The Hidden Jungle (1990)

The Hidden Jungle is an American children’s adventure film directed by Steve McCurdy, written and produced by Warren Chaney and released in 1990. The film stars Chuck Stockdale, Damon Merrill, Charles Charpiot, Lesley Chaney and Dennis Frost, Jr. The Executive Producer was Beverly Wilson and the film’s production company was Sandpiper Pictures. It was filmed on location in Mozambique and at the Y.O. Ranch, Mountain Home, Texas.

A NASA shuttlecraft carrying an important nuclear fuel payload is sabotaged and is forced to crash land in an African jungle. A famous American stunt pilot is asked by the U.S. Government to retrieve the payload and rescue the surviving astronaut. He engages an unlikely crew of jungle kids to guide him to the crash site and aid in the recovery effort. They proceed to reclaim the stolen property and bring justice to those stealing the shuttlecraft payload and murdering the astronauts.

The production was filmed on location in Mozambique and the Y.O. Ranch with aerial stunt footage photographed near Mountain Home, Texas. The Hidden Jungle completed production in late 1989 and was released to theatres and later television in 1990 by Intercontinental Releasing Corporation. After acquisition by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer, the film was re-released in 1998.

Synopsis

An in-flight NASA Shuttlecraft carrying a plutonium payload is forced to crash land in an African terrorist country that is unfriendly to the United States. The surviving astronaut, Dr. Beverly Owens (portrayed by Charity Merrill) is taken captive by the country’s terrorist leader, Akmed Najah (Charles Charpiot). The U.S. Government fears the plutonium will be used to create a nuclear weapon and seeks help in the rescue and recovery efforts from ace stunt pilot, Zach Taylor (portrayed by real life stunt pilot, Chuck Stockdale).

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