October 19 - Congo

This movie has a scene that happens today – October 19. I hope you will enjoy the film while watching it tonight.  

CONGO

Charlie Travis, ex-fiancée of Karen Ross, an electronics expert, is in the Congo, near an active volcano. He finds a large diamond that he uses to test a communications laser. His friend Jeffrey discovers the lost city of Zanj.  When Karen next activates the camera at Charlie’s base camp, she is horrified to see several dead bodies before something destroys the camera. R.B. Davis, Charlie and Karen’s boss, the owner of TraviCom, a communications company sent Charlie to the Congo to find the rare blue diamonds that will enable him to get a leg up on the competition. Karen agrees to lead an expedition to the Congo after R.B. promises she is going to look for Charlie, not the diamonds. Her team includes Peter Elliott, a primatologist and Amy a gorilla, who wears a special glove that enunciates her sign language talk with a digitized voice. Also coming along is Herkermer Homolka, who has previously searched for the lost city. Their guide is Munro Kelly. On October 18, 1994 [34:14 to 48:26] the team parachutes into the jungle, but their communication equipment is accidentally destroyed by Amy. R,B. sends in another expedition by air. They meet members of the Ghost tribe who have found Bob, a member of Charlie’s team in a catatonic state, who later dies. They sail downriver following Amy, who they believe knows the way to Zanj. They find the crashed plane of the third expedition. At the city some enter the temple, while others wait outside. Richard enters the temple covered in blood just before they are attacked by a grey gorilla. They find paintings that show the city’s inhabitants training gorillas to guard the mine. They later turned on their masters. The team enters the mine and see large diamonds everywhere. When Homolka tries to take some diamonds, he is j killed by the gorillas, but Amy saves Peter from their attack.  Karen finds a blue diamond, Charlie’s body  and the laser, which she uses to hold the gorillas at bay. Then the volcano erupts, killing the gorillas and allowing the team to escape. When Karen realizes   R.B. only cared about the diamonds and not Charlie, she uses the laser to destroy TraviCom’s communication satellite. The team then uses a hot air balloon they found in the wreck of the third expedition plane to escape. Peter sets Amy free. 

Not one of the best Crichton films. This one is more of an adventure movie and lacks the scientific or cultural speculation that characterized some of the other films based on his books. If you expect a good action film, however, you won’t be disappointed.

The date is given in the film at 46:02 on the video screen.

Producer - Kathleen Kennedy and Sam Mercer

Director - Frank Marshall

Screenplay - John Patrick Shanley

Runtime – 1 hour 49 minutes

Released – June 9, 1995

Starring –

Laura Linney as Dr. Karen Ross, an electronics expert for TraviCom

Dylan Walsh as Dr. Peter Elliott, a primatologist

Ernie Hudson as Captain Munro Kelly, the "Great White Hunter" and mercenary

Tim Curry as Herkermer Homolka, a supposedly-rich Romanian man

Grant Heslov as Richard, Peter's research assistant

Joe Don Baker as R.B. Travis, TraviCom's CEO, Charles' father and Karen's boss

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Kahega: Munro's deputy

Bruce Campbell as Charles "Charlie" Travis, Karen's ex-fiancé and R.B.'s son

Joe Pantoliano as Eddie Ventro, an American living in Central Africa who hires Munro

Delroy Lindo as Captain Wanta, a corrupt African military officer