Diana Fossey, Primatologist and researcher specializing in gorillas killed December 26, 1985. Fossey devoted his life to preventing the extinction of the Rwandan mountain gorillas, and although this species is now endangered, the legacy of this North American zoologist was immortalized in cinema a few years later. 1988. He was one of the stars of the moment, Sigourney Weaver, who is responsible for embodying the intrepid investigator in a film that still preserves the mystery behind his murder: “Gorillas in the Mist”.
The title derives from the book of the same name that the primatologist published two years before his death (1983). In the volume, Fossey describes his experience of working in Africa; A complete review of gorillas, considered one of the most influential field studies ever done. Fossey integrated herself into the lives of these primates, moved to the mountain and sought their trust and love: lived with gorillas and defended their rights until his murder (perpetrated with a machete he kept in his house). The crime remains unsolved. The researcher lies next to the cemetery he built for the gorillas. digit, her best friend. his tombstone reads nyiramachabelli, What does it mean in Rwanda? “The woman who knows how to adapt to the forest”.
The technique of imitation to integrate into various groups of gorillas and trial and error to communicate with them played a key role in his research. Not only did Fossey manage to observe their behavior, but he also joined and socialized with the primates to bring them closer to us: his work was the key to undoing the bad news. the legend built by cinema and literature in notable cases.
Aggressive ‘King Kong’
Alone and unsupported, she contributed to erasing the stigma of an animal after the success of celebrities. “King Kong” (1933), It was considered socially unreasonable and very violent. These labels have not only contributed to its portrayal as a terror spot, but also to the backdrop of poaching – and even today the genre is on the brink of extinction. “The gorilla is one of the most malignant animals in the world,” Fossey told National Geographic of this species’ supposed aggression.
The shadow of doubt had long fallen on primates in various kinds of narratives: edgar allan poe he had already depicted a murderous orangutan. “The Crimes of the Rue Morgue”, 1841. Adapted with Robert Florey trouble logo in front of you, the date that goes to the movies in the year 1932. movies like Planet of the Apes (1963) Nor did they help make primates trustworthy, to say the least. Cinema and literature since Poe have been tasked with exploiting mystery and horror in the face of the obscurity of these animals. Arthur Conan Doyle (“The lost world”, 1912) or Jules Verne.
vision change
Although it was years before he was murdered, he is unforgettable “Todd and Toby” (1981) and its defense against hunting, the work of Dian Fossey, and the film adaptation of ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ all served to make room for the real gorilla on the screen: michael is talentedwith script Anna Hamilton Phelanpresents unforgettable scenes that are recorded on the retina of many viewers.
The times following the release and film adaptation of ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ were, fortunately, kinder to nature and to primates. The film contributed to a change of vision in which the “beast” is presented in its environment, with the living conditions threatened by the predators and the human consequences on the environment. The animation world followed the trend of advocating the “life cycle” and the 90s, “The Lion King” (1994) or ‘Tarzan’ (1999), leaving behind “terrible monkeys and gorillas”. It’s the more “human” (or perhaps more accurately, “more gorilla”) popular vision of these animals that we must undoubtedly thank in part to Dian Fossey’s legacy and influence.