The Gods Must Be Crazy (film series)
A San farmer stars in films by Jamie Uys.
The *The Gods Must Be Crazy* film series centers on Nǃxau ǂToma, a San farmer from Namibia, and was the creation of South African director Jamie Uys. The franchise consists of two official movies and three additional Hong Kong comedies, which were sold as sequels outside their home country.
The first film, released in 1980, was written and directed by Jamie Uys. Set in Botswana and South Africa, it follows Xi, a San man from the Kalahari Desert whose community finds an empty Coca-Cola bottle. The object causes discord, so Xi is sent into the unfamiliar world beyond the Kalahari to return it to the gods by tossing it off the edge of the earth.
A sequel came out in 1989, with Xi renamed Xixo. In this story, Xixo’s young children, Xiri and Xisa, climb into the back of a truck driven by a scientist and a pilot, and cannot get out once it drives away. Xixo must travel far to rescue them, again meeting various Western characters on their own journeys. The film is notable for giving animals a larger role and for its lighthearted subplot involving a Cuban soldier and an Angolan soldier lost in the desert.
In the early 1990s, Nǃxau appeared in three standalone Hong Kong comedies, filmed in Cantonese and later dubbed into English. Outside China, these were marketed as further sequels. They were released on VCDs in China but never officially in the United States. *The Gods Must Be Funny in China* came out on DVD in South Africa around 2008.
*Crazy Safari* (marketed as *The Gods Must Be Crazy III*, 1991) features a hopping vampire causing trouble in Nǃxau’s tribe, which soon learns to handle it and turns it into a useful asset. Meanwhile, a Chinese necromancer, sent by the vampire’s descendants, searches for it alongside a cowardly representative tasked with ensuring the ancestor is returned.
*Crazy Hong Kong* (marketed as *The Gods Must Be Crazy IV*, 1993) sees N!xau accidentally hitch a ride with a Chinese businesswoman from Africa to Hong Kong. Using only his natural instincts and desert survival skills, he evades diamond thieves and stumbles through comic mishaps while trying to get home.
*The Gods Must Be Funny in China* (marketed as *The Gods Must Be Crazy V*, 1994) follows Nǃxau to Beijing, where he is recruited to accompany a track team in a week-long survival race through the Chinese wilderness.
- Star
- Nǃxau ǂToma
- Creator
- Jamie Uys
- Official films
- 2
- Unofficial films
- 3
- First release
- 1980
- Last official release
- 1989
- Setting
- Botswana, South Africa, Kalahari Desert
Lore & Background
The first film, released in 1980, was written and directed by Jamie Uys. Set in Botswana and South Africa, it tells the story of Xi, a San of the Kalahari Desert whose tribe discovers an empty Coca-Cola bottle. The bottle brings trouble, and Xi is sent out to return it to the Gods by throwing it off the world's end. A sequel was released in 1989, in which Xi's name was changed to Xixo. In it, Xixo's two young children encounter a truck driven by a scientist and a pilot, climb into the back, and become unable to jump off once it starts moving. Xixo must travel great distances to retrieve them, encountering various western characters on their own quests. The film is notable for the increased role of animals and its light-hearted subplot featuring a Cuban soldier and an Angolan soldier lost in the desert.
Reader's Guide
In the early 1990s, Nǃxau was cast in three standalone Hong Kong comedy films filmed in Cantonese and then dubbed into English. Outside Hong Kong, they were marketed as sequels to The Gods Must Be Crazy II. These films were released on VCDs in China but never officially released in the United States. The Gods Must Be Funny in China was released on DVD in South Africa around 2008. The unofficial films include Crazy Safari (1991), in which a hopping vampire wreaks havoc in Nǃxau's tribe; Crazy Hong Kong (1993), where Nǃxau accidentally hitches a ride to Hong Kong and evades diamond thieves; and The Gods Must Be Funny in China (1994), where he accompanies a track team on a survival race. The series is significant for its cross-cultural production and the unique career of Nǃxau ǂToma.
Did You Know?
- The first film was released in 1980, written and directed by Jamie Uys.
- Xi's name was changed to Xixo in the 1989 sequel.
- Three unofficial Hong Kong comedy films were marketed as sequels outside their country of origin.
- The Gods Must Be Funny in China was released on DVD in South Africa around 2008.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in The Gods Must Be Crazy?
The lead role of Xi is played by Nǃxau ǂToma, a San farmer from Namibia. He portrays a Kalahari Desert community member whose quiet life is upended by a single discarded Coca-Cola bottle.
Who created The Gods Must Be Crazy?
South African filmmaker Jamie Uys conceived, wrote, and directed the original 1980 film. He is the sole credited creator behind the official series.
How many official films are in The Gods Must Be Crazy series?
Two movies are recognized as part of the official canon, with the second released in 1989. Three separate Hong Kong-produced comedies were also sold as sequels internationally, but they are not considered part of the legitimate franchise.
What is the plot of the first Gods Must Be Crazy film?
A Kalahari community stumbles upon a thrown-away Coca-Cola bottle, and the object quickly breeds conflict among the group. To settle the dispute, they send Xi into the unfamiliar world beyond the desert to get rid of it.
Where was the original Gods Must Be Crazy filmed?
The 1980 movie was shot on location across Botswana and South Africa. The story is set in the Kalahari Desert and the strange, modern landscapes that lie just outside it.
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