Presented by Castle Films, which sold movies for home use in the 1940-60s, this short film “Killer Gorilla” is an excerpt from the feature film from 1950 called “Congolaise”. The feature tracks an expedition of scientists sponsored by the French Government and the Museum of Man. The expedition was sent to Africa in order to document native African American tribes and native wildlife in French Equatorial Africa. This particular segment, which may be disturbing to some viewers, shows the tribesmen confronting a so-called “King Gorilla” weighing 775 pounds. The film opens with shots of the countryside within the interior of Africa, probably the Congo or Uganda (:30). Antelope sprint through the grounds (:32). Rivers are viewed which act as the highways of the interior (:47). The film travels to Uganda to view one of the tribes of the Upper Congo (:59). Ritual dances tell the tale of the large killer gorilla which had tormented the tribe (1:17). A hunt is planned to take out the gorilla the following morning (1:40). A net is strung across the underbrush along the outskirts of the gorilla’s feeding grounds in an attempt to keep the gorilla’s caged in (2:03). One of the gorillas is spotted (3:10) climbing the trees which gorilla’s generally do not do. The King Gorilla is sighted next (3:29). The tribesmen grow weary as from the treetops the gorillas could climb over the net (3:51). One of the tribesmen tosses a spear towards one of the gorilla’s (4:13). Another tribesman aims a musket towards the net (4:50) and hits another gorilla of the group (5:08). The King Gorilla begins making his way closer to the net (6:15). Once within range, the tribesman hits the King Gorilla in the lower abdomen (7:25). The massive animal is inspected by the men (7:42). It’s length was about ten feet long and one of the member of the tribe’s hands is compared to that of the King Gorilla’s hands (8:11). The film concludes just after dead gorilla is propped up into a sitting position (8:23).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com