How a 1984 jungle epic became a box-office bomb and a cult classic
In short: Sheena was intended to be a modern, ecological superhero film, but it collapsed under the weight of production struggles and critical scorn. Despite a $25 million budget and a grueling seven-month shoot in Kenya, the film failed to connect with audiences, eventually finding a second life on home video.
The journey to bring Sheena to the screen began in 1974 when producer Paul Aratow secured the rights to the 1930s comic-book character. Initially, the project attracted Universal Pictures with Raquel Welch attached to star, but the studio eventually passed after investing $65,000. The project moved through several studios, including United Artists and Avco-Embassy, before Columbia Pictures finally greenlit the film in 1980 with a budget between $7 and $10 million.
Director John Guillermin, known for his work on the 1976 King Kong, sought to ground the fantastic material in reality. He cast Tanya Roberts, who famously secured the role after an intense audition process. Filming in Kenya proved to be a logistical and physical ordeal. The production required the transport of a massive menagerie of animals, managed by Hubert Wells, and Roberts endured multiple injuries while performing her own stunts. Tensions were high; Roberts later described Guillermin as a perfectionist who was difficult to work with, while Aratow expressed significant frustration with the director's uncompromising nature.
Upon its release on August 17, 1984, the film was a commercial disaster, grossing less than $6 million. Critics were largely unforgiving, with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert labeling it one of the 'Stinkers of 1984' and nominating it for five Golden Raspberry Awards. However, the film found a niche audience over the decades. While some reviewers like Neil Gaiman dismissed it as an 'abomination,' others, such as Pauline Kael, appreciated its 'lighthearted, slightly loony' tone. Today, the film persists as a cult curiosity, having been re-released on DVD and Blu-ray multiple times since its initial failure.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Sheena (film)
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