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Author Topic: Whale Rider Joe Beres Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 606 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 03-11-2003 09:07 AM                     Whale Rider is a beautiful film from New Zealand. I believe it will be opening on a limited basis in the US this June. I don't want to give too much away about the plot, but I would highly recommend this film. It tells the story of a younf Maori girl who has to fight her way through the sexism of her Grandfather, culture and ancestry to try to prove who she is. The cinemascope cinematography is quite beautiful. The story is strong, and some of the performances are incredible. The young girl who plays Pai did an incredible job. Do not miss this if you get the chance to see it.  |  IP: Logged Ian Price Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1714 From: Denver, CO Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-12-2003 01:54 PM                     Some of us, but not many saw Whale Rider at the Independent Film Night at ShoWest. I enjoyed it and feel it will do well in the Art Houses.  |  IP: Logged Peter Berrett Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 602 From: Victoria, Australia Registered: Nov 2000 posted 05-01-2003 09:25 AM                        Attendance May 1 2003 6.30 P.M. Palace Cinema Balwyn Premiere Screening A very enjoyable night was had tonight at the premiere screening (In Melbourne) of Whale Rider. After walking up the red carpet that Palace Cinemas had rolled out, I proceeded inside the theatre which was devoted to the premiere screening for that night (Hey, who needs the Oscars when you can have this!) After a few sips of chardonney and a few minutes later, the din was shattered by the sound of a lady driver driving her Ford Fairlane into the back of a tram directly in front of the cinema! The two main stars of the film arrived and a traditional Maori welcome was extended by a Maori singing group standing at the top of the steps inside. After a few Maori songs we proceeded inside to receive our complementary chokkies. The stars of the film were introduced to us and then the film was screened. The scope print was flawless and the scenes of the east coast of the north island of New Zealand were stunning. This is a beautifully filmed movie and a visual feast. I won't give too much away about the plot except to say that the story centres around a Maori girl who is not accepted by her grandfather as he was seeking a grandson not a granddaughter. I'll leave it at that. The plot is resplendant in Maori culture, the performances authentic and convincing, and the movie, although a little slow at the beginning, thoroughly entertaining and meaningful. The movie had a budget of only $NZ6m but it has all the polish of a much more expensive movie. The movie is also a good introduction into Maori culture for outsiders and has a very spiritual edge to it. It is similar in some ways to Once Were warriors but without the violence and is much more positive. A great film with great actors. I gave it a deserved 9/10. In particular the 11 year old girl who carries the lead role is very, very good. It is hard to believe that she has no acting experience and this was her first movie. I don't know if this will fall under the 'Best Foreign Film' category or not but if so it should have a good chance of winning. cheers Peter  |  IP: Logged Ian Price Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1714 From: Denver, CO Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-01-2003 12:16 PM                     Peter, The category for the Oscar is actually for language other than English. It is the other countries that submit the films for nomination. I'm not sure how it works but El Norté was nominated in this category and it was filmed in L.A. I know that there was some Maori language in the film, however it is primarily in English.  |  IP: Logged Peter Berrett Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 602 From: Victoria, Australia Registered: Nov 2000 posted 05-01-2003 10:09 PM                        Well the New Zealand actors do mangle the english language a bit. They might yeet wun an ecedemy eward. cheers Peter  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 07-04-2003 10:55 PM                        Regal Village Square 18, screen #2, Monday 6/30/03, 4:45pm, $5.75 matinee Flat common-width screen, movable top and bottom masking, Christie package (as mentioned in the rolling stock), approx. 200 seats; about 30 people in attendance. This Regal location usually handles art and foreign product for the western side of Las Vegas (along with the Century Suncoast 16, and Regal's Colonnade 14 for the eastside). Theater looked clean (lobby, men's room, screen #2). The floor in the men's room is beginning to flex though--an odd sensation walking on a ceramic tile floor that "gives" under footfalls. This theater is running the video-based rolling stock "The 2wenty". There was a rather long pause (a couple of minutes) between the end of The 2wenty and the start of the 35mm trailers. Other Las Vegas Regal theaters I've been in had a much quicker (couple of seconds) video-to-35mm transition. Video runs on the 1.85 screen--masking moves in for the 2.39. The masking hardware was very squeeky and noisy--sounded like the stuff hadn't been lubed in a long time. 2.39 aperture showed soft and dirty edges on the screen. Focus and framing appeared adequate. Light level appeared adequate. Print was mostly clean but had a few backing-side scratches on a couple of reels. Reel joins were visible and audible. This print had several in-the-frame lab splices. Projection lens appeared to have oil on it--the projected image was hazy with high black levels due to flare. Sound level was fine, but sound kept reverting between digital (don't know what format) and SR especially on the first and last reels. Lots of digital mutes and skips. * * * * * I enjoyed this film very much, though I think the hype surrounding it might cause some to be a bit disappointed due to raised expectations. It is a quiet and understated low-budget film, competently put together. The little girl playing the lead character "Pai" (Keisha Castle-Hughes) is a revelation. What a remarkable, apparently effortless, completely natural, first-timer performance! I want to see this again (very rare for me these days) and will drag friends in to see it before it leaves. Well done!  