Congo (film)
An expedition seeks diamonds and faces killer gorillas.
Congo is a 1995 American science fiction action-adventure film directed by Frank Marshall from a screenplay by John Patrick Shanley, based on the 1980 novel by Michael Crichton. The film follows an expedition team and a sign-language-using mountain gorilla named Amy as they venture into the Congolian rainforests to find a missing expedition and the ruins of an ancient civilization where rare blue diamonds may be located, while encountering a violent undiscovered gorilla species. Released by Paramount Pictures on June 9, 1995, the film received negative reviews but performed better than expected at the box office, grossing $152 million worldwide against a $50 million budget.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Frank Marshall
- Producer
- Kathleen Kennedy / Sam Mercer
- Screenplay
- John Patrick Shanley
- Based On
- Congo · Michael Crichton
- Starring
- Laura Linney / Dylan Walsh / Ernie Hudson / Grant Heslov / Joe Don Baker / Tim Curry
- Music
- Jerry Goldsmith
- Cinematography
- Allen Daviau
- Editing
- Anne V. Coates
- Studio
- The Kennedy/Marshall Company
- Distributor
- Paramount Pictures
- Released
- 9 June 1995
- Runtime
- 108 minutes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film's development began after the success of The First Great Train Robbery, when Michael Crichton pitched a story idea to 20th Century Fox in 1979 without a fully fleshed-out story. The project was offered to several directors including Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter, and a brief revival attempt occurred in the late 1980s before Frank Marshall eventually directed the film with little involvement from Crichton.
The gorilla suits for Amy and the gray gorillas, as well as a hippopotamus puppet, were created by Stan Winston's company. The film's marketing included a teaser trailer that debuted with Star Trek Generations on November 18, 1994, and promotional partners such as Taco Bell, Pepsi, and Kenner Products. Congo was released on VHS and LaserDisc on November 21, 1995, with a widescreen VHS release in 1996 and a DVD on July 27, 1999. In 2024, Vinegar Syndrome announced a 4K Blu-ray release remastered from original film elements.
Reader's Guide
Congo is notable as a mid-1990s adaptation of a Michael Crichton novel that, despite negative critical reception, achieved commercial success. The film was nominated for seven Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Picture, yet also received three Saturn Award nominations including Best Science Fiction Film. Critical response was mixed: Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 24% approval rating, and Metacritic rated it 22/100, indicating generally unfavorable reviews. However, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it 3 out of 4 stars, calling it a splendid example of the jungle adventure genre. The A.V. Club's Ignatiy Vishnevetsky described the film as full of 'goofy pleasures' and more enjoyable as a campy comedy than as a thriller.
The film's legacy includes a video game adaptation for the Sega Saturn in 1996, a cancelled Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis game, and a PC/Macintosh adventure game. A Williams pinball machine based on the film was also produced in 1995. The film's box office performance, opening at number one with $24.6 million against estimates of $13–15 million, surprised the industry and demonstrated the enduring appeal of Crichton's adventure storytelling even when critically panned.
Did You Know?
- A teaser trailer for Congo debuted with Star Trek Generations on November 18, 1994.
- The film grossed $24.6 million in its opening weekend, surpassing industry estimates of $13–15 million.
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