GORILLAS IN THE MIST, Sigourney Weaver, 1988, (c)
Universal/courtesy Everett CollectionEverett  Few movies can
boast a real-world impact, but "Gorillas in the Mist," the
biopic of slain primatologist Dian Fossey, is one of them.
Released 25 years ago (on September 23, 1988), the film alerted
the world to the plight of the endangered Rwandan gorillas that
she'd spent 20 years studying, prompting charitable efforts that
have helped preserve the primates and conserve their habitat.
But as familiar as Fossey's story is (thanks to the movie),
there's still much that remains shrouded in mystery, from the
identity of Fossey's killer to how Sigourney Weaver was able to
ingratiate herself with Fossey's own gorillas during the
filming. Here's the details behind the film, including the
hardships involved in making it, which gorillas were fake, and
what became of the poacher-threatened primates after the movie
crew left.  1. Producer Arne Glimcher and Universal had acquired
the movie rights to "Gorillas in the Mist," Fo