Ernest Goes to Africa

Last updated
Ernest Goes to Africa
Ernest goes to africa.jpg
DVD Cover
Directed by John Cherry
Written byJohn Cherry
Produced byKenneth M. Badish
John Cherry
Starring Jim Varney
Linda Kash
Edited byCraig Bassett
Distributed by Emshell Producers
Release date
  • July 27, 1997 (1997-07-27)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Ernest Goes to Africa is a 1997 American direct to video comedy film. It was written and directed by John Cherry and stars Jim Varney. It is the ninth film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, and the eighth film in the Ernest series. In this film, Deacon County, Ohio resident Ernest unknowingly comes into the possession of some stolen jewels and is kidnapped and brought to Africa where he must rescue the woman he loves. The film was shot entirely in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Contents

Plot

While attempting to fix a woman's car at a local garage, Ernest P. Worrell accidentally causes the car to get crushed, which results in his termination. He goes to a local restaurant and asks his crush, Rene Loomis, to go on a date with him. He is turned down by her because she wants to date somebody more adventurous. Ernest decides to buy her a gift to show that he really cares for her. He goes to a flea market where he buys two jewels, unaware that they are the "Eyes of Igoli" stolen from the Sinkatutu tribe in Africa by a runaway man named Mr. Rabhas who is being chased by two henchmen of Prince Kazim. He is cornered by the men but rescued by a man named Thompson and his strong African bodyguard, Bazu.

Threatening to kill him if he does not tell so he can steal them himself, Rabhas reveals where he stashed the Eyes of Igoli. Thompson walks away and Bazu takes a bag of deadly snakes and dumps it on Rabhas, leaving him to die. Meanwhile, Ernest creates a yo-yo made of the Eyes of Igoli. He does his around-the-world and crashes his fish's tank. He puts him in the sink but he flows down the drain. Meanwhile, Thompson eventually finds out that Ernest took the Eyes of Igoli. He spies on him at the restaurant where Rene works. Ernest gives Rene the yo-yo only to be called a small-town ordinary schmoe by her.

Thompson abducts Rene and Ernest comes to rescue her after a phone call. Thompson kidnaps him too when he gets there and puts them on a flight to Africa. After shutting Rene up in a country club's furnace room with Bazu, an old woman named Auntie Nelda comes in and explains to Bazu about how her husband died. She then throws ashes in his face and rescues Rene, knowing that it is Ernest. They escape in a golf cart and encounter many obstacles from getting simple firewood to Ernest disguising as a girl and getting kissed by the prince to striking down the bad guys with ostrich eggs. Meanwhile, Thompson and Bazu look for Ernest and Rene. They walk down the river and encounter the cannibal Sinkatutu tribe who wants to eat them for lunch.

Ernest empties his pockets when they tell him to and plays the yo-yo one last time impressing the tribe, especially the Sinkatutu chief. He does tricks which easily turns the tribe to like them. Just as soon as the Chief is about to give him a "booster surgery", Thompson comes along by himself. He had kicked Bazu out. He suddenly blames Ernest of stealing the eyes. Thompson requests a battle of truth. Ernest has to fight Thompson in order to save Rene from becoming cooked. When Ernest hears the challenge he states "On second thought, I think I might have the booster." Thompson changes into a black warrior suit and pulls out his weapons. Ernest does the same, only his are little items. Yet, he successfully fights Thompson using them. All of a sudden, Thompson punches Ernest and knocks him out. But Ernest awakens and hears Rene calling him to use his yo-yo.

Ernest puts his fighting skills and yo-yo skills together and he does an around the world which knocks Thompson out cold and breaks the yo-yo to reveal the Eyes of Igoli. The tribe rushes toward them as Rene compliments Ernest on how he is her "Knight in Shining Armor". A few weeks later, Ernest and Rene are about to go on a date. As he enters the restaurant he takes his hat off and sets it down on the front counter. Ernest even paints an ostrich egg and gives it to her as a gift. Sadly, she tells Ernest that the date is off because he is too adventurous for her.. Ernest makes a speech on how he is bold and adventurous and then, in conclusion, puts on his hat heroically, forgetting he had set it on the counter and put the ostrich egg in it.

