10 Greatest Prequel Movies Of All-Time

This very underrated prequel to Zulu deserves a lot more attention than that which it has received; what in itself stands as a fine and resonant slice of '70s filmmaking has been left by the wayside on account of its admittedly better predecessor (or successor, depending on how you look at it).

A shame, considering that Zulu Dawn - which stars Henry Fonda and Burt Lancaster - is, in a few ways, superior to the original. It's a lot grittier, for starters, and isn't afraid to show the horrors of war in a more candid fashion.

The film is a prequel in the loosest sense of the word, really, given that it contains none of the same characters as the first flick. What it does do, is depict the beginnings of the Anglo-Zulu feud that drives the conflict at the core of the original movie, and the resulting Battle of Isandhlwana.

The production values here are top notch, with particular notice to the costumes and period recreation on-location. It all feels vividly real, especially in its battle scenes.

Where Zulu Dawn stands out most, however, is in its bleakness; this picture doesn't cling to the same heroic ideals as the first movie (we already know how things turn out, given that the opening shot in Zulu shows the aftermath of the Battle of Isandhlwana - it isn't good) and the British are generally depicted to be smug and cocksure in their approach to the mounting situation.

As any good prequel should, Zulu Dawn renders the events depicted in Zulu more resonant; the Battle of Rourke's Drift is made even richer on its account.