MovieChat Forums > Hawaii (1966) Discussion > This is a great movie

This is a great movie

posted 19 years ago by kolemani-1
2 replies | jump to latest

I first noticed what were definitely Polynesian actors on the cover of the DVD and considering it was a movie based on a subject matter I'm always interested in(when Europeans interfere with Native peoples,in particular Polynesians since I am one,and the effects the clash of cultures can have).I was a little unsure of the movie at first because I was thinking it was gonna be real preachy but I found it to be an awesome film,even it it did have some cuts(as I just read another post here).I am very impressed with the acting from all the cast and especially the performances given from Keoki and especially Ali'i Nui.She did a really good job especially considering this was her first and only movie.I couldn't see a movie like this being made today(esp since there wouldn't nearly be as many real Hawaiians available for extras or actors) and in my opinion there was a good balance of many perosectives in this film.It can get your mind racing.I myself have part Native Hawaiian blood and am always looking to find out more about my culture.I hope that people re-discovering or discovering this movie for the first time realize the struggles of Native Hawaiian people and trying to keep and in some cases find their own identity after being taken over by outside forces that still exist to this day.These problems are nothing new and at the same time have trouble getting old.I hope people will come away wanting to know a little more about the US' 50th "state" and find that it is more than a great tourist destination and that it is not just some place on a postcard.Well thats all and I enjoyed the acting,direction,dedication and even the great shots that were put into this film.Hawaiian's are still a dying race(fewer aborignal Hawaiians now) but there are many proud Natives(in the blood) and local Hawaiians(in spirit) that are still fighting to hold onto the culture and some of our traditions.My hats off to these people.

peace

[–] mikeflw1 9 years ago

Ten years later than your comment, and I just discovered the movie while flipping TV channels... and located and bought the 2006 DVD.

It is a good book/movie, and in several ways, if the movie reflects real life, Hawaiians were lucky that relatively benevolent people came to the islands. More on that later.

As far as (re)discovering their Hawaiian culture is concerned, I believe Sharespeare once wrote something to the effect of "we are all of us mutts", meaning intermarriage occurred back in the line of our ancestors. DNA tests can now (at least for now, before more intermixing occurs) determine individuals genetic heritage. One young woman who knew she was 100% African heritage was shocked when such a DNA study showed she had about 5% European heritage in her genes. Since she lived and was born in the USA, that probably meant one of her slave ancestors intermarried (or just procreated) with a slave master or foreman. That was quite a surprise to her.

Once the isolation of the islands ended, and (in this case) European sailors frequently visited the islands, intermixing undoubtedly occurred. There are many cases where that is "frowned upon" in modern times as well. My mother-in-law was French, but her mother had the audacity to marry out of her class to a 'peasant' man, and my mother-in-law and her brother were pretty much shunned by her mother's family. That was how she ended up in America, married to an American...

Back in the times of the Roman Empire, the Romans overran whatever civilizations they chose. Later, the Spanish did the same, then the British, (and of course I have left out many others, and all others from other parts of the world).
So, there is my point about "relatively benevolent" newcomers to Hawaii. I could be mistaken, but even with the dwindling numbers of "pure Hawaiians" (whatever that means), there are most likely still a much higher percentage of survival there than many other places and cultures. The Native Austrailians (a really big island!) didn't do as well I suspect.

The Ali'i Nui's bloodline was continued by intermarriage/incest, and if the movie was true to real life, there will never be another true Ali'i Nui once that bloodline died out.
In the movie, that was the result of a clash of cultures.

All that provides plenty to think about.

[–] guely55 9 years ago

Great movie indeed!