Wild Women of Borneo: A Very Slow Trip Through Time

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, you probably already know if you want to watch this. If you are into vintage travelogues or have a weird obsession with how people filmed 'exotic' locations in the early 20th century, go for it. If you want, you know, an actual plot or characters that talk back, steer clear. You will probably be bored to tears within the first ten minutes.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Wild Women of Borneo (1932) through its definitive frames.

There is no real story here. It is just Charles Diltz doing his best to show us the world through a flickering lens. Sometimes he stands in front of a tree. Sometimes he watches someone cook something. It feels less like a documentary and more like someone’s grandfather is forcing you to sit through a three-hour slide show after a heavy Thanksgiving dinner. 😴

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Wild Women of Borneo (1932) through its definitive frames.

Oddly specific observations

• The lighting is either blindingly bright or completely murky. There is no middle ground.
• I swear I saw the same type of palm tree in three different countries. Maybe the world was smaller back then?
• The pacing is glacial. It moves at the speed of a tired turtle in mid-July.
• The title is a bit of a bait-and-switch. Don't go looking for high-octane jungle adventure. It's mostly just looking at mud and foliage.

It’s funny how this makes me think of Parisian Modes in Colour, though the two couldn't be more different. At least the Paris one had nice hats to look at. Here, we just have a lot of dirt and very serious men in pith helmets.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Wild Women of Borneo (1932) through its definitive frames.

There is this one shot of a local market that just goes on for way too long. The camera is shaking, someone is waving at the lens, and then Diltz just... keeps filming. It’s awkward. It’s intimate in a way that feels like you are intruding on someone's grocery run.

I found myself drifting off and thinking about The Volcano instead. At least that has a bit of tension to it. This just sort of exists. It’s a relic, really. A dusty, strange little window into a world that doesn't look anything like that anymore. Keep your expectations low and maybe keep your finger on the fast-forward button if you have one.