From Orphan to King's primary photo
  • From Orphan to King (2005)
  • TV Movie | 60 min | Documentary
Primary photo for From Orphan to King
From Orphan to King (2005)
TV Movie | 60 min | Documentary
For fifteen million years orangutans roamed tropical forests from China to South East Asia. In Borneo, one of their last island outposts, lives one today who is a legend. He's won more than just a kingdom, he's won human hearts. They gave ...See moreFor fifteen million years orangutans roamed tropical forests from China to South East Asia. In Borneo, one of their last island outposts, lives one today who is a legend. He's won more than just a kingdom, he's won human hearts. They gave him the name Kusasi. The Orangutan King is the story of Kusasi's life told to us by a remarkable witness. Dr Birute M. Galdikas has been researching orangutans in Borneo for over 40 years. Under the guidance of Louis Leakey, Galdikas joined Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey to become a pioneer of Great Ape field research. Together they were known as the 'trimates', or 'Leakey's Angels'. Yet while Goodall's chimpanzees and Fossey's gorillas were made familiar through films, the orangutans are still largely unknown to television audiences. Their solitary lives high in the tree canopy have made them difficult to follow and film. Now, for the first time, Dr Galdikas will draw audiences deep into the orangutan universe. With enthusiasm and insight she tells us this special story - taking us back 30 years and unfolding Kusasi's story with detail, energy, and the wonder that she still feels for the orangutan species. As a three year old orphan, Kusasi fell under the care of Galdikas in her forest research camp. But driven by a cunning and tenacious spirit Kusasi did not behave as the other ex-captive infants. From the moment he arrived until today, Galdikas has watched Kusasi fight to win back and then succeed at life in the wild. And he's achieved what had once seemed impossible, reaching the top of the power hierarchy and ruling for ten years. The people who work at Camp Leakey enjoy his charisma, and even those who only visit him in his forest kingdom are struck with awe. As Julia Roberts was in 1997. Her encounter with Kusasi was unplanned - becoming a tight clinch with an irritable 140 kilo beast, possessing the strength of ten men. But she was unharmed. Kusasi is not malicious, and he's respected as much for his indifference to humans as for his power over the other orangutans. Today his spirit still burns brightly but his physical strength is fading. His fights with the rogue males who cross his borders are weakening him and The Orangutan King is the last chance for us to see him in power. But the hope of this film is that he will not be the last of his kind to rule with such strength in his forests. If the forest destruction can be stopped, there is a long future for the considerable Kusasi bloodline. Written by Tigress See less
Read more: Plot summary
Director
Harvey Jones
Writer
Harvey Jones
Producer
Linda Bell
Composer
Paul Lawler
Cinematographers
Gil Domb | John Halliday | Max Hug Williams
Editor
Charles Davies
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Status
Edit Released
Updated Oct 19, 2005
Release date
Oct 19, 2005 (United Kingdom)

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1 cast member
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Paul McGann
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The Three Musketeers (1993)
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