Synopsis
The critics are raving... the natives are restless... and the laughter is non-stop!
A Coca-Cola bottle dropped from an airplane raises havoc among a normally peaceful tribe of African bushmen who believe it to be a utensil of the gods.
The Gods Must Be Crazy
Cast
Director
Producer
Writer
Editor
Cinematography
Assistant Director
Executive Producer
Art Direction
Special Effects
Composer
Sound
Costume Design
Makeup
Studios
Countries
Primary Language
Spoken Languages
Alternative Titles
Los dioses deben estar locos, 众神也疯狂 (上), Боговете сигурно са полудели, Los dioses Deben Estar Locos, Боги, наверное, сошли с ума, Os Deuses Devem Estar Loucos, 부시맨, เทวดาท่าจะบ๊องส์, Les Dieux sont tombés sur la tête, כולם נפלו על הראש, Zijn de goden gek?, Bohovia sa museli zblázniť, Bohové musejí být sílení, Az istenek a fejükre estek, ミラクル・ワールド ブッシュマン, Богови су пали на теме, Gudarna måste vara tokiga, 上帝也瘋狂, Мабуть Боги з'їхали з глузду, Đến Thượng Đế Cũng Phải Cười, Tanrılar Çıldırmış Olmalı, Die Götter müssen verrückt sein, Gudene må være gale, Les dieux sont tombés sur la tête, Ma che siamo tutti matti?, 上帝也疯狂, Bogowie muszą być szaleni, Bohové musejí být šílení, Мабуть, Боги з’їхали з глузду, Και οι Θεοί τρελάθηκαν, I Guder, Dievai tikriausiai pamišę, Hassut jumalat, Bogovi su pali na tjeme, ღმერთები ალბათ გაგიჟდნენ, Els déus deuen estar bojos
Genres
Themes
Releases by Date
Premiere
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USAPG
New York City, New York
Theatrical
10 Sep 1980
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South Africa
05 Apr 1981
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Greece
06 Apr 1981
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Spain
05 Jun 1981
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Denmark
21 Aug 1981
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Norway
28 Aug 1981
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Finland
09 Jul 1982
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Germany12
09 Sep 1982
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Portugal
10 Dec 1982
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Sweden15
18 Jan 1983
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FranceTP
05 May 1983
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Mexico
19 May 1983
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Belgium
28 Oct 1983
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Sweden15
03 Nov 1983
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South Korea
06 Feb 1984
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Brazil
13 Jul 1984
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USAPG
09 Aug 1984
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AustraliaPG
26 Oct 1984
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Philippines
17 Jan 1985
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Hungary
04 Oct 1985
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Canada
25 Oct 1991
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Turkey
Physical
17 Feb 2004
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Greece
01 Apr 2006
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Netherlands6
TV
23 Apr 2004
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BrazilL
30 Aug 2004
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Netherlands6
Releases by Country
Australia
09 Aug 1984
- TheatricalPG
Belgium
19 May 1983
- Theatrical Gent
Brazil
06 Feb 1984
- Theatrical Rio de Janeiro
23 Apr 2004
- TVL Fox Film mj.gov.br
Canada
04 Oct 1985
- Theatrical
Denmark
05 Jun 1981
- Theatrical
Finland
28 Aug 1981
- Theatrical
France
18 Jan 1983
- TheatricalTP
Germany
09 Jul 1982
- Theatrical12
Greece
05 Apr 1981
- Theatrical
17 Feb 2004
- Physical DVD
Hungary
17 Jan 1985
- Theatrical
Mexico
05 May 1983
- Theatrical
Netherlands
30 Aug 2004
- TV6 Nederland 3
01 Apr 2006
- Physical6 DVD
Norway
21 Aug 1981
- Theatrical
Philippines
26 Oct 1984
- Theatrical
Portugal
09 Sep 1982
- Theatrical
South Africa
10 Sep 1980
- Theatrical Johannesburg & Pretoria
South Korea
03 Nov 1983
- Theatrical
Spain
06 Apr 1981
- Theatrical Barcelona
Sweden
10 Dec 1982
- Theatrical15 Borlänge
28 Oct 1983
- Theatrical15 Stockholm
Turkey
25 Oct 1991
- Theatrical
USA
09 Jul 1984
- PremierePG New York City, New York
13 Jul 1984
- TheatricalPG
Popular reviews
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I made a lot of dumb mistakes as a Youth, but the dumbest might have been the time I mixed this movie up with City of God. It was the mid-2000s, and I had missed a 'band practice' [I use those words loosely]. Apparently, half way through, my friends all decided it was time for the Automatic Axidents [later Burn My Evening] to stop playing punk music and start watching a Brazilian film the slightly older teen at Blockbuster recommended. And so, the following Monday in English class, Tim and Dan raved about a little foreign film called City of God...or was it called God's Country, they wondered. Was it Argentinian? Mexican? Was it an African movie? And so, instead…
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One day something fell from the sky…..
