THE MAD MASTERS (1955)

A.K.A.: Les Maitres Fous

Country: France

Genre(s): Documentary

Director: Jean Rouch

Plot

Ghanaians act out a possession ritual before a documentary crew’s camera.

What I Liked

This 37-minute look at a bizarre rite performed by an apparently small cult in Africa during British occupation benefits from the objective, scientific perspective of its narrators.  In an era when Tarzan films were still popular and native rituals were exploited as demonic in horror films, director Jean Rouch’s film actually tries to explain the shocking (for Westerners) acts that play out before the camera from a sociological perspective.

As the ritual unfolds, it becomes apparent that British colonization is a major factor in the development of this tradition.  The subjects believe themselves to be possessed by the souls of the English ruling class and mimic their roles and movements, albeit in exaggerated or distorted forms.  Thus we have the privilege of watching Ghanaian people in an unguarded moment, interpreting the white European invaders as filtered through their own traditions.  At the film’s close, we learn that the people who have been imitating governors, generals, and other high-placed officials are in fact themselves ditch-diggers, prostitutes, sewer cleaners, and pickpockets in their everyday lives.  Is their participation then a way of briefly assuming for themselves the power and gaining, for one day, control over the destiny of their people and perhaps even their oppressors?

What I Didn’t Like

“The Mad Masters” is pretty straight forward.  The camera captures the events, the narrator explains what happens, and finally the closing attempts to interpret what has played out before our eyes.  There’s not much to criticize.  Still, it's pretty safe to assume that some will be either offended, disgusted, or even frightened by the events displayed.

Most Memorable Scene

Being that a good eighty percent of this film is one extended scene, that would clearly be the most important scene in the film: the ritual.  Complete with possession, self-mutilation, and an animal sacrifice, this is not for the faint of heart.  Yet it is absolutely fascinating, forcing one to wonder at the mindset of the participants, which, even with Rouch’s explanation, remains perplexing and alien for this viewer.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5