History Main / JungleOpera

* ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnoldTheJungleMovie'' has Arnold and friends exploring the fictional country of San Lorenzo and explore ancient South American ruins to find Arnold’s long-lost parents.

This is a speculative tale that takes place in undiscovered or semidiscovered country in the present or "recent" past (usually no earlier than the early 20th century), supposedly on this Earth, as opposed to, say, a HighFantasy in a [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy Medieval setting]], or a SpaceOpera in a far future-like setting. As the title indicates, it often takes place in a tropical rain forest, though that isn't necessary. The key point is that WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief is provided primarily by the use of settings that are regarded as exotic, mysterious, dangerous and above all, far away by most readers, yet still on this world, rather than providing a whole imaginary world "in a galaxy far away". A typical setting, for instance, might be TheAmazon, DarkestAfrica, TheShangriLa or TropicalIslandAdventure. There are occasional similarities with PlanetaryRomance; the two genres can each borrow tropes normally associated with the other, and there is potential for crossovers (aliens can, for instance, kidnap the intrepid explorers, or perhaps a Space Opera can have a story take place on a jungle planet). However, some elements of a Jungle Opera can be less flexible than other speculative sub-genres by the nature of operating in "closer proximity" (so to speak) to RealLife.

This is a speculative tale that takes place in undiscovered or semidiscovered country in the present or "recent" past (usually no earlier than the early 20th century), supposedly on this Earth, as opposed to, say, a HighFantasy in a [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy Medieval setting]], or a SpaceOpera in a far future-like setting. As the title indicates, it often takes place in a tropical rain forest, though that isn't necessary. The key point is that WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief is provided primarily by the use of settings that are regarded as exotic, mysterious, dangerous and above all, far away by most readers, yet still on this world, rather than providing a whole imaginary world "in a galaxy far away". A typical setting, for instance, might be TheAmazon, DarkestAfrica, TheShangriLa or TropicalIslandAdventure. There are occasional similarities with SpaceOpera; the two genres can each borrow tropes normally associated with the other, and there is potential for crossovers (aliens can, for instance, kidnap the intrepid explorers, or perhaps a Space Opera can have a story take place on a jungle planet). However, some elements of a Jungle Opera can be less flexible than other speculative sub-genres by the nature of operating in "closer proximity" (so to speak) to RealLife.

** Later on in his career, Harryhausen also had an [[WhatCouldHaveBeen unrealized idea]] for a movie called ''People of the Mist'', that would have played this trope to the hilt, but he couldn't find a studio that had faith in this type of old-timey adventure story (ironically, ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' would open shortly [[ItWillNeverCatchOn to spectacular success]]). This was one of the last films Harryhausen would try to make before finally announcing his retirement. All that exists of ''People of the Mist'' is some of Harryhausen's concept art, but it is spectacular.

* ''ComicBook/{{Marsupilami}}'': The Marsupilami lives in the jungles of [[BananaRepublic Palombia]] and the comics often feature the native indian tribe, a GreatWhiteHunter, and foreign documentary filmmakers and industrial investors entering its wild world.

* Creator/ClarkAshtonSmith's Hyperborea stories are a borderline case. Rightly, they could more be called SwordAndSorcery stories with a HungryJungle setting, since they're set in TheTimeOfMyths - a LostWorld in the process of [[JustBeforeTheEnd becoming lost]] - and don't feature any MightyWhitey British or American explorers, but they're full to the brim with Jungle Opera tropes like [[TempleOfDoom dangerous abandoned cities]], cave-dwelling [[BeastMan beast men]], LivingDinosaurs, and more. Notably, the first of these stories, ''The Tale of Satampra Zeiros'', is about a pair of {{bold explorer}}s in the abandoned former capital of their own nation.

* In ''Literature/AlanMendelsohnTheBoyFromMars'', the heroes travel through a portal into AnotherDimension, the LostWorld of WakaWaka. Waka Waka is a tropical, jungle environment, built on the ruins of an ancient, great civilization, but now the inhabitants hide in the shadows from a mysterious beast controlled by alien invaders. It's something of a parody of the genre, as the heroes aren't dashing explorers but pre-teen boys who simply happen to be more competent than all the adults. Life in Waka Waka is pretty boring, and the solution to their problems turns out to be pretty mundane.

* Played surprisingly straight in ''Film/{{The Jungle Book|1994}}'', considering it was made in 1994.

[[Theme Parks]]

Often involves a LostWorld. In some versions the story is about a quest to find this, and a Lost World is a MacGuffinLocation.

* Parodied in ''Discworld/{{Eric}}'', which says that the rainforests of the Literature/{{Discworld}}'s Africa-counterpart are so full of {{Lost World}}s, [[LostColony Lost Colonies]], [[TempleOfDoom Temples of Doom]], and so on that there's barely room for the trees.