Cast

Home media

This film had its first DVD release from First Look Studios on October 1, 2002. Mill Creek Entertainment re-released it as part of the "Ultimate Ernest" and "Essential Ernest Collection" DVD box sets on October 31, 2006. Image Entertainment released this film along with Ernest Goes to School , Slam Dunk Ernest and Hey Vern, It's My Family Album on June 5, 2012 as part of the four-disc set "Ernest's Wacky Adventures Volume 2". Image re-released it on October 1, 2013 along with Ernest Goes to School and Ernest in the Army as part of "Ernest Triple Feature" and for the third time on January 12, 2016 as part of the two-disc set "Ultimate Ernest Collection'".

Related Research Articles

<i>The Rescuers Down Under</i> 1990 American animated adventure film

The Rescuers Down Under is a 1990 American animated adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the sequel to Disney's 1977 animated feature film The Rescuers, which was based on the novels by Margery Sharp. In The Rescuers Down Under, Bernard and Bianca travel to the Australian Outback to save a boy named Cody from a villainous poacher who wants to capture an endangered golden eagle for money. Directed by Hendel Butoy and Mike Gabriel from a screenplay by Jim Cox, Karey Kirkpatrick, Byron Simpson, and Joe Ranft, the film features the voices of Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, John Candy, and George C. Scott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Varney</span> American actor (1949–2000)

James Albert Varney Jr. was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his comedic role as Ernest P. Worrell, for which he won a Daytime Emmy Award, as well as appearing in films and numerous television commercial advertising campaigns. He played Jed Clampett in a film adaptation of The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) and also covered a song for the film titled "Hot Rod Lincoln". and performed the voice of Slinky Dog in the first two films of the Toy Story franchise (1995–1999). He died at age 50 of lung cancer on February 10, 2000, leaving two posthumous releases, Daddy and Them and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

<i>Ernest Saves Christmas</i> 1988 US Christmas comedy film by John Cherry

Ernest Saves Christmas is a 1988 American Christmas comedy film directed by John Cherry and starring Jim Varney. This is the third film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, the second film in the Ernest series, and the highest-grossing film in the Ernest series. The film chronicles Ernest's attempt to help find a replacement for an aging Santa Claus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernest P. Worrell</span> Fictional character

Ernest P. Worrell is a fictional character that was portrayed by American actor Jim Varney in a series of television commercials and then later in a television series and a series of feature films.

<i>Ernest Goes to Jail</i> 1990 American comedy film by John Cherry

Ernest Goes to Jail is a 1990 American comedy film directed by John Cherry and starring Jim Varney. It is the fourth film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, and the third film in the Ernest series. It was shot in Nashville and Tennessee State Prison.

<i>The Tramp</i> (film) 1915 film directed by Charlie Chaplin

The Tramp is Charlie Chaplin's sixth film for Essanay Studios and was released in 1915. Directed by Chaplin, it was the fifth and last film he made at Essanay's Niles, California studio. The Tramp marked the beginning of The Tramp character most known today, even though Chaplin played an earlier version of the character in previous films. This film marked the first departure from the more slapstick character of the earlier films, with an emotional ending showing he cared for others, rather than just himself. The film co-stars Edna Purviance as the farmer's daughter and Ernest Van Pelt as Edna's father. The outdoor scenes were filmed on location near Niles.

<i>Ernest Goes to Camp</i> 1987 film by John Cherry

Ernest Goes to Camp is a 1987 American comedy film directed by John Cherry and starring Jim Varney. It is the second film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, and the first film in the Ernest series. It was shot at Montgomery Bell State Park. It was also the first Ernes film to be distributed by Touchstone Pictures. This film also marks Iron Eyes Cody's final appearance on screen.

<i>Hey Vern, Its Ernest!</i> 1988 American childrens television program

Hey Vern, It's Ernest! is an American children's television program. It aired on Saturday mornings on CBS for one season in 1988. Each episode involved short sketches on a certain theme or scenario, featuring Ernest P. Worrell, his unseen friend Vern, and various others. The filming locations were in Nashville, Tennessee, and Burbank, California. It was a production of Ernest creator John Cherry's production company, The Emshell Producers' Group, in association with CBS, and was co-produced with DIC Enterprises. The series was later rerun on The Family Channel in the early 1990s.

