Once Were Warriors cover

 Once Were Warriors still

Once Were Warriors - 1994




Communicado - 105 min.
DVD UPC # 79043637025; 774212111235; 9315842020361; 5017239190223; 9339065002317(Blu-ray)

Cast: Temuera Morrison, Rena Owen, Anita Ker-Bell, Taungaoa Emile, Julian Arahanga, Rachael Morris, Cliff Curtis, Ray Bishop, Calvin Tuteau.
Screenplay: Riwia Brown (from the book by Alan Duff); Photography: Stuart Dryburg; Editor: Michael Horton; Music: Murray Grindlay, Murray McNabb, Herbs; Producer: Robin Scholes; Director: Lee Tamahori.
A hard-hitting drama portraying a Maori family stuck in the state housing of South Auckland. Jake, the father, rejected by his wife's tribe and laid off from work, contents himself by drinking with his mates in the local booze barn and partying at night. Like several of the men, he is not slow to use his fists and boots on anyone who riles him, including his wife. During the film the oldest son is inducted into a gang, another son is put away for stealing, and the 13-year-old daughter commits suicide after being raped by her uncle. First NZ film to gross more than $6 million. A much awarded film that should be seen, but not by young children.

Censor rating: RP16 - Review rating: B+

AVAILABILITY OF VHS OR DVD COPIES

New NTSC VHS or R1 DVDs will average $16us. New PAL VHS copies sell for about 9# or $24nz. R2 DVDs can be purchased for 12# or 10eur. R4 DVDs for about $15au or $20nz. Expect used copies to sell for at least 50% new prices. The R1 DVD is a 1.85 anamorphic presentation, but not 16x9 enhanced, with dolby digital 5.1 and includes extras of a "Behind the Scenes" featurette, trailers, major cast & director Bios a stills gallery and a optional director's commentary track.
There is a "Collector's Edition" R4 version, released in Australia and New Zealand. It is a digitally restored print with a "Behind the Scenes"featurette, interviews with the cast, trailers, a Tamahori short - 'Thunderbox', optional director's commentary track and music videos. It is 16x9 enhanced and the sound is 5.1 surround or 5.1 dts. It sells for about $20au or $20nz. The R4 Collector's Edition disc is the one to have.
Dendy(Au) has recently released an all-region PAL Blu-ray version which is selling for $25-35au. it contains all the same extras present on the R4 dvd indicated above. It is presented 1.78:1 1080i (yes, that is 1080i, not 1080p) with audio of English DTS HD Master 5.1 or English Dolby Digital 5.1.

DVD Movie avi Download - as low as $2us - depending upon size/quality. Also free 2-3 minute preview download and stills from the film. No special program needed to view - no viewing limit.


SOUNDTRACK ON AUDIO CD

Click for Once Were Warriors CD Details


REVIEWS & MISC.

1996 New Zealand Stamps First Day Cover which includes "Warriors" stamp.

"The Making of Once Were Warriors" -12 min. clip

New Zealand Film Archive Info and Reviews

Siskel and Ebert Video Review

Laserdisc info at IMDB

DVD Compare's Review

Michaeldvd Region 4 Reviews

North & South Review

All Movie Guide Review

Movie Review Query - 46 articles

rec.arts.movies.reviews

Study Guide at University of Wisconsin

Four Word Film Review

"The only colors Maori had available to them for hundreds and hundreds of years were black, red, and white. These are predominantly themes in Maori art and culture. Even though we were making this film about an alienated urban family, I wanted to keep these very earthy, organic colors saturated into the picture. So through a filtering process which we did in the laboratory in order to enrich skin tones, we got a good, rich sepia look. And then, art direction-wise, we took every primary color out, except red, and just had it black, gray, and brown. It gets into your psyche, that's the stuff that cinema can do so well." - (Robert Sklar, "Social Realism with Style, an interview with Lee Tamahori", Cineaste )

"It could be argued that Tamahori overdoes the level of violence, over- stating his point and risking the alienation of his target audience. But this is an in- your- face slice of realism, and the violence is certainly not exaggerated. Rena Owen plays Beth with distinction, creating a believably passionate woman whose life hasn't turned out the way she planned. As Jake, Temuera Morrison manages to invest this brutal, shiftless character with charm..." - (David Stratton, Variety, May 30, 1994)

OFFLINE REVIEW SOURCES

Bulletin, v.116no.5949(Dec.6 1994)
Dominion, May 28, 1994
Entertainment weekly, no.265(Mar.10 1995)
Filmnews, v.25 issue 1(Mar.Apr.1995)
Guardian weekly, v.152no.17(Apr.23 1995)
Listener, v.143no.2822(May 14 1994)
Metro (Melbourne), no.101(1995)
New musical express, 15 Apr., 1995
New republic, issue 4184(Mar.27 1995)
New Zealand herald, May 13, 1994
Quote, unquote, no.11(May 1994)
Sight and sound, v.5,issue 4(Apr.1995)
Sunday star-times, May 8, 1994


TRAILER & AWARDS

Official Trailer

Information at IMDB

1994 - Venice Film Festival - Anica-Flash Best First Film Award
1994 - San Diego International Film Festival - Best Actress: Rena Owen
1994 - Montreal World Film Festival - Best Actress: Rena Owen; Grand Priz des Ameriques; Prize of the Ecumenical Jury; Public Prize.
1994 - New Zealand Film Awards - Best Film; Drector; Screenplay; film score; Supporting Actress: Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell; Actor: Tenuera Morrison; Juvenile: Taungaroa Emile.
1995 - Australian Film Institute - Best Foreign Film
1995 - Fantasporto - Best Actress: Rena Owen; Critic's Award: Special Mention
1995 - Rotterdam International Film Festival - Best Actress: Rena Owen.


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