The Hidden Jungle
Encyclopedia
The Hidden Jungle is an American children’s adventure film
directed by Steve McCurdy, written and produced by Warren Chaney
and released in 1990. The film stars Chuck Stockdale, Damon Merrill, Charles Charpiot, Lesley Chaney and Dennis Frost, Jr. The Executive Producer
was Beverly Wilson and the film’s production company
was Sandpiper Pictures. It was filmed on location in Mozambique
and at the Y.O. Ranch, Mountain Home, Texas
.
A NASA
shuttlecraft
carrying an important nuclear fuel
payload is sabotage
d and is forced to crash land in an African jungle. A famous American stunt pilot is asked by the U.S. Government to retrieve the payload and rescue the surviving astronaut
. He engages an unlikely crew of jungle kids to guide him to the crash site and aid in the recovery effort. They proceed to reclaim the stolen property and bring justice to those stealing the shuttlecraft payload and murdering the astronauts.
The production was filmed on location in Mozambique and the Y.O. Ranch with aerial stunt footage
photographed near Mountain Home, Texas
. The Hidden Jungle completed production in late 1989 and was released to theatres and later television in 1990 by Intercontinental Releasing Corporation
. After acquisition by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer, the film
was re-released in 1998.
Shuttlecraft carrying a plutonium
payload is forced to crash land in an African terrorist country that is unfriendly to the United States
. The surviving astronaut
, Dr. Beverly Owens (portrayed by Charity Merrill) is taken captive by the country’s terrorist leader, Akmed Najah (Charles Charpiot). The U.S. Government fears the plutonium
will be used to create a nuclear weapon
and seeks help in the rescue and recovery efforts from ace stunt pilot, Zach Taylor (portrayed by real life stunt pilot, Chuck Stockdale).
Zach works with CIA operative, Bill Murphy (William Brown) who bares personal bitterness toward Akmed Najah. Najah had earlier destroyed Murphy’s home, killing his wife and child. Zach learns that the downed spacecraft
crashed into the jungles of Zamboa, an uncharted area that is difficult to travel. He and Murphy seek the aid of two young people who have lived their lives in the jungle
. One is Desirée Jones, daughter of a famous archeologist (Lesley Chaney) and a young boy whom she found in the jungle when he was a baby. The boy (Jason Chaney) is now 8 years old but appears to be quite capable…even demonstrating the capability of driving an old jeep
.
Together, they set off to locate the terrorists and rescue Dr. Owens.
After the spacecraft
’s crash landing
, Owens detached the nuclear container from the onboard satellite
before being taken captive. Akmed Najah systematically tortures the astronaut
in order to force her to disclose the container’s location. He discovers that a rescue search party is in process and sends out teams of trained assassins to stop them. Leading the killer Dacoits is a young man named Taj-a-tali (Dennis Frost, Jr.), son of Akmed Najah.
Zach, Murphy, Desirée and Jason (the kid) are attacked but manage to fend off the assault and capture Taj-a-tali. Later, Taj escapes with the help of other Dacoits and returns to his father’s jungle lair. Akmed Najah is displeased with his son's performance and orders him killed together with Dr. Owens. Owens had succumbed to torture and revealed the plutonium
location. No longer needing her, Najah orders that she and his son be dropped into a giant fire pit.
Zach and Desirée are separated from the others and after multiple misadventures discover the terrorists’ hiding location in time to save Owens and Najah’s son. Zach locates the space shuttle
satellite
and sets it to explode. In the meantime, Akmed Najah orders that the craft’s payload container be flown out of the country to an unidentified eastern power. He later dies in a hand-to-hand battle with Zach. Desirée escorts Owens and the boy to safety following a violent explosion decimates the terrorist lair. Learning that the plutonium
is about to leave the jungle
, Zach and Desirée set out to stop the aerial pickup.
Jason arrives in the jungle flying Zach’s plane, which had been left back at their point of embarkation. The young boy flies the plane the same way he drives a vehicle—with various difficulties and many “ups and downs.” However, he manages to land the craft as Zach climbs aboard. A motorcade of Dacoits appear, firing weapons at the fleeing trio. Desirée draws their fire while Zach and Jason turn the plane down a jungle runway. At the last minute, she leaps aboard the plane as it lifts from the ground.
