The Naked Prey is a 1965 American adventure film[3] directed and co-produced by Cornel Wilde, who also stars in the lead role.

In colonial era South Africa, a professional safari guide leads a haughty investor and his troop on an elephant hunt through the African veldt.

The guide demands that they be paid, but the expedition's investor ignores this advice, brushes the Africans aside, and knocks down the tribal leader, who is barring his way.

No violent retribution immediately occurs, and the Europeans are allowed to walk past the warriors guarding their border.

The lead pursuer, now running closely behind him, is shot dead by rifle fire from the fort's soldiers, just a second before the warrior can land a fatal blow.

[8] The minimal dialog, richly realized African settings, and emphasis on making "the chase (and violent combat along the way) a subject unto itself, rather than the climax to a conventional story"[9] distinguish Naked Prey as an innovative and influential adventure film.

[11] Robert Alden of The New York Times, reacting to the brutality of some of the early scenes, dismissed the film as "poor and tasteless motion-picture entertainment", but did acknowledge its "authentic African setting" and "effective use of tribal drums and native music.

"[12] Roger Ebert of Chicago Sun-Times, taking a different tack, called The Naked Prey "pure fantasy" of the "great white hunter" variety, "Sure, it's nice to think you could outrun half a dozen hand-picked African warriors simply because you'd been to college and read Thoreau, but the truth is they'd nail you before you got across the river and into the trees.

[19] The soundtrack consists of African tribal chants, natural sounds, and occasional dialogue, in English and otherwise.

[21][22] As teenagers, Joel and Ethan Coen shot their own version of The Naked Prey on a Super 8 film camera.

[24] The progressive rock group Coheed and Cambria was originally named Shabütie after the African chant from the film.

In the first scene of the Mad Men season 5 episode "Far Away Places," Abe coaxes a distracted and reluctant Peggy to go see the film with him.

In the movie Where's Poppa?, the main character's brother (played by Ron Leibman) is regularly mugged while taking a shortcut through Central Park.