Roar is truly one of those films that has to be seen to be believed. The brainchild of actress Tippi Hedren (The Birds) and then-husband Noel Marshall, Roar plays out like an episode of Wild Kingdom gone terribly, terribly wrong. Initially released in 1981 as a work of fiction, it was a box office flop. Looked at strictly in terms of plot, character development and structure, it doesn’t work at all. It’s a complete mess and no surprise that viewers stayed away. However, take a peek behind the curtain and it’s a fascinating documentary about misguided Hollywood types gone wild.

Roar opens with the American Humane Society seal of approval, and a special disclaimer: “Although some scenes appear to show animals being injured, they were never actually hurt. True enough, but apparently the same can’t be said for the humans. No less than 70 cast and crew members were injured during the shoot, including Tippi Hedren who was tossed by an elephant, requiring surgery and skin grafts. Her daughter Melanie Griffith, then 19, was attacked by a lioness, requiring over 50 stitches and facial reconstruction surgery. And Noel Marshall? He was mauled and hurt so many times he developed gangrene. Crazy, and a lot of it is right there on the screen, because animal trainers be damned!

The meager plot has Noel Marshall playing Hank, a researcher doing a comparative study of African cats in their natural habitat, “almost becoming a member of the pride.” Hank hasn’t seen his wife (Hedren) and children and their three children (Melanie Griffith, John Marshall and Jerry Marshall) for quite a while, so they travel to his compound for a visit. While Hank’s in the field, they’re left in his sprawling home with dozens of large cats, who proceed to terrorize them.

Marshall and Hedren clearly thought they were doing something important with Roar, but after watching the entire 94 minute film, it’s impossible not to question the sanity of those involved at one point or another. Hank treats the cats like kids; anxious to stop a fight between to lions and come out a bloody mess. Roar is an example of humans foolishly believing that wild animals understand and respect them enough not to truly harm them. Big Mistake. It’s truly a miracle no one was killed making this film.

Roar is presented in 1080p in the 2.29:1 aspect ratio courtesy of Olive Films. It’s surprising how aesthetically pleasing things look even though the film was shot over a decade. Detail isn’t stunning, but fine. Movements are very cinematic-like with minimal blur. Black levels are very deep, which does hide some detail. The color palette here is quite brown, with bold beiges and nice looking greens on occasion. Skin tones appear natural and just a hint of aliasing is apparent.

The English 2.0 DTS-HD MA soundtrack offers clear dialogue for the most part, but it does sound muffled on occasion. Music and effects come across quite well, though any vocals sound slightly muffled. The roar of lions are loud and clear!

English subtitles are included.

The following extras are available:

  • The Making of Roar (HD, 33:19) A vintage documentary hosted by Tippi Hedren. Cast and crew weigh in on the unusual experience.
  • Audio Commentary with John Marshall and Tim League. Marshall offers up a lot of anecdotes about the shoot, and League keeps the conversation focused on various aspects of the film’s troubled production.
  • Q&A with the Cast and Crew at The Cinefamily, Los Angeles, California (4/17/2015) (HD, 39:52) features John Marshall, who’s joined about halfway through by a number of the production crew.
  • The Grandeur of Roar, an essay by Tim League: A seven page essay that offers helpful background information on the production of the film.
  • Photo Gallery (HD, 6:26)
  • Trailer (2015) (HD, 1:43)
  • Credits and Acknowledgements