Dramaan Drameh (Mansour Diof) is a respected, convivial shopkeeper in the tiny village of Colobane. But a forgotten act of cruelty committed thirty years in his past comes back to haunt him when the young girl he impregnated and abandoned returns seeking revenge. Now a weary, calculating millioniress, Lingu+¨re Ramatou (Ami Diakhate) offers the citizens of Colobane her riches in exchange for just one thing: the life of the man who betrayed her. Dramaan's neighbors at first scoff at Lingere's gruesome offer but -- dazzled by the televisions, cigarettes and refrigerators Linguere's money can buy -- they begin to consider their allegiance to Colobane's once beloved merchant...and the"reign of the hyenas" begins.

HYENAS HYENES (DVD MOVIE)

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It has beautiful music,clever dialogue, ("...what is that you are smoking," Drame Dramen asks, "...if you were to ask it's name, it would say Havana..." replies the mayor of the town of Coloban.

This film examines the revenge of a woman, Ramatou, driven out of town when she becomes pregnant by a married man. The Married Man, Drame Dramen, enlists the aid of two friends who lie and say she slept with her also to bring her character into question.

She is driven from the town in disgrace. Twenty years later she returns a millionaire with the intention of buying justice and revenge with cold cash and consumer goods. Amidst surrealistics imagery of Washers Dryers and air conditioners she woes the villager to make them complict in her exacting that revenge. She wants the head of DFramen Drame...and the villagers may be all too willing to comply and the whispers begin.

It is a timeless tale that seems to exist between now and then, a japanese woman chaffeur breaks out a cell phone in the mdidst of a dusty town on the edge of an eternal then....a crippled prosecutor, the peole of the town are colorful and brilliantly portrayed, the mayors seems a character from an African Oz...this is cinema at it's finest.

I could go on but I would just like to encourage everyone to see this film. I know what I will be giving for gifts this year to close friends.

12 of 12 found the following review helpful:

A Wonderful Allegory About Structural Adjustment.Nov 20, 2001
By Christopher Spadone
It's been a while since I saw this film (I've seen it several times), but what most reviewers miss is it's allegorical message. The film isn't about the old woman wanting the man dead, but the symbols behind the actions. The idea of an outsider (or actualy someone whose been made wealthy in Europe) asking people to do things they normally would not bring to mind the economic reforms of structural adjustment. This funny and sad film conveys the sense of afro-pessimism so prevelant today.

12 of 12 found the following review helpful:

already a classic of the African CinemaSep 06, 2001

Setting, pace and characters are beautiful developed in this masterpiece of the African Cinema. Diop Mambety used F.Duerrenmatt's original freely, but with a strong own identity and style. An old lady returns to her poor home town, after she became rich. Wondering why, the people start to talk. Slowly the viewer discovers her story. The old lady is aristocratic every moment of the movie, even in non-aristocratic moments...
Highly recommended for everybody, who likes real storytelling cinema.

6 of 6 found the following review helpful:

Don't Miss The PointApr 15, 2006
By Bookworm "SNM"
This film is much more than it appears. It is the story of the post colonial society, be it in Africa, Asia or elsewhere. The animals (hyenas, elephants, lions, etc,) are representations of types of people from various cultures that have been exploited by the "powers" of the world. More so than that the film is about the role of the World Bank in post colonialial societies. He shows how the oppressed have often become the oppressor. The film actually follows very closely with the plot of "The Visit." However, Mambety has proven that cinema can be reinvented. Cinematically, the movie is highly literary in that elements of foreshadowing and allegory resound throughout.

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:

Who knew? This is wonderful!Jan 11, 2001
By Daniel Kleinfeld
I can't begin to describe how great this movie was. I saw it because of my interest in the play it's based on, but this film is much better than I ever would have imagined. Visually astonishing, with striking colors and beautiful African landscapes, powerfully acted, rigourous storytelling... If you haven't seen this, you're missing out. I wish I could write something more detailed and thought-out, but I just saw this an hour ago and am still reeling.

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