Zach skillfully pilots the aircraft and in several daring stunt maneuvers steals the aerial pickup from the Dacoits before it can be scooped into the air by others. Zach pulls the plane into an upward arch and then down toward the ground, suddenly flipping it over at the last minute so that it flies upside down. The rapid spinning causes Jason to become ill and as the plane approaches the Dacoits on the runway, Desirée drops a hand grenade
as the boy vomits. Both “droppings” fall on the bad guys and the grenade explodes setting off surrounding explosives. High in the sky, Zach, Desirée and Jason fly toward a setting sun. Zach asks Jason if he would like to fly.
A very sick little boy replies, “No thank you!”
Zach, Desirée and Jason are reunited with Bill Murphy who is taking care of Beverly Owens and a wounded Taj-a-tali. Murphy learns that his arch nemesis
has been killed. In thought, Murphy opens a pocket watch
given him by his dead wife and child. As the music plays, Taj-a-tali awakens and recognizes the music. In an emotional scene, the group comes to learn that the boy is not Najah’s son but is instead, Murphy’s son. The boy had been kidnapped the night that Akmed Najah killed Murphy’s wife and destroyed their home.
Jason who is feeling much better by now, smiles and say simply, “This has been a good day…a very good day!”
wrote, "The aircraft and physical stunt work is impressive with its cast members doing many of the stunts. The storyline is quite novel as is the film. It has good production values and is well above the average fare frequently offered up for children." On the other hand, another reviewer, James Packard for the Film Review Digest said, "The action sequences are impressive as is the storyline itself. The directing however, is a little less so." Packard went on to comment on the scope and beauty of the Mozambique
locations.
. The 3D camera system weighed nearly 800 pounds and presented numerous obstacles to mobility over the rough jungle terrain.
(IRC) in 1990 and later acquired for continuing distribution by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer in 1998.
Adventure film
Adventure films are a genre of film.Unlike pure, low-budget action films they often use their action scenes preferably to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way....
directed by Steve McCurdy, written and produced by Warren Chaney
Warren Chaney
Warren Herbert Chaney, Ph.D. is an American executive, author, filmmaker, behavioral scientist, entertainer, businessman and a pioneer in early television. In a career spanning four decades, Chaney wrote fifteen books, fourteen screenplays, and seventy-eight professional and nonprofessional...
and released in 1990. The film stars Chuck Stockdale, Damon Merrill, Charles Charpiot, Lesley Chaney and Dennis Frost, Jr. The Executive Producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
was Beverly Wilson and the film’s production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
was Sandpiper Pictures. It was filmed on location in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
and at the Y.O. Ranch, Mountain Home, Texas
Mountain Home, Texas
Mountain Home is an unincorporated community in Kerr County, Texas, United States, at the intersection of State Hwy 27 and State Hwy 41. Although it is unincorporated, Mountain Home has a post office, with the ZIP code of 78058....
.
A NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
shuttlecraft
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
carrying an important nuclear fuel
Nuclear fuel
Nuclear fuel is a material that can be 'consumed' by fission or fusion to derive nuclear energy. Nuclear fuels are the most dense sources of energy available...
payload is sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
d and is forced to crash land in an African jungle. A famous American stunt pilot is asked by the U.S. Government to retrieve the payload and rescue the surviving astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
. He engages an unlikely crew of jungle kids to guide him to the crash site and aid in the recovery effort. They proceed to reclaim the stolen property and bring justice to those stealing the shuttlecraft payload and murdering the astronauts.
The production was filmed on location in Mozambique and the Y.O. Ranch with aerial stunt footage
Footage
In filmmaking and video production, footage is the raw, unedited material as it had been originally filmed by movie camera or recorded by a video camera which usually must be edited to create a motion picture, video clip, television show or similar completed work...
photographed near Mountain Home, Texas
Mountain Home, Texas
Mountain Home is an unincorporated community in Kerr County, Texas, United States, at the intersection of State Hwy 27 and State Hwy 41. Although it is unincorporated, Mountain Home has a post office, with the ZIP code of 78058....
