Sandokan

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Sandokan is a fictional character, the protagonist in a series of novels by Italian author Emilio Salgari (August 21, 1862 – April 25, 1911). He is a pirate known throughout the South China Sea as "the Tiger of Malaysia".

Contents

[edit] Sandokan novels

Emilio Salgari wrote several novels chronicling the adventures of Sandokan and Yanez, two of his most legendary creations. The pirates are introduced in The Tigers of Mompracem, which portrays their relentless struggle against the Dutch and British powers that seek to wipe them out. In subsequent novels they battle against James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak and also travel to India to measure themselves against the Thugs, a notorious band of stranglers devoted to the goddess Kali.

The titles in the series are:

  • The Mystery of the Black Jungle (I Misteri della Jungla Nera) (1895)
  • The Tigers of Mompracem (Le Tigri di Mompracem) (1900)
  • The Pirates of Malaysia (I Pirati della Malesia) (1896)
  • The Two Tigers (Le due Tigri) (1904)
  • King of the Sea (Il Re del Mare) (1906)
  • Quest for a Throne (Alla conquista di un impero) (1907)
  • Sandokan Fights Back (Sandokan alla riscossa) (1907)
  • Return to Mompracem (La riconquista del Mompracem) (1908)
  • The False Brahman (Il Bramino dell'Assam) (1911)
  • An Empire Crumbles (La caduta di un impero) (1911)
  • Yanez' Revenge (La rivincita di Yanez) (1913)

The last two tiles were published posthumously.

There were also several other Sandokan titles published by Italian authors Luigi Motta, Emilio Fancelli and Salgari's son Omar.

[edit] Films

A series of Italian made films with American leads were filmed in the 1960's and released internationally.

[edit] The classic TV miniseries

In 1976, Indian actor Kabir Bedi played the lead in Sandokan, a six-part miniseries for European television. Carole André was cast as Lady Marianna Guillonk, Philippe Leroy played Sandokan's trusted friend and lieutenant Yanez de Gomera. The role of the main antagonist James Brooke was performed by Adolfo Celi.

An unrivalled warrior, Sandokan leads his men, a band of rebel pirates known throughout Malaysia as the Tigers of Mompracem, against the forces of colonial oppression. He is aided in his endeavours by the ever-loyal Yanez de Gomera, a Portuguese wanderer and adventurer. Yanez takes life as it comes, unfazed by even the most dangerous situations. He has an ironic sense of humour, a strong sense of adventure and is never without a cigarette between his lips.

  • Sandokan (1976)
  • Sandokan Fights Back (1977)
  • The Return of Sandokan (1996)
  • The Son of Sandokan (1998)

A 2004 documentary Sandokan's Adventure detailed the making of the series.

[edit] Animated series

Sandokan from the animated series
Sandokan from the animated series

Sandokan the animated series was released in 1992 and broadcast in the United Kingdom on Channel 4. This children's animated show is loosely based on Salgari's novels. In the show Sandokan is an usurped prince who travels the seas as a pirate seeking to reclaim his rightful throne from the Rajah of Sarawak. The first nine episodes of the series are available in three DVD volumes in the United Kingdom. An animated movie, The Princess and the Pirate, was released in 1995.

Another animated series was released in 1998 from a coproduction among RAI, Studio Sek and Mondo TV and broadcast in Italy on Rai Due. This series was composed into three parts: Sandokan, la tigre della Malesia (Sandokan, the Tiger of Malaysia, produced in 1998); Sandokan, la tigre ruggisce ancora (Sandokan, the Tiger roars again, 2000); Sandokan, il coraggio della tigre (Sandokan, the courage of the Tiger, 2004).

[edit] See also

[edit] External links