Parents' Guide to Zulu

For a nail biting war movie, 150 soldiers defending against 4,000 expert warriors is a perfect set-up. That Zulu is based on a true story from the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879 adds even more heft. It's also gorgeously shot in Technicolor, with the British red uniforms in stark contrast to the gigantic blue sky of South Africa and its mountain vistas. Released in 1963 onto huge screens on pristine 70mm film, the movie has suffered over the decades, rarely seen outside of TV broadcasts and grainy VHS tapes. Now it can be seen at home in high definition, the true spectacle of Stephen Dade's cinematography can be appreciated once more.

Director Cy Endfield takes his time to let the audience settle in with both sides. We spend time at an equally thrilling and graceful Zulu ceremony, attended by Reverend Otto Witt (Jack Hawkins). At the British missionary camp, we get to know the key players. Caine's breakthrough performance came as the stuffy, by-the-book Lieutenant Bromhead, who ignores Witt's warning to retreat, believing the British superior to his enemies, who he calls "savages." Zulu's not jingoistic, with Endfield ensuring there is a voice of reason at every turn and doesn't shy away from the losses suffered on both sides. But this is just a cinematic snapshot of the Colonial-era British invasion of South Africa. The British army went on to win the war, resulting in the death of 6,930 Zulu people and leaving 3,500 more injured. The ethics of this can spark plenty of discussion.