Black Shadows on AllMovie

This French documentary regales and sometimes repels the viewer with glimpses of bizarre African native customs. Unlike later films in this genre, Black Shadows seems faintly artificial throughout. The "deadly" natives appear all too aware of the camera and the effect their behavior has upon the audience. Particularly hammy are a group of "leopard men" who prepare to decimate another tribe, then eat and drink the remains of their victims. More convincing is an elongated wedding sequence and the climactic capture of a gorilla. Actor Jeff Corey provided the English-language narration for Black Shadows when it was picked up for American release by Eagle-Lion.