Shopaholic35 This movie shows you how far we have come with species preservation, even if we still have a way to go. Although I was vaguely aware of Dian Fossey's work I had no idea how crucial she was to the conservation efforts of the beautiful Gorillas. It saddens you that some people are so money hungry that previously we were heading towards extinction for many animals, not just gorillas.Sigourney Weaver is fantastic in this movie and immerses herself in the role. You feel her characters passion and respect her efforts with placing herself in dangerous conditions so she can carry out important research. She never gives up and refuses to be defeated.This is a very emotional movie that encourages you to respect the earth and all the living creatures on it. I promise that you will not be disappointed and you may even learn something.

LeonLouisRicci Only the coldest heart could be unaffected by this story of an endangered species being mutilated for rich men's egos so they can have a gorilla hand ashtray or a severed head to brag about. Yes, the natives who actually do the killing do need to feed their families, but there are other, less brutal and intrusive ways. just because something has always been done or it is the easiest way, certainly does not make it right.So enter a real-life (they are the best kind) martyr, a woman of dubious sanity and complete commitment to a cause, Dian Fossey. She finds herself in a Mystical land studying a very rare and strange, but docile creature, the Mountain Gorilla.The fact that the species is on the verge of extinction, not by natural causes, but by the aforementioned poaching, is at the heart and is the core of her crusade. The Movie is time compressed and some of the motivation, besides just complete compassion, can be seen as thin and some of her more crazy behavior unjustified.But as enlightening and soulful entertainment this is quite engaging. It is inspiring, heartbreaking, and frustrating. It is an excellent work and artistic license aside, can be commanding by all involved and a fine tribute to a noble and troubled Woman. Fortunately, her work and over the top involvement in the mist, was and is an example of One determined fight against all odds and she did succeed, but at such a heavy cost. She probably would think that it was worth it.

lasttimeisaw This biographical portrait of Dian Fossey is a meticulously organized character-study work from a strenuous team behind it. The film unscrupulously binds Dian's unusual adventure with an alluring prospect of mystery gorillas' daily lives.Director Michael Apted chooses a slight mawkish route to expose Dian's journey in the African mountains, channeling the ups-and-downs of her inner state, eventually evolving into an almost lunatic status dragging by her incurable fixation towards the creature. The latter part of the film, when Dian dare to sacrifice anything to protect her gorillas, debatably it has an utmost joy to find something worth dying for, which most of us is still looking for and possibly we will never get it.At large the film is demystified to watch, apart from a few unavoidably horrendous scenes of massacring the primates. But a top-form Sigourney Weaver alone merits the viewing, even for sundry OTT segments, she carries the impetus all the way till her very last scene, her fully- committed devotion is an exact paragon of a n assiduous actor bringing through a so-so film to an award-worthy stature. Ms. Weaver gleaned two Oscar nominations that year (another is for supporting actress in WORKING GIRL 1988), but miserably ended both hands empty, a mishap later would fall upon my goddess Julianne Moore in 2003. And Sigourney haven't been nominated since and it's a jinx I wish Ms. Moore is not being affected (but the subsequent snubs of A SINGLE MAN 2009 and THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT 2010 are severely swaying my belief).Back to the film, it has a genuine empathy for whoever holds a heart for the beauty of nature and the fondness for animals. Regardless of Dian's possessed mental overload, her heroic story has effectively rescued the specie from the verge of extinction is the sturdy truth which is recommendable and admirable, maybe the film will be a perfect textbook for high school students and may the world shows bountiful mercy to the afflicted land of Africa.

Jackson Booth-Millard I saw a few clips of this on a countdown show, and I knew eventually that was not a fictional story, so I was certainly up for it, from Michael Apted (Coal Miner's Daughter, Extreme Measures, The World Is Not Enough). Based on the true story, Dian Fossey (Golden Globe winning, and scar nominated Sigourney Weaver) is the woman from Kentucky fascinated with studying animals, especially with primates, she is particularly inspired by the work of anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey (Iain Cuthbertson). With the permission of Leakey she travels to deepest Africa to start her work studying these fascinating creatures, living in a Rwandan village with the loyal people who live close to where the primates settle. Soon enough in the jungle Dian and her helpers come across a group of rare mountain gorillas, and she begins to study them in very close proximity, and they do not seem to be bothered or feel threatened, she learns to find communication. But her passion for the safety and protection of the primates seems to preoccupy her, she becomes easily angered by poachers and others who disturb, and she misses out on a romance with National Geographic photographer Bob Campbell (Bryan Brown). Dian complains to the Rwandan government that the poaching is going on because it is the only way for the country to survive, and after they refuse to help she dedicates her time to making poaching illegal and ending possible extinction. Besides starting anti-poaching groups and charities, she also burns down found poachers huts, and does a mock hanging on one of them as a brutal warning, but her good work did do good for her beloved gorillas. In the end though she was mysteriously murdered with a blow to the head by some tool that was identified as belonging to the poachers, the mystery apparently remains unsolved. Also starring Julie Harris as Roz Carr, John Omirah Miluwi as Sembagare, Constantin Alexandrov as Van Vecten, Waigwa Wachira as Mukara, Iain Glen as Brendan, David Lansbury as Larry, Maggie O'Neill as Kim, Konga Mbandu as Rushemba and Michael J. Reynolds as Howard Dowd. Weaver gives a very credible performance as the woman who gets up close with the primates, really bonds with them, and is overly passionate for their well-being, obviously there are the subtle moments that have been fictionalised for excitement and intrigue, whatever, but the story is most worthwhile, the music is really good, and the scenes with Weaver and real gorillas makes for great viewing, a most worthwhile biographical drama. Sigourney Weaver was number 20 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Film Editing, Best Music for Maurice Jarre, Best Sound and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, it was nominated the BAFTA for Best Cinematography, and it won the Golden Globe for Best Original Score, and it was nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama. Very good!