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Cope Master Film Handler Posts: 256 From: Overland Park, KS, United States Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-08-2003 12:33 PM                     If this film was low budget, and I assume it was, they did a outstanding job with the cinematography (in scope no less) and achieved an overall excellence in film values. It's strange, but I thought this film captured the typical family experience more so than any film I can recall here in the U.S.  |  IP: Logged Charles Everett Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: New Jersey Registered: May 2001 posted 07-08-2003 04:23 PM                     Whale Rider is hardly low-budget. It's a New Zealand-Germany co-production and the German financing gave it a big-budget look. If this film "captured the typical family experience" why is Newmarket not putting Whale Rider in suburban megaplexes?  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 07-08-2003 05:06 PM                        At $4.3 million NZD I'd say it qualifies as low budget (I leave the NZ to US dollar conversion as an exercise for the reader). As to promotion, looks like Palm Pictures doesn't have much of a budget for that either. Judging by the numbers so far Whale Rider has good legs for an art/foreign picture (such a lable generally being the kiss of death in the US) brought about mostly by good word-of-mouth. Too bad--it really deserves to be put into more of the multiplexi.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Cope Master Film Handler Posts: 256 From: Overland Park, KS, United States Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-08-2003 05:29 PM                     While perfectly capturing the typical family experience, the story is hardly typical. I won't argue that this isn't a must see art film, but I happened to see this at an AMC 30.  |  IP: Logged Mark Lensenmayer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1605 From: Upper Arlington, OH Registered: Sep 1999 posted 07-24-2003 07:24 PM                     And I saw the film in an AMC 24-plex. It originally opened at a small independent art theatre a few weeks ago (one I rarely attend due to bad parking and small rooms), but it widened to 3 suburban multiplexes on 7/18. This is a beautiful movie. It was a little slow during the first 1/2, but picked up from there. The performances are so realistic that it had the feel of a documentary. The girl was just terrific. Keisha Castle-Hughes was only 11 or 12 when this was filmed, and the film just would not work without her moving performance. Beautiful and surprising ending. Not tear-enducing, but very touching. I would highly recommend this to someone looking for something different than the loud, banging summer blockbusters.  |  IP: Logged Pravin Ratnam Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 844 From: Atlanta, GA,USA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 07-28-2003 06:17 PM                     I enjoyed the movie a lot. While the critics may be overpraising the movie just a tad, it is still pretty good. And it is a GREAT family movie. I am sick of parents whining that there are not enough good movies for the entire family, yet they lazily take their kids to every single Disney movie without even considering better alternatives. Maybe there isn't enough family entertainment for them because the parents are too lazy to look. I think parents who took their kids to offensive dreck like Jungle 2 Jungle in the past but ignore movies like Whale Rider need to get parenting classes.  |  IP: Logged Paul Linfesty Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1383 From: Bakersfield, CA, USA Registered: Nov 1999 posted 10-13-2003 05:26 PM                     This finally came to Bakersfield as part of our local film society's series. This was not what I expected. For some reason I didnt know the film was from New Zealand. This is a stunningly beautifully told film about a culture most people have no knowledge of, yet the granddaughter's dreams to be somebody are pretty universal. A true family film in the best sense. Hopefully, people get to see this in a movie theatre.  |  IP: Logged Ian Price Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1714 From: Denver, CO Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-15-2003 12:53 PM                     Well, after 20-weeks, we are showing the final showing of Whale Ryder. And thanks to Film-Guard, our print looks great. It comes out of video, Tuesday, October 22nd.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Isaacs Film Handler Posts: 10 From: Papakowhai, Porirua, New Zealand Registered: Apr 2003 posted 12-02-2003 03:13 PM                     This was one excellent film and one that kept me thinking about it for weeks after.  |  IP: Logged

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