I was one of the extra's that played the part of a soldier in the film Zulu. Stationed in the South African army from Ladysmith. Our company lived in tents below the water dam below the Royal National Park hotel from April till June of 1963. My age was 20 at the time and turned 83 on the 24th of August 2026. Karsh of Ottowa was brought to the film site to take the photos for the posters for advertising. The hospital was made of chicken mesh covered with mub shaped like stones with a thatched roof. One day while waiting for the scene to be filmed one of the Zulus pointed to a small hole in the mock stone wall and there was a green mamba head just peaking out of the wall. During the month of June the was snow on the mountains and the British film crew were walking around with their shirts off in the sunshine during the day. Not used the cold winter weather the South Africans thought the Brits were touched in the head as we were in tents at night that froze had and sounded like bells when the men on guard would bang the butts of their rifle on the tents to wake us at six in the morning. Jack Hawkins was at the film site for about a week to play the part of the priest. All the bags that were used to build the fortifications were filled with sawdust. It seems like yesterday that we acted in that epic film. Bill Heslop

Zulu was one of mine and my Dad and Mom's favorite movies as well

This great movie is still one of my all time favorites !!!!

My absolutely favourite war film. A story that I  was told by a regular army colleague of mine (I was in the Australian Army Reserve) might be of interest. The film so impressed the Australian Army that they purchased enough 16mm copies (at no small expense) to ensure that, for a decade or so, every recruit who joined the Australian Army, Regular or Reserve, saw "Zulu" as part of their recruit training!

I remember standing in a Rock Festival Crowd in the UK that Stanley Baker financed/promoted and a crowd of at least 50,000 shouted  “Stanley,Stanley” for a good ten minutes.Its a terrible shame he died not long afterwards.

One of my favourite films watched it yesterday

The reading of the roll call was definitely not Richard Burton it was Nigel Green,
Burton's voice was only used at the beginning of the movie, reading Lord Chelmsfords letter to  the Secretary of State for War, and the epilogue.

An interesting clip although the medal shown when the Victoria Cross was mentioned is NOT a VC. It’s the Zulu campaign medal.

Amazing battle movie. Men on both sides were brave and courageous. Thank you for this video...

Bonus comment: circa 1995, I hosted a private screening of the 1951 classic "King Solomon's Mines" (a film which pioneered on location cultural accuracy) for Pepperdine student I knew and his Rwandan roommate. When the location of the climactic scene came on screen (an accurate reproduction of the Tutsi royal compound, the Rwandan student cried out "That is my great-grandfather's throne!"

One amazing fact about this film is the definition , made in the early 60s it's amazing, one or two other films (Sometimes made before this) also have this trait, It's really defining in its clarity.

I love this movie! I’ve seen it many times.  it never gets old for me.

Just watched this ...BRILLIANT!!! I have loved the film for years, these 22 additional facts are poignant relevant, and deeply moving, and all add to the appreciation and fun of watching the film. Thank You!

I saw the film at its first relase in 1964, I was 13 years old, but the film resonated even for that age group. Saw it several times, and it came to the small screen on colour television in only a few short years. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen it since. It never disappeared.

Must have seen this film I can almost narrate it , one of those films I always sit through, Nigel green made it for me 👍

The zulu chanting was also used in "Gladiator" and the cartoon movie "Wizards" rotoscoped the Zulus for the Ork battle sequences

what a fantastic film this was and amazing history

My favourite all time film.  My dad took me to the pictures to see it as a kid. 😊

Minute 13: the VC’s awarded. There is a school if thought which holds that the number awarded was so high to build a counter narrative to the disaster of the battle of  Isandkwana where the Zulu Army had wiped out an entire British army the day before

One of the best  I've ever seen amazing put together for the most memorable ever played