Extras hurt during the filming of Zulu Dawn. Final attack.

Posts : 558 Join date : 2012-05-05

My father tells me he read an artical some years ago, or was told he can't remember which, while filming the final attack, some of the Zulus, got quite nasty and some of the white actors got hurt. Anyone heard of this.

Hi Ulundi .
I've heard of this before as well , not sure if it was in a book or possibly on the RDVC Forum .
Cheers 90th.

Posts : 558 Join date : 2012-05-05

90th Thanks. What's the RDVC forum.

Subject: Extras Hurt during the filming of zulu dawn Sun Sep 30, 2012 1:34 pm

Hi Ulundi .
It's the other Smaller forum on the zulu war , it's called the ' Rorke's Drift Victoria Cross Forum ' or something similar , google it
and you'll find it .
Cheers 90th.

Ulundi wrote:: My father tells me he read an artical some years ago, or was told he can't remember which, while filming the final attack, some of the Zulus, got quite nasty and some of the white actors got hurt. Anyone heard of this.

In the filming of Zulu, some of the white hands verbally and physically abused some of the black hands. Stanley Baxter found it quite distasteful and ordered a stop to it.

Posts : 2008 Join date : 2011-08-01 Age : 27

From Adrain Greaves interview with Anna Calder-Marshall. Star of 'Zulu Dawn'

Did this cause any problems during filming?

"Yes, especially towards the end of the filming, the Zulus were so fed-up that they would not co-operate. When they were supposed to fall down they would not, or they would get up again. For some shots the director had to 'black up' some whites to play the parts of distant Zulus. Some of the Zulus with speaking parts were so nervous of the local director that they kept flustering their lines. Burt Lancaster noticed this and realising what was happening, he took over the direction of their scenes; he was so calm and kind, always full of dignity; this was respected by the Zulus. In the end, and for similar reasons, Burt Lancaster took over the direction of some of the major scenes involving large numbers of Zulus. I remember the final scene when the Zulus overwhelmed the British position, the Zulus were very angry and as they swept through the camp, their anger became apparent as they appeared to really attack the camp. Several of the lesser actors and white extras playing the parts of British soldiers were knocked about and when the action was supposed to stop, the Zulus kept coming right up to and amongst the film crews, who were genuinely terrified. That is why the final attack scene is so realistic!"

Thanks D.B,

Just out of interest, my farther in-law lives in the same village as "Anna Calder-Marshall" he often see's her in the local chruch on Sundays.
(Not alot of people know that) Salute

Hi Pete.
Any chance of a current day photo of Anna Calder - Marshall which can be put in this thread or the one regarding '' Zulu or Zulu Dawn '' ??.
Cheers 90th. Salute

» Extras waiting to go into action in the Baynesfield area during the filming of Zulu Dawn (1978).
» Actors & Extras In Uniform. Zulu War Film Set.
» Pictorial comparison of characters / actors in Zulu/ Zulu Dawn