This is a speculative tale that takes place in undiscovered or semidiscovered country in the present or "recent" (usually no earlier than the early 20th century) past supposedly on this Earth. As opposed to say a HighFantasy in a [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy Medieval setting]], or a SpaceOpera in a far future-like setting. As the title indicates it often takes place in a tropical rain forest though that is not necessary. The key point is that WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief is provided primarily by the use of settings that are regarded as exotic, mysterious, dangerous and above all, far away by most readers, yet still on this world; rather then providing a whole imaginary world "in a galaxy far away". A typical setting for instance, might be TheAmazon, DarkestAfrica, TheShangriLa or TropicalIslandAdventure. There are occasional similarities with the SpaceOpera, the two genres can each borrow tropes normally associated with each other and there is potential for crossovers (aliens can for instance kidnap the intrepid explorers, or perhaps a Space Opera can have a story take place on a jungle planet). However some elements of a Jungle Opera can be less flexible than other speculative sub-genres by the nature of operating in "closer proximity" (so to speak) to RealLife.

Jungle Operas tend to feature [[BoldExplorer Bold Explorers]], [[HollywoodNatives primitive locals]], {{Precursors}}, [[LostColony Lost Colonies]], [[MacGuffin Ancient Artifacts]], and the like; [[TempleOfDoom ruins-filled-with-deathtraps]] is one of TheOldestOnesInTheBook. This will also likely involve AncientAstronauts and have an AdventurerArchaeologist as one or more of the characters. Oddly enough the experiences of RealLife explorers did sometimes have a suspicious resemblance to this genre. We don't ''think'' that any secrets man was not meant to know have been discovered -- not that anyone would admit it if there have been some. Maybe [[TheWorldIsNotReady the world was not yet ready]]?

This is a speculative tale that takes place in undiscovered or semidiscovered country in the present or "recent" (usually no earlier than the early 20th century) past supposedly on this Earth. As opposed to say a HighFantasy in a [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy Medieval setting]], or a SpaceOpera in a far future-like setting. As the title indicates it often takes place in a tropical rain forest though that is not necessary. The key point is that WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief is provided primarily by the use of settings that are regarded as exotic, mysterious, dangerous and above all, far away by most readers, yet still on this world; rather then providing a whole imaginary world "in a galaxy far away". A typical setting for instance, might be TheAmazon, DarkestAfrica, or TheShangriLa. There are occasional similarities with the SpaceOpera, the two genres can each borrow tropes normally associated with each other and there is potential for crossovers (aliens can for instance kidnap the intrepid explorers, or perhaps a Space Opera can have a story take place on a jungle planet). However some elements of a Jungle Opera can be less flexible than other speculative sub-genres by the nature of operating in "closer proximity" (so to speak) to RealLife.

Often involves a LostWorld. In some versions the story is about a quest to find this, and a Lost World is a {{MacGuffin Location}}.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* Any ''MarvelUniverse'' comic that takes place in the Savage Land, home to Ka-Zar.

[[folder: Film ]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado''. Two con men find a fabulously wealthy Central American city and try to save it from a HumanSacrifice-happy high priest and conquistadors.

* Played surprisingly straight in ''Film/TheJungleBook'', considering it was made in 1994.

* Every version of ''Film/KingKong'' has elements of this.
** ''Film/KongSkullIsland'' is probably the most straightforward example, as that film is set almost entirely on the eponymous island.

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Newspaper Comics ]]
* ''ComicStrip/JungleJim''

[[folder: Pinball ]]
* ''Pinball/{{Congo}}'' is about an expedition into a jungle that uncovers a lost city and a diamond mine.

[[folder: Radio]]
* ''Radio/MoonOverAfrica'' is a classic example, a story about an explorer searching through DarkestAfrica for {{Atlantis}} and encountering horror, mystery, magic, and {{Lost World}}s galore.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* One of the most popular genres for early [[TextAdventure interactive fiction]], with examples like ''Kukulcan'', ''Savage Island'', and ''Island Adventure,'' it mostly fell out of favor by the late 1980s.

[[folder: Webcomics]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* Elements of this turn up in a few of Creator/RayHarryhausen's movies about Literature/SinbadTheSailor, particularly the latter two, ''Film/TheGoldenVoyageofSinbad'' (which involves green-skinned primitive tribespeople, the lost civilization of Lemuria, and a FountainOfYouth) and ''Film/SinbadAndTheEyeOfTheTiger'' (which involves the tropical LostWorld of Hyperborea hidden past Arctic ice, and populated by [[FrazettaMan giant cavemen]] and sabre-tooth cats).

* ''Radio/MoonOverAfrica'' is a classic example, a story about an explorer searching through DarkestAfrica for {{Atlantis}} and encountering horror, mystery, magic, and LostWorld{{s}} galore.

** The genre is evoked by the classic ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' adventure ''Isle of Dread'' and the less-classic ''Isle of the Ape''.
** The ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' adventure path ''Serpent's Skull'' (exploring ancient temples in the jungle) wallows in the tropes of JungleOpera [[spoiler:(though the AncientAstronauts are replaced by earthbound reptilian {{Precursors}}).]]

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'', as part of Scrooge [=McDuck=]'s frequent globetrotting treasure hunts.

* ''Literature/{{Tarzan}}''
* The Jack West series by Creator/MatthewReilly.

* The beginning of ''IronMan Noir'' features this.