Thursday, 11 June 2015

Review of Special Screening of Ernest Napoleon's Going Bongo



The Special screening of the movie Going Bongo took place at Cineworld Haymarket on Thursday 4th June 2004. Though not a typical Nollywood movie, the Nollywood industry was represented by stakeholders including HRH Theodora Ibekwe-Oyebade, Ayo Sonaiya, DJ Abass,  Riyike Alayande, Babs Carew, Naimat Timson, Danny Erskine, Jay Afrofilms amongst others.

Storyline:  Going Bongo is the first international film to be shot in Tanzania and is about a newly qualified American Doctor who is eager to impress his new boss in a medical practice he is about to start working in at his new position in the Beverly Hills Medical Centre in Los Angeles. He is about to be married and his fiancé is eager to do everything that would make him successful and be a high flier in society. After attending a Gala arranged by his new boss, he mistakenly volunteers to go and work in Africa for a month in a hospital with no facilities and in total bad shape.

The storyline is based on the experience of the script writer and lead character Ernest Napoleon. The story is real and highlights the differences in medical facilities in developed countries as in the United States of America and in some parts of Africa as in the city of Bongo in Tanzania. One could not but watch from the beginning to the end. The movie was full of humour and kept the whole audience laughing all the time.

As a reviewer and critic, I like when a writer looks at a real issue and tells the story in a way that people can follow and understand and for this I give Ernest credit for a job well done. I would have liked to say more, but I would not like to give away the cat from the bag and would encourage people to go and  watch this epic movie when it hits the cinemas.

Cast: The film starred Ernest Napoleon (Dr. Lewis Burger), Emmanuella Galliussi (Laura Carmenucci), Ashley Olds (Marina Kezerian), Nyokabi Gethaiga (Tina), MacDonald Haule (Bahame), Mariam Peter (Zola Mwandenga), Evance Bukuku (Kaligo), Gabriel Jarret (Brian Kaufman), Jeff Joslin (Perry Weiss), Betty Kazimbaya (Mama Mwandenga), Ahmed Olotu (Yazidi), Robert Sisko (Dr.Eliot Lerner), Richard Halverson (Cyril Flaws), Maiz Lucero (Dr. Trout), Sauda Simba (Rose), Meredith Thomas (Anne Lerner), Milena Gardasevic (Coco Banaloche), Felix Ryan (Armen), Artem Belov (Marvin), Tasha Dixon (Gwen Kaufman), D.A. Goodman (Man in Tuxedo), Lisa Goodman (Aunt Tia), Libertad Green (Lady in Evening Gown), Serdar Kalsin (Uncle Hovan), Amby Lusekelo (Hospital Clerk), Mzome Mahmoud (Tende), Robert McPhalen (Featured Background), Maulidi Mfaume (Mob Leader), Tukise Mogoje (Tende voice), Casmir Mukohi (Taxi Driver), Dennis Nicomede (Man in Tuxedo), Abraham Ntonya (Taxi Driver (voice), Charles Onesmo (Thief), Brian Ronalds (Blossey Swanson), Stephanie Ronalds (Nurse Stephanie), Queen Victoria of Sheba (Ma), Anthony Skordi (Pop), Patrick Stalinski (Patrick Steel) & Sewell Whitney (Bill)

The movie was written by Ernest Napoleon, produced by Nick Marwa and Directed by Dean Matthew Ronalds. The movie was shot both in the United Stets of America and in Tanzania. I listened to the script writer as he briefed the audience about constraints in funds and how in Africa, they had to use amateurs from an acting club to play roles in the movie.

Let me start from the African cast. I commend the Crew for working with raw talent. This is a big risk more so when you are trying to release a movie that would make impact where the cast not only audition but must be known names. If I am not to lie to you, when I watch a movie or want to choose a movie to watch, I look at the actors and decide if I want to watch that movie.

Usually, if the key names are unknown, I class the movie as low budget and I am not likely to watch it. Please don’t crucify me as I know that is what you do. However, this movie has changed my mindset and I would now watch a movie whether or not I know the cast and judge later. The cast in Africa did not act like amateurs (the nurses, doctors and team in the hospital), they were just natural and played their parts excellently well.

Talking about the other cast, Ernest and his fiancé in the movie played their roles in a believable manner. People who watch the movie can understand what they are trying to portray and align with them. Same with the “big” doctors in the Beverly Hills Medical Centre.

Overall, I think there was a good balance in the cast. I cannot think of anyone that I can single out that did not play their roles properly and I stand to be corrected. I give kudos to the Director, cast  and the crew for pulling together a very successful movie.

Picture Quality: The picture quality was generally good for the budgetary constraints especially in the scenes in Africa.  We were made aware that the movie was shot in a real hospital that was functioning and without facilities and that the crew had to adapt taking only one take on most of the scenes.

However, in spite of the above constraints, I did not notice shaky pictures or pictures that were out of frame and for this I commend the team.

Sound Quality: With regards to the sound, again the same constraints applied but in spite of this, the sound was of very good quality. I really did not have cause for concern with the general sound quality of the movie.

Overall performance:  Overall, what can I say? I sat down there hoping to find things that I could pick on that were negative, but the more I was looking, the more I was impressed and hoping that the Nollywood industry could borrow a leaf from this movie.
This movie was evidence that sometimes, even with a low budget but with the right focus and a spirit of excellence, a very good movie can be produced.
Going Bongo would soon be released as a series on TV and is also going to be shown in cinemas soon. The big question is whether I would recommend this movie. WITHOUT HESITATION, I would recommend this movie any day and anytime. Going into the city to watch the movie was worth my time. I would like to shout out to anyone reading this review to endeavour to watch this movie when it is released in the cinemas. I would be watching it again myself!!!
In concluding this review, I would like to congratulate the entire cast and crew for a job well done.
Watch the trailer:

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