<i>Ernest Scared Stupid</i> 1991 film by John Cherry

Ernest Scared Stupid is a 1991 American comedy horror film directed by John Cherry and starring Jim Varney. It is the fifth film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, and the fourth film in the Ernest series. In the film, Ernest unwittingly unleashes an evil troll upon a small town on Halloween night and helps the local children fight back. It was shot in Nashville, Tennessee like its predecessors Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam, Ernest Goes to Camp, Ernest Saves Christmas, and Ernest Goes to Jail.

John Robert Cherry III was an American film director and screenwriter, most notable for creating the character of Ernest P. Worrell, played by Jim Varney.

<i>Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam</i> 1985 film by John Cherry

Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam is a 1985 American science fiction comedy film starring Jim Varney. It was written and directed by John Cherry. It is the first film to feature the Ernest P. Worrell character. However, it has a slightly darker tone than his later films. It was shot in Fall Creek Falls State Park, Boxwell Scout Reservation, and Nashville, Tennessee.

<i>3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain</i> 1998 American film

3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain is a 1998 American martial arts film. It is the fourth and final installment in the 3 Ninjas franchise.

<i>Ernest Rides Again</i> 1993 American comedy film by John Cherry

Ernest Rides Again is a 1993 American comedy film written and directed by John Cherry and starring Jim Varney. It is the sixth film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, the fifth film in the Ernest series and the last in the series to be theatrically released. The plot follows Ernest and a history professor as they discover a long-lost Revolutionary War cannon and must protect it from others who want the precious jewels hidden inside.

<i>Ernest in the Army</i> 1998 film by John Cherry

Ernest in the Army is a 1998 American direct-to-video comedy film directed by John Cherry and starring Jim Varney. It is the tenth film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, the ninth and final film in the Ernest series and the final appearance of Jim Varney as Ernest, before his death in February 2000. In this film, Ernest joins the Army because he wants to drive large vehicles, but ends up being sent into combat. It was shot in Cape Town, South Africa's Koeberg Nature Reserve.

<i>Slam Dunk Ernest</i> 1995 film by John R. Cherry III

Slam Dunk Ernest is a 1995 American direct-to-video sports comedy film. It is the eighth film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, and the seventh in the Ernest series. It was directed by Ernest creator John R. Cherry III and starring Jim Varney. In this film, Ernest joins his employer's basketball team and later becomes a star with the help of an angel. It was the third and final Ernest film to be shot in Vancouver, British Columbia.

<i>Ernest Goes to School</i> 1994 American film by Coke Sams

Ernest Goes to School is a 1994 American comedy film directed and co-written by Coke Sams and starring Jim Varney. It is the seventh film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, and the sixth film in the Ernest series. This is the only Ernest film to not be directed by John R. Cherry III. The film received a limited theatrical release in Cincinnati, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky beginning on June 10, 1994. The film was released on video on December 14, 1994.

<i>Sweet Kitty Bellairs</i> 1930 American musical comedy film

Sweet Kitty Bellairs is a 1930 American historical musical comedy film directed by Alfred E. Green. The film is based on the 1900 novel, The Bath Comedy by Agnes Castle and Egerton Castle. Shot entirely in Technicolor, the film stars Claudia Dell, Ernest Torrence and, Walter Pidgeon and is set in Bath, England in 1793.

<i>Pirates of the Plain</i> 1999 American film

Pirates of the Plain is a 1999 independent family adventure film, directed and written by John R. Cherry III, and starring Tim Curry and Seth Adkins.

<i>Akhil</i> (film) 2015 film by V. V. Vinayak

Akhil: The Power of Jua is a 2015 Indian Telugu-language action fantasy film directed by V. V. Vinayak and produced by Nithin and M. Sudhakar Reddy under Sresht Movies banner. The film stars Akhil Akkineni and Sayyeshaa in their debut. The film features score composed by Mani Sharma with soundtrack by Anup Rubens and S. Thaman. Vinayak wrote the screenplay from the story given by Veligonda Srinivas along with dialogue by Kona Venkat. Releasing on 11 November 2015 amidst huge hype and expectations, the film was a commercial failure.

<i>Jungle Beat: The Movie</i> 2020 Mauritian film

Jungle Beat: The Movie is a 2020 animated film directed by Brent Dawes, based on the characters of the television series Jungle Beat. It tells the story of a homesick alien who crash-lands his spaceship near the colorful African Jungle. His new animal friends need to get him back to his ship and teach him about friendship and fun before his Space-Conqueror father can take over the planet.