Just tonight i have been "cleaning out the closet" of old hunting videos and stumbled across an old Sportsmen on Film video of Capstick and Ken Wilson hunting DG. I was approximately 15 at the time i bought it (dates me easily) but i was wondering if this video had much truth to it. Thanks.

I have the whole Peter Capstick collection on video and it was cutting edge for its time. I enjoyed them then and I still pop them in on occassion to enjoy them again. I see no reason to doubt their sincerity or accuracy.



You can borrow money, but you can't borrow time. Go now.

It became quite fashionable to criticize Capstick for awhile, especially his elephant hunting video, but I thought it was his best.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
It became quite fashionable to criticize Capstick for awhile, especially his elephant hunting video, but I thought it was his best.

I agree with Will on this one! His elephant hunting video was absolutely his best! I had a long interview with Volker Grellman, the PH who PHC hunted with on this film, and he was impressed with Peter's knowledge of the body language of elephant, and of the fauna, and flora of Africa in general!

I've never been able to understand the venom people like to spew on people like Peter, or boddington. My only conclusion has to be they have a need to down the rep of others, to somehow make themselvs look better.

The films of Sportsmen on Film, were broadcast quality at a time when most hunting videos were amateur at best! PHC comes off a little sappy in some of his commentaries, but he was not an actor! Just think what a show you would present, if someone stuck a camera in your face, and asked you to say something profound! I for one liked Peter, and till someone comes up with proof positive, that Peter was anything other than what he presented, I'll continue to miss him like family! I have all his films, and all but one of his books, and still watch the films occasionally, and re-read his books at least one per year! R.I.P. Peter

It's good to hear comments like the above. I have never understood why people have such issue with him. His writing has always entertained me.

I still have 5-6 of the sportsman series to bad Capstick was with Ken Wilson he was a meathead.

I have read almost all of Peters books and seen almost all the DVDs.

I will say, and please don't take this as a slam on Peter, that he wasn't all I hoped for in his videos. I think Peter had unbelievable writing ability and passion Africa and all things hunting for that matter. He did not strike me as a professional hunter.

I have been noticing more and more similiarities to writings by guys like J A Hunter and stories told by Capstick. The influence of the books in his library is obvious in his writings.

To me Peter was much more like Bob Ruark then Harry Selby. Both great man and both different.

In the videos I didn't love how the Elephant hunt went down especially after reading all his books about getting in close. There was also the scene with the hippo that surprised him, I forget which video it was in. Peter basically crapped his pants and jumped into the truck as everyone else didn't even seem phased.

I also wished I didn't see the obvious physical signs of alcoholism ie shaking hands etc. He could hardly handle his rifle.

I also felt Peter was a bit uncomfortable portayed as the expert in the company of a PH like Gordon. There were points where he went on and on trying to answer questions he didn't know the answer to but didn't just say I don't know.

A wonderful man and writer, but If I'm staring down a charge I'd take a PH like Selby every time. If I want to read a story about Africa and feel like I'm there I'll take Capstick.

Geoff

I think you are referring to the Rhinos hunt with Gordon Cundal and Dirk Uys. That was the one where he looked out of his element and a bit under the weather.

I doubt very much if Peter would have been upset with your comparing him to Ruark rather than Selby. On the contrary I think he would have considered that a compliment.

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
It became quite fashionable to criticize Capstick for awhile, especially his elephant hunting video, but I thought it was his best.

I agree with Will on this one! His elephant hunting video was absolutely his best! I had a long interview with Volker Grellman, the PH who PHC hunted with on this film, and he was impressed with Peter's knowledge of the body language of elephant, and of the fauna, and flora of Africa in general!

I've never been able to understand the venom people like to spew on people like Peter, or boddington. My only conclusion has to be they have a need to down the rep of others, to somehow make themselvs look better.

The films of Sportsmen on Film, were broadcast quality at a time when most hunting videos were amateur at best! PHC comes off a little sappy in some of his commentaries, but he was not an actor! Just think what a show you would present, if someone stuck a camera in your face, and asked you to say something profound! I for one liked Peter, and till someone comes up with proof positive, that Peter was anything other than what he presented, I'll continue to miss him like family! I have all his films, and all but one of his books, and still watch the films occasionally, and re-read his books at least one per year! R.I.P. Peter

As usual Mac you have hit the nail right on the head and I could not improve on your summation if I tried.
You will generally find that those who critisise others with out knowing the facts generally suffer from the small dick syndrome or have no balls at all.

Absolutely! When I was in RSA doing a ranch hunt, my first, I mentioned Capstick and got quite a vehement negative response. I was quite surprised and also disappointed.

What some apparently fail to see is that the younger generations coming up in the last thirty years or so often first hunt Africa because of Capstick's stories, plain and simple. My generation had Ruark and Hemingway and Hunter and Bell and others, but it's my guess that books by Peter H. Capstick have put food in the mouths and money in the pockets of a lot of safari operators.

It's easy to criticize someone when he's dead and can't defend himself. PHC had failings. So do we all. At age 65, I've yet to meet my first perfect human being.

I think a lot of the criticism stems from jealousy and envy.

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:
it's my guess that books by Peter H. Capstick have put food in the mouths and money in the pockets of a lot of safari operators.

Exactly right.

jetdrvr, I think some of the neg response you heard was based on the way PHC had of streaching the truth and the people there had expereinced guests who had their expectations heightened to the excess. These people had to deal with these expectations which in real life were extremely hard or more likely unattainable. JMO, but after reading this string I will have to go back and re watch the Elephant show. Oh by the way I have about all of his books and all of his videos.