I had a chance to buy the whole set from Dave (Loud n Boomer) to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and wanted a walk down memory lane. I had not watched this series in a long time, I was probably in my twenties when I first saw them. They are in VHS format and came out in the early to mid-eighties. Compared to the HD stuff we have today these are old school...

However, it was refreshing and nostalgic at the same time to watch Capstick talk about African hunting and Africana. Though some of it is staged and over the top in it's scripting and production, it reminded me why he and writers like Ruark and Hemingway fueled my desire to hunt Africa. The "death around every bush" dialogue is enough to excite any 20 year old to put 'Hunting Africa" as one of his life's goals. It certainly did become one of mine. Thanks Dave for the donation and the tapes. I have enjoyed them!

Russell, there is one tape as I recall where PC is hunting with Bushman and they show clips of mixing arrow poison, cooking an ostrich egg in the shell, etc. I really think television shows and DVDs would be far more interesting if they made it a point to capture more of this non-hunting, local culture in their films. I enjoy those tapes from time to time as well.

Mike, I agree completely and that is what was refreshing about this series. Not an endless parade of animals shot up-close and in slow motion, but a history and narrative of the type of hunting covered (elephant, lion, etc,) the local area and people. More along the lines of what Ranier Josch is doing now...

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Russell, there is one tape as I recall where PC is hunting with Bushman and they show clips of mixing arrow poison, cooking an ostrich egg in the shell, etc. I really think television shows and DVDs would be far more interesting if they made it a point to capture more of this non-hunting, local culture in their films. I enjoy those tapes from time to time as well.

This is the video where he hunts elephant with Volker Grellmann in Namibia and it's my favorite of the series. I agree as well most hunters also are interested in the ancillary aspects of hunting, not just the 'bang-flop' shots. I was at Reno talking with Joe Coogan and right across the aisle was an outfitter showing a video of nothing but impact shots...it was nauseating...

Mike-
I have that elephant video. Bought it against my better judgement. I really enjoyed the showcasing of the bushmen's bushcraft. I really wish more of this happened. Unfortunately, the average half hour TV show has what, maybe 15 minutes of hunbting after commercial, opening credits and introductions? Not much time for more than "bang-flop."
Would that there was more of a place for this sort of thing these days.

CAPSTICK HUNTING THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT is, IMO, the best of the Capstick films. I also enjoy the side show of the local customs and bush craft is a real plus in any film on Africa.

I had a long talk with Volker and his wife years ago at the Dallas Safari show. The film had gotten me thinking about a elephant safari. This was the only one of Capstick’s film where he hunted with a double rifle, and that peaked my interest. Volker told me that he thoroughly enjoyed hunting with Pater, and said “You know that guy knows his stuff about African wildlife and he can shoot!” He also said “ The camera man ruined that shooting scenes on Peter’s elephant by accidently hitting the zoom button making the shots look like they were 200 yds out, when the last of the four shots was no more than 100 yds.”

In the day the Capstick films were broadcast quality in films on African hunting. As others have said some of the things in those films was a little melodramatic, but Peter was a writher, not an actor! I doubt seriously that if someone poked a microphone in my face in front of a camera, and expected me to say something profound, they would be sorely disappointed with the result.

I have all his films and watch them every couple of years, and still enjoy them!

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Mac I agree wholeheartedly on the Capstick videos.
As a matter of fact, I was my pleasure last year in Reno (The first time I've ever attended SCI) to meet Ken Wilson, Luke Samaras and Jeff Rann, all of course who were in various Capstick videos.

It's sentimentality, I'm sure, but when I re-read Sands of Silence, or the African Adventurers (or any other Capstick book), it takes me back to why I even got interested in Africa, its hunting and its history. Considering the times in which the videos were produced, they are quite impressive. And considering Capstick's books are still on the shelf, new, at my local Barnes and Noble under the St. Martins impress, it is even more so.