Presented by Cathedral Films and directed by Runi Johansson, this promotional film from 1960 titled “Savage Flame” is a Christian film that aims to encourage the spread of Christianity and praise the work of Christian missionaries in the “continent of contrasts” or Latin America. The film highlights the work of various missionaries from doctors, to educators, to pastors and their efforts to spread the Gospel and offer education and medical help to remote villages in Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. The film contains rare footage of missionary doctors treating patients infected with the then-fatal skin disease fogo selvagem, an autoimmune disease more commonly known as “Savage Fire.” The film also showcases South American industry such as latex production, and documents native traditions as harmless as barbasco root fishing, and as dangerous as an attempted human sacrifice by a witch doctor.
Focus and sound: opportunity for viewer to adjust projection quality and sound (0:21). Opening credits (0:54). Map of South America with markers for the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, arrow points to Rio de Janeiro in southern Brazil (1:24). Montage of clips of scenic views of Rio de Janeiro (1:58). Christ the Redeemer (2:05). SugarLoaf Cable Car (2:16). Scenes from Copacabana Beach (2:40). Avenida Atlántica (3:17). Lapa Arches (3:26). Underbelly of plane as it flies to Central Brazil (3:48). Snowy mountain peak (3:54). Herd of sheep with ranchers on horses (4:04). Hospital Matogrossense do Pênfigo known today as Hospital Adventista do Pênfigo (4:33). Medical missionaries have come to work with patients suffering from Brazilian Pemphigus also known locally as “Savage Fire” (4:51). Hospital patients with the illness (4:57). Young patient receiving new treatment (5:47). Rehabilitation therapy (6:14). Medical missionary greets young Japanese woman who recovered from the illness (7:03). Another medical missionary arrives by boat to a remote town on the Amazon River (7:16). Medical missionary carrying out house call (7:55). Floating churches (8:08). Boat ambulance (8:16). Dental boat (8:24). Llama roams the mountain side (8:31). Car drives along The Leopoldina Railway (8:35). Lake Titicaca (8:53). The Uros Islands of Peru’s Lake Titicaca (9:03). Customs and traditions of Uros People (9:09). Aerial view of Bolivia (9:57). Missionary rides horse across Bolivia, narrator reads quote Bible verse Isaiah 40:3 (10:30). Aerial view of the Andes Mountains (11:22). Trans-Andean Railways and Trans-Andean Highway (11:55). Missionary drives into higher elevation while wearing an oxygen mask (12:15). Iguazu Falls, Argentina (14:03). Perilous journey of missionary in the mountain down a river and through forest (14:29). Boa Constrictor (16:18). Coral Snake (17:04). Group reaches the mission (17:19). Local traditional craftsmanship of native tribe in Argentina (18:14). Latex production (18:38). Cultivation of Barbasco Root and explanation of its uses and significance (20:22). Weaving and use of looms (23:03). Pottery (23:24). Game using blunt arrows between boys (23:45). Witch doctor attempts to heal a village woman (24:19). Attempt at sacrifice of young village girl by witch doctor (28:19). Education work of missionaries (28:41). Medical work of missionaries (29:13). Missionary’s jungle church (30:47). Summary of points brought up in the film (31:38).
Cathedral Films was established by the Reverend James K. Friedrich, an Episcopal priest who advocated for film as a medium of Christian Education and Ministry. Cathedral Films continued to dominate in sales and production of religious films until 1968.
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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
