American economy. I think it is both. It comments on the economics of Church-aided development, on the treatment of orphaned children in South America, and on the corruption in politics in parts of South America. The continent's poorest are shown as being seen by the richest as disposable, but it also shows a glimmer of hope. The acting is first rate, which you would expect from a cast that includes Conchata Ferrell and Charles Durning, the photography is beautiful, and the film has a sense of natural justice.

I haven't seen this movie for years, but it has always "haunted" me, and I have never been able to forget it. I have frequently looked for it on DVD, hoping to see it pop up in stores or on Amazon, but it is apparently only available online as used VHS. I don't own it in any form, so I am wondering what the latest news is as to a future release on DVD.Since I was very young, I have been a fan of jungle movies. Many of them have had shallow and silly plots, but this movie is about the human spirit's ability to survive. It is a beautiful story, and is visually stunning. It's right up there with "The Emerald Forest" which came out the same year.

I first saw this film on the Arts and Entertainment channel (A&E) in the 1960s when i was teaching in Montserrat. The next time it was screen i made sure my students saw it. What a wonderful experience! Since then, I periodically search Amazon.com in the hope that some company will have put it into DVD format. If anyone knows where it is available on DVD please send me a message. And those of you who haven't seen it, it's well worth your time. The film centers around issues that are so much in focus these days. We see the relationship between the Church and the indigenous people- the clash between both cultures. There is also the very topical issue of the exploitation of the Amazon environment and the relationship between the boy and river. The nature child learns that human civilization also has some lethal crocodiles. The script is beautiful and all the performances are excellent.