Gow the Headhunter
| Gow the Headhunter | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | Edward A. Salisbury |
| Language | English |
Gow the Headhunter (or Gow, the Headhunter, with a comma) is a 1931 exploration film. The footage, from the 1920s was originally released as 4 different films before being released as a 63-minute feature film in 1931. The film was released in the 1950s under the title Cannibal Island.[1] The film is also known as Gow the Head Hunter, or simply Gow,[2] and Gow the Terror and Gow the Killer.
Premise
The film consists of genuine documentary footage but an attempt at creating a plot may be perceptible in the end.[3]
Production
Footage originates from a two-year expedition led by Edward A. Salisbury, a wealthy British adventurer, in the Western Pacific.[3] The aim of the filming was to document the life of cannibals in the South Seas islands (Western Solomon Islands, the New Hebrides and the Eastern Solomons),[1] including the practice of headhunting.[4]
Reception and legacy
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In 2012 Flicker Alley released a Blu-ray edition[5] of The Most Dangerous Game including Gow presenting the film as an Exploration classic[1]
According to the company, the film "is not only a true curiosity but also in many ways a key influence of later Cooper and Schoedsack productions including King Kong."[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "Flicker Fusion – Flicker Alley". Archived from the original on 2023-04-25. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
- ^ "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ a b ""GOW" A TRIBAL PICTURE.; Head-Hunter Film Depicts Customs in South Sea Islands". The New York Times. 1928-12-25. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
- ^ Gow, the Head Hunter (1928), archived from the original on 2023-04-25, retrieved 2023-04-25
- ^ "Silent Era : Home Video Reviews". www.silentera.com. Archived from the original on 2023-04-25. Retrieved 2023-04-25.