. The Hidden Jungle completed production in late 1989 and was released to theatres and later television in 1990 by Intercontinental Releasing Corporation
Intercontinental Releasing Corporation
The Intercontinental Releasing Corporation , was an American media company, primarily involved in the production and distribution of films and television programs. IRC was founded in September 1974 as the larger film studios' grip on domestic and international distribution diminished...
. After acquisition by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer, the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
was re-released in 1998.
Plot
An in-flight NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Shuttlecraft carrying a plutonium
Plutonium
Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation...
payload is forced to crash land in an African terrorist country that is unfriendly to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The surviving astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
, Dr. Beverly Owens (portrayed by Charity Merrill) is taken captive by the country’s terrorist leader, Akmed Najah (Charles Charpiot). The U.S. Government fears the plutonium
Plutonium
Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation...
will be used to create a nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
and seeks help in the rescue and recovery efforts from ace stunt pilot, Zach Taylor (portrayed by real life stunt pilot, Chuck Stockdale).
Zach works with CIA operative, Bill Murphy (William Brown) who bares personal bitterness toward Akmed Najah. Najah had earlier destroyed Murphy’s home, killing his wife and child. Zach learns that the downed spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
crashed into the jungles of Zamboa, an uncharted area that is difficult to travel. He and Murphy seek the aid of two young people who have lived their lives in the jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
. One is Desirée Jones, daughter of a famous archeologist (Lesley Chaney) and a young boy whom she found in the jungle when he was a baby. The boy (Jason Chaney) is now 8 years old but appears to be quite capable…even demonstrating the capability of driving an old jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
.
Together, they set off to locate the terrorists and rescue Dr. Owens.
After the spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
’s crash landing
Crash Landing
"Crash Landing" is the only single by Route 1. The single features ex-Atomic Kitten member, Jenny Frost. "Crash Landing" is commonly, yet mistakenly, referred to as a single by Jenny Frost featuring Route 1 because the CD cover features only her with her name in a larger font.-Charts:...
, Owens detached the nuclear container from the onboard satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
before being taken captive. Akmed Najah systematically tortures the astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
in order to force her to disclose the container’s location. He discovers that a rescue search party is in process and sends out teams of trained assassins to stop them. Leading the killer Dacoits is a young man named Taj-a-tali (Dennis Frost, Jr.), son of Akmed Najah.
Zach, Murphy, Desirée and Jason (the kid) are attacked but manage to fend off the assault and capture Taj-a-tali. Later, Taj escapes with the help of other Dacoits and returns to his father’s jungle lair. Akmed Najah is displeased with his son's performance and orders him killed together with Dr. Owens. Owens had succumbed to torture and revealed the plutonium
Plutonium
Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation...
location. No longer needing her, Najah orders that she and his son be dropped into a giant fire pit.
Zach and Desirée are separated from the others and after multiple misadventures discover the terrorists’ hiding location in time to save Owens and Najah’s son. Zach locates the space shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
and sets it to explode. In the meantime, Akmed Najah orders that the craft’s payload container be flown out of the country to an unidentified eastern power. He later dies in a hand-to-hand battle with Zach. Desirée escorts Owens and the boy to safety following a violent explosion decimates the terrorist lair. Learning that the plutonium
Plutonium
Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation...
is about to leave the jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
, Zach and Desirée set out to stop the aerial pickup.
Jason arrives in the jungle flying Zach’s plane, which had been left back at their point of embarkation. The young boy flies the plane the same way he drives a vehicle—with various difficulties and many “ups and downs.” However, he manages to land the craft as Zach climbs aboard. A motorcade of Dacoits appear, firing weapons at the fleeing trio. Desirée draws their fire while Zach and Jason turn the plane down a jungle runway. At the last minute, she leaps aboard the plane as it lifts from the ground.
Zach skillfully pilots the aircraft and in several daring stunt maneuvers steals the aerial pickup from the Dacoits before it can be scooped into the air by others. Zach pulls the plane into an upward arch and then down toward the ground, suddenly flipping it over at the last minute so that it flies upside down. The rapid spinning causes Jason to become ill and as the plane approaches the Dacoits on the runway, Desirée drops a hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
as the boy vomits. Both “droppings” fall on the bad guys and the grenade explodes setting off surrounding explosives. High in the sky, Zach, Desirée and Jason fly toward a setting sun. Zach asks Jason if he would like to fly.
