WILLIAM BUTLIN PERSONAL FILM: ON SAFARI IN AFRICA

This film is held by the BFI (ID: 671137).

Synopsis

Amateur film of William Butlin on safari in Uganda, Africa, c.1960.

William Butlin chatting to a middle-aged man with glasses in a safari suit in the savannah. William Butlin next to a large cactus. A sign above reads "Queen Elizabeth National Park" ("elephants have right of way") Uganda. WB joking with car driver about the sign - directing traffic (38 ft). WB with 8mm camera filming from the car window. WB drives to "Equator" sign, steps on the white line and shakes hands with a friend across the North-South divide. General views (112 ft.). Antelope, and jumpy shots of jungle/bush taken from a moving landrover. Two native Africans with a fish catch on a pole pose for WB's camera. More views from the jeep. Zebra and wildebeest. Shot of dusty track left by jeep (171 ft.). Waterfalls and cute "deer", wild boars, giraffe, rhino and elephants in the bush. More deer/antelope-like animals (232 ft.). Jeep in the middle of the savannah. More general shots of wildlife and moving jeep (262 ft.). Dug-out canoes by side of river. Shot of vivid orange/red flower of a thorny tree and palms. A hyena at dusk (306ft.).

Safari camp - tents pitched, etc. Shots of buffalo-like animals on what seems to be a dried river bed. Various types of antelope/deer (343 ft.). WB arriving off East African Airways plane at Entebbe Airport - shaking hands with various men (371 ft.). More safari shots and jeep. Shot of WB with his camera. Wildlife on savannah - large herds of buffalo (435 ft.). Shot of vultures at a kill. A hyena with remains of a kill and more close-ups of vultures (534 ft.). Shots from a river boat around what appears to be a lake. Thatched houses along the side of the water and a creature plunges into the water (582 ft.). WB coming out of a brick house (possibly a hotel or lodge). Several white men (tourists) inside a waiting jeep ("Outspan" advertising sign on the roof) and WB gets in. Jeep sets off into the bush (620 ft.). WB on tourist river boat and shots of the jeep (668 ft.). General views of very picturesque countryside. WB wanders around thatched huts and garden. A man with a gun leads WB into the bush (700 ft.).

[NB. End leader is made up of miscellaneous Butlin's holiday camp footage]

 

Titles

  • ON SAFARI IN AFRICA (Alternative)
  • WILLIAM BUTLIN PERSONAL FILM: ON SAFARI IN AFRICA (Archive)
 

Technical Data

Year:
1960
Running Time:
19 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
16mm Film
Colour:
Colour (Ektachrome)
Sound:
Silent
Footage:
700 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
Great Britain
on-screen participant
BUTLIN, Billy
 

Countries