This script-less hodge-podge of a film is about as entertaining as a car wreck! It almost makes SeaWorld's former captivity and maltreatment of killer whales seem humane and inspirational! There seems little doubt that self-indulgence, bordering on the psychotic, was responsible for this exercise in stupidity and childish excess - with, perhaps, a hint of a death wish thrown in for good measure.That laws were not in place to prevent the kind of animal abuse the film is reliant on, even at the time the film was made, is a sad commentary on our society. Thankfully, things have changed in the intervening years, denying the possibility of a repeat of the kind of fiasco this film represents. That anyone can find any redeeming quality in this production, especially if they consider themselves animal lovers, is beyond me. Abuse is abuse, and wild is wild. And sick, is sick - which is about what this film boils down to, especially considering its production history and background.

Having seen this viceral masterpiece again after 35 years, when I was just a young nipper, it had quite the same amazing effect, as it did back then. No other movie, has touched me, the way this one has. Featuring a young Melanie Griffith who looks really hot in that black outfit, she's surrounded by a group of unknowns, although I knew Tippi Hendren, but I really didn't follow her, although I had seen The Harrad Experiment. The thing about this great film, which you can call many things, it's a family effort, and it pays off as one great exciting, thrilling, exciting, scary, amusing and beautifully though provoking film, especially as far an animal killing is concerned. The song/montage, that precedes the end credits, had me bordering on tears, where earlier when a couple of those lions were taking out by that bastard hunting duo, for me, when those hunters were killed, it was a grand revenge moment. The film as I remember was rated G, which I found enigmatic, considering the blood and violence spared, the hunter duo attack, especially. The story has the estranged father who lives, loves and has formed a deep bond with all his lions, where the way he talks and passionately communicates with his babies, in his racy overworked voice, is something unique, as is his character. As slipping his mind, about picking his family up, they visit his beautiful African hacienda paradise, only to be confronted by and subdued by the lions, aswarm, where these beautiful agile creatures steal the show. The film work done here, following them with dolly and tracking, and a lot of up, close and personal, but so intimate shots are wonderfully done, just watching these scene stealers again, was beautiful to the viewers eye. The soundtrack cassette I had from this, has great songs, the racy, "Wouldn't It Be Great" is my favorite though, and a none more perfect song to this opening of that grand film, "This Is My Land". Lion lover, Marshall in the lead provides some funny lines, like saying to one of the hunters, who's face is covered in blood "It's only a scatch". Marshall's character, too, sacrifices a couple of wounds and scrapes from his primal friends, who sometimes a bit rampant, and we see a few times, which I found a little unnerving, tigers going at each others. Roar can fall into a few categories. You don't know if you should be scared or not by these lovable, raging lions. It's like a getting to know someone message, and Roar certainly makes his stand on the relationship between beast and man. It actually hones out a few messages, but this is a one in an only movie experience, a remarkable film, you just can't watch once. If there's one film, they should bring back to the big Aussie screens, this would be it, though I wouldn't be happy with it being, remastered. Why tamper with excellence which this movie is. It's hypnotic, and unforgettable, and at the end, you'll feel completely drained, thanks to the lions, in one beautiful, touching ending.

Roar (1981) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Hank (Noel Marshall) is living in Africa where everyone thinks he's crazy because he allows lions, tigers, leopards and other wild animals to roam through his house. Soon his wife (Tippi Hedren), daughter (Melanie Griffith) and two sons come to visit but he's not home so the family must try to survive these animals.ROAR was released in 1981 without too much media attention but when it came time to re-release the movie in 2015 it seems everyone wanted to know more about the most dangerous movie ever filmed. You can Google various articles about all the destruction that happened behind-the-scenes during the making of this movie. Countless cast and crew members were severely injured. Several animals were killed in a flood. The film took years to complete, went way over budget and of course didn't make any of its money back.It's really hard to judge this film for many reasons. For starters, if you didn't know anything about the history of this movie and just watched it then you'd probably see it for all the warts. In all honesty there's really no plot to be found and the performances certainly aren't anything great. The direction, well there really isn't any because how to you get a lion to do what you want? It seems like the camera was just set up and they would hope to capture something. Obviously there's just nothing here that scream "great" or "good" movie.With that said, if you do know the history of the movie then there's no question that you'll be biting your nails because you're just waiting for something bad to happen. There are several times throughout the movie where you can tell that the actors are in sheer terror of not knowing what the wild animals are going to do. These scenes do contain some real suspense but it's not from great filmmaking but instead from knowing that these actors are really in danger. Plus you can't help but watch this film and wonder what in the world the filmmakers were thinking by putting their family in harm's way.ROAR is certainly a film that needs to be viewed. There's no doubt that being able to see so many wild animals is quite great. Is the film good? Not really but it's certainly entertaining.

This rambling home movie, makes Clyde Beatty's life-style look like a walk in the park! A plague of big cats greets a woman with kinder,when they come to "reunite" with manic dad in a corner of darkest Africa. Reminds me of that dreadful rendition of "Phil the fluter's ball..."-you know "cats on the roof tops,cats on the tiles,etc!" Any-rate,a wonderful menagerie of savage beasts keeps the viewer so entertained that a plot isn't really necessary. 10 out of 10 to the camera crew who MUST have been involved in some hair-raising moments with the animals. Many many close-ups of slavering jaws will keep me and mine, awake for weeks!