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Secret Cinema - Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness (1927)

Presented by University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum) at University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum)

January 18, 2012

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The Secret Cinema is known for presenting classic films of all genres—from B-films to mega-budget Hollywood classics to obscure shorts —always in 16mm film! Jay Schwartz, founder of Secret Cinema, curates a special series of films specifically for the Penn Museum in 2011-2012. Join the museum for what promises to be unique adventures in foreign lands, and free popcorn!

Before they dreamed up that oversized ape, King Kong's creators Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack filmed this amazing semi-documentary film, which was, along with the team's earlier Grass, an early example of the adventure-exploration movie. Chang is not only the obvious prototype for their later masterpiece, King Kong, but a terrifically entertaining film in its own right. Shot entirely on location in Siam under dangerous conditions, the film tells the story of a farmer and his family who have settled a small patch of land on the edge of the jungle. Their existence is a constant struggle against the many wild animals around thembear, tigers, and even changs! The climactic elephant stampede remains one of the most exciting scenes in cinema history.

"It's still the best picture I ever made." — Merian C. Cooper, 1966