A very sick little boy replies, “No thank you!”
Zach, Desirée and Jason are reunited with Bill Murphy who is taking care of Beverly Owens and a wounded Taj-a-tali. Murphy learns that his arch nemesis
Archenemy
An archenemy, archfoe, archvillain or archnemesis is the principal enemy of a character in a work of fiction, often described as the hero's worst enemy .- Etymology :The word archenemy or arch-enemy originated...
has been killed. In thought, Murphy opens a pocket watch
Pocket watch
A pocket watch is a watch that is made to be carried in a pocket, as opposed to a wristwatch, which is strapped to the wrist. They were the most common type of watch from their development in the 16th century until wristwatches became popular after World War I during which a transitional design,...
given him by his dead wife and child. As the music plays, Taj-a-tali awakens and recognizes the music. In an emotional scene, the group comes to learn that the boy is not Najah’s son but is instead, Murphy’s son. The boy had been kidnapped the night that Akmed Najah killed Murphy’s wife and destroyed their home.
Jason who is feeling much better by now, smiles and say simply, “This has been a good day…a very good day!”
Cast
- Chuck Stockdale as Zach Taylor
- Charity Merrill as Dr. Beverly Owens
- Lesley Chaney as Desirée Jones
- Charles Charpiot as Akmed Najah
- Dennis Frost, Jr. as Taj-a-tali
- William Brown as Bill Murphy
- Jason Chaney as Jason
- Roy Alan Wilson as Majek
- Brock Snyder as Taj (as a Child)
- Alissa Alban as the Mother
- Gerald Irons as Astronaut Tom Baker
- Bob Eisler as Astronaut Roger Palmer
- Walt Agnew as Man in the Shadows
- Warren ChaneyWarren ChaneyWarren Herbert Chaney, Ph.D. is an American executive, author, filmmaker, behavioral scientist, entertainer, businessman and a pioneer in early television. In a career spanning four decades, Chaney wrote fifteen books, fourteen screenplays, and seventy-eight professional and nonprofessional...
as the President - David Sanders as Nejahar
- Jason Cummings as a Dacoit
- Rob Swofford as a Dacoit
- Oscar Carles as a Dacoit
- Mike Beaver as a Dacoit
- Kelly Sutton as a Dacoit
- Gary Beall as a Dacoit
- Dani Barden as a Dacoit
- Jim Stockdale as a Dacoit
Reviews
Reviews for The Hidden Jungle were generally favorable. John Macken writing for Turner Classic MoviesTurner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
wrote, "The aircraft and physical stunt work is impressive with its cast members doing many of the stunts. The storyline is quite novel as is the film. It has good production values and is well above the average fare frequently offered up for children." On the other hand, another reviewer, James Packard for the Film Review Digest said, "The action sequences are impressive as is the storyline itself. The directing however, is a little less so." Packard went on to comment on the scope and beauty of the Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
locations.
Production
Production for The Hidden Jungle began in March of 1998 and concluded in February of 1990. The film was shot in 3D and required hundreds of laborious multi-camera shots to capture the effects. The jungle sequences were filmed on location in the Republic of Mozambique and the aerial sequences were lensed at the Y.O. Ranch located at Mountain Home, TexasMountain Home, Texas
Mountain Home is an unincorporated community in Kerr County, Texas, United States, at the intersection of State Hwy 27 and State Hwy 41. Although it is unincorporated, Mountain Home has a post office, with the ZIP code of 78058....
. The 3D camera system weighed nearly 800 pounds and presented numerous obstacles to mobility over the rough jungle terrain.
Distribution
The Hidden Jungle was distributed by Intercontinental Releasing CorporationIntercontinental Releasing Corporation
The Intercontinental Releasing Corporation , was an American media company, primarily involved in the production and distribution of films and television programs. IRC was founded in September 1974 as the larger film studios' grip on domestic and international distribution diminished...
(IRC) in 1990 and later acquired for continuing distribution by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer in 1998.
See also
- Intercontinental Releasing CorporationIntercontinental Releasing CorporationThe Intercontinental Releasing Corporation , was an American media company, primarily involved in the production and distribution of films and television programs. IRC was founded in September 1974 as the larger film studios' grip on domestic and international distribution diminished...
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration