An American boy and girl, spending six months in Kenya with their scientist parents adopt a cheetah, only to realize that they must set it loose so that it can learn to hunt and be free. However, when the animal is captured by poachers planning to race it against greyhounds, the two city kids, together with a young African goat herder they befriended, head off into the wild to rescue the cheetah.
Practical Effects
Actual trained cheetah, no CGI needed.
Cinematography
Glorious Kenyan landscapes shot on location.
Costume
Peak 80s suburban safari fashion choices.
Director
Jeff Blyth
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on Alan Caillou's novel 'Cheetah,' though Disney sanitized the darker poacher violence.
Shot during Kenya's 1980s wildlife tourism boom; the film arguably aged worse than the cheetah.
US