Much like a strange gift from the gods, this movie landed in my house and I have no idea what to make of it. Silly, campy and utterly bizarre it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
It feels like a live action Disney special from the 70’s…except it’s slightly naughty, slightly violent and way too weird for the Wonderful World of Disney. I’d be willing to bet that many a mom or dad rented this on VHS to watch with the family, and everyone laughed at something different.
I know there’s a society that loves this movie, but much like a Coke bottle in the Kalahari, this film has no place in my personal cinematic village.
Tomorrow I will take it to the end of the earth and throw it off.
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Coke bottles falling from the heavens, a good-natured Bushman, assassination attempts by guerrilla fighters, a case of mistaken sexual assault by a clumsy biologist, forest fire-preventing rhinoceroses; this absurdist adventure flick/faux documentary has it all!
I'll be honest, I only watched The Gods Must be Crazy so that I can get to the three Hong Kong N!xau movies, but I ended up having a really good time with this. That's saying a lot, actually, because I'm not a fan of slapstick humour.
Some of the gags gave me Buster Keaton vibes, but they were less physical and also a bit less funny.
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1980 In Review - September
Kalahari bushman Xi (played by genuine bushman N!xau) is as surprised as the rest of his tribe when a Coke bottle, thrown from a passing plane, lands in the middle of their village. This “gift” from the gods proves to be a mixed blessing when the tribesmen fight over it and eventually use if for a weapon. To keep peace in the village, Xi is assigned to take the Coke bottle to the end of the earth to to return it to the Gods.....but he’s soon embroiled in a madcap adventure that includes a bumbling anthropologist, a new schoolteacher, and an attempted coup perpetuated by a dangerous revolutionary
This was another film that held good…
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The story of how one Coca-Cola bottle nearly ruins one community and indirectly saves another from a group of terrorists.
I remember the local TV channel in my country airing this movie several times in the early to mid-2000s. I still enjoy the film's slapstick comedy (especially the gag about the Jeep that keeps breaking apart) and N!xau's performance as Xi the Bushman. Also, I wonder if another tribe accidentally picks up that bottle after the movie ends.
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Who could imagine a discarded Coke bottle could cause so much hilarious trouble? The cross-cultural implications are just incredible. Watch it for a laugh or a great outside perspective on "civilization."
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This is one of the most unique films I've ever seen. I wasn't sure if it was going to keep the serious, narrator aspect, or if it was going to be funny. Surprisingly, it kept both, and the two working in tandem was movie magic.
This is going to be that movie I'll recommend everyone see.
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We're now trying to deprive indigenous populations of emotions themselves. No I'm not making this up.
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I watched this so many times but I never get tired of it. I used to teach a Social Science class and used to show this film to my students.
The adventures of Xi along with the narration, thanks to the Coke bottle aka the evil thing is brilliant.
It loses steams when the focus shifts to Andrew and Kate and their somewhat humorous courtship. However, it makes up with the whole incident with the rebels and the slapstick and mayhem that ensues.
Worth a watch!
Watched via R1 DVD
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It's amazing how a Cola bottle can cause so many problems. It's really an evil thing and be destroyed.
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A comedy about the modern world of Africa from the point of view of a Bushman, narrated comically like there is no narration for the Bushman's language. I'd say the comedy here is pretty good, it kind of reminded me of A Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) with a very different plot and less of an experienced cast. This one is worth a watch for anyone. Seeing as my Grandmother loved the flick I don't think it's far-fetched that anyone could enjoy this one. It's a very entertaining watch.
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