New three part "docu-rama" series starts tonight at 9pm on BBC2 dealing with Jim Corbett and The Maneating Leopard of Rudraprayag..

As this is a docu drama I hate to think how the BBC will treat Corbett's story, but it might be worth a watch anyway...

Regards,

Pete

One of my favourite authors - his accounts still make my skin crawl and a dark night seem even more menacing!

Rgds Ian

Ian,

Mine too! Somehow reading capstic was never the same afterwards...

I am not sure what this program is going to be like as the blurb in the TV guide talks about Corbett hunting the animal at the same time it is stalking his girlfriend Jean..Although its awhile since I have read the book I don't recall any girl firend ever being mentioned, much less being central to this particular story???

In fact if I recall correctly, the only female relation that figures to any extent in any of his books is his sister Maggie...

Regards,

Pete

Just watched it.

Bloody BBC luvvies...as if Corbett wasn't exciting enough without the need to have made up romantic sub-plots. What a load of utter tosh.

The magic of Corbett is his relationship with nature, not some a made-up relationship with some Ibbotson's wife, for Pete's sake.

The story has been given the "Ghost in the Darkness" treatment.

They almost got is right with the rifle, however. But no self respecting Englishman would have a garish white spacer on his fore-end timber. And I don't think Uncle Mike's QD studs were around in the 20s either.

6/10.

All the family watched it and enjoyed it. I went to sleep half way through, but I'd been rough shooting all day in the rain!
The youngest had a bad dream and I got told off for letting/encouraging them to watch it!
Still we'll all be watching again next week!

I watched it too, but didn't like the little anti-hunting scene that the BBC felt compelled to add!
I know Corbett only hunted man-eaters, but he was a keen sportsman and would not have objected to 'majestic animals stuffed in some gentleman's club'....

I noticed that - and the gag reflex set in!

I wonder whether this 'its ok to kill if you are REALLY sorry for doing it' theme is going to continue through the next two episodes in the series?

rgds Ian

It sometimes makes you wonder if the writers and producers actually read the books these things were supposed to be based on!

In fairness though Corbett did become some what of an anti sport hunter towards the end of time in India as he was sickened by what some of the locals and visitors were doing in the name of "sport"..Knowing the BBC I guessed it was one point they would pick up on...

Not sure what rifle they were using, but noticed the white spacers on it! *lol*

Corbetts family still own an estate not too far from me and I have to wonder what they made of it!

Regards,

Pete

I read somewhere that when Corbett moved to Kenya in the 50s he was a director of Safariland - one of the biggest hunting agents of the period.

Some might think this odd, coming from a man who allegedly gave up the rifle for the camera, but when you think about it it is totally compatable with his disagreement with the wanton un-regularised hunting he witnessed in India. Sustainable, regularised hunting = species conservation.

Shame the BBC do not have the wit to realise that. To them it seems all hunting = evil.

I have a friend who grew up on the farm next ot Corbett in Kenya. He was 10 or 11 when Corbett moved in. He used to go hunting for small game on their farms with him and learned a lot about hunting from Corbett. Even in Africa you still had to eat.

He had no idea he was famous, just the guy next door.

Thought it was a three part - supposedly dealing with man eating lions this week............Nothing showing in the TV pages however.

Rgds Ian

Tonight (Friday 12th Dec) - BBC 2 9.00pm. The second part in the trilogy......The maneating lions of Njombe.

Guess that is my evening's viewing sorted!

Rgds Ian

quote:

Originally posted by Boghossian:
I watched it too, but didn't like the little anti-hunting scene that the BBC felt compelled to add!
I know Corbett only hunted man-eaters, but he was a keen sportsman and would not have objected to 'majestic animals stuffed in some gentleman's club'....

Corbet from my reading was not "anti-hunting" he just like any modern decent sportsman believed game must also be preserved.

Hope the series comes to Oz nevertheless.

The second episode was quite good, worth watching.

JC also hunted for Kashmiri Stags not just the maneaters

The British media has for almost a century used the line, "hunter turned conservationist" as if the two are different. I have seen this line used at least 50 times by British journalists.

Its a slimy way of making money off the lives of people like Corbett but still getting in a cheap shot at hunters.

They commonly rewrite the values of people long dead who have no way of responding. I am sure if Corbett was shooting rabbits in Kenya it wasn't for food. There were alot better things to eat than rabbits in his day in Kenya.

The only chap still alive who might know for sure is Fred Duckworth who was born in India and hunted with Jim Corbett when he was a little boy.

VBR,


Ted Gorsline

Ted & Pete,

Ted spot on - from an American!

Pete, also a good accounting but who carry about the Pussy?

Don't let your liberal media tell another story!