Once Were Warriors [Blu-ray]

Director: Lee Tamahori Lee Tamahori

Overview

This powerful drama was a major hit in its native New Zealand, outgrossing Jurassic Park in Kiwi cinemas. Jake and Beth Heke (Temurea Morrison and Rena Owen) are a couple of Maori descent who are living in a slum in Aukland. While it's obvious that they still love each other, Jake's alcoholism has driven a wedge into their relationship and has left their children emotionally scarred. Jake is charming while sober, but when drunk, he's a violent psychopath given to blink-of-an-eye mood changes and terrible cruelty against his loved ones. Liquor has also made it difficult for Jake to hold onto a job, leaving him dependent on the dole to feed his family. Nig (Julian Arahanga), Jake's oldest son, has turned his back on his father and joined a gang of Maori youths whose initiation rituals include tattooing and torture. Jake's 13-year-old daughter Grace (Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell) prefers to spend her time with her drug-addicted boyfriend -- rather than stay home and fight off the advances of her father's friends. And Boogie (Taungaroa Emile) ends up in juvenile hall when Jake's drinking prevents him from going to court to speak on Boogie's behalf. Once Were Warriors was based on an acclaimed novel by Alan Duff.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/06/2016
UPC:	0857692005864
Original Release:	1994
Rating:	R
Source:	Film Movement
Region Code:	A
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:42:00
Sales rank:	27,300

Special Features

Behind The Scenes Featurette; New Essay by Peter Calder

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Rena Owen	Beth Heke
Temuera Morrison	Jake Heke
Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell	Grace Heke
Julian (Sonny) Arahanga	Nig Heke,Nig Heke
Taungaroa Emile	Boogie Heke
Rachael Morris	Polly Heke
Joseph Kairau	Huata Heke,Joking Man Outside Club/Jake's Mate,Jake's Mate
Cliff Curtis	Bully
Pete Smith	Dooley
George Henare	Bennett
Mere Boynton	Mavis
Shannon Williams	Toot,Youth
Calvin Tuteao	Taka
Ray Bishop	King Hitter
Ian Mune	Judge
Te Whataniu Skipworth	Te Tupaea
Rangi Motu	Matawai
Robert Pollock	Policeman
Jessica Wilcox	Policewoman
Stephen Hall	Prosecuting Officer
Wiki Oman	Youth Advocate
Johnathon Wirem	Youth
Richard Meihana	Taunter in Court
Edna Stirling	Woman
Ngawai Simpson	Woman
Spike Kem	Old Drunk
Arona Rissetto	Nig's Friend
Fran Viveaere	Nig's Girlfriend
Charlie Tumahai	Karaoke Singer
Tama Renata	Party Guitarist
Guy Moana	Evicted Partygoer/Pub Customer
Maree Moschonas	Gang Rape Victim
Mac Hona	Core Gang Member
Percy Robinson	Core Gang Member
Jason Kerapa	Core Gang Member
Robbie Ngauma	Core Gang Member
James Dean Wilson	Core Gang Member,Jake's Mate
Chris Mason	Core Gang Member
Joseph Te Whiu	Jake's Mate
Jim Ngaata	Jake's Mate
David Rare	Jake's Mate
Donald Allen	Jake's Mate
Charles Marsh	Jake's Mate
Winstone Bedgood	Jake's Mate
Piki Mark	Jake's Mate
Royal Waa	Jake's Mate
Jack Grace	Jake's Mate
Manuel Apiata	Jake's Mate
George Tiopira	Jake's Mate
Maru Nihoniho	Jake's Mate
Jaye Cassidy	Jake's Mate
Hiraina Kume	Jake's Mate
Thomasina Perana	Jake's Mate
Julian "Sonny" Arahanga	Nig Heke
Te Skipwith	Te Tupaea
Richard Mehana	Taunter in Court
Riwia Brown	Bully's Girl
Murray Grindlay	Composer
Murray Mcnabb	Composer

Technical Credits

Riwia Brown

Lee Tamahori	Director
Robert Bruce	Stunts
Robin Scholes	Producer
Don Selwyn	Casting
Riwia Brown	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Films as honest and unforgiving as Once Were Warriors are rare. Many filmmakers espousing the stories and causes of oppressed minorities tend to glamorize the people they are promoting; not so New Zealand's Lee Tamahori. In his feature film debut, Tamahori throws an intense glare on the violent, alcoholic life of a Maori family, never bringing judgment or excuses to the story, based on a novel by Alan Duff. For her role as a woman buffeted by her drunken husband and her angry, bawdy, gangster son, Rena Owen was honored with a best actress award at the Montreal World Film Festival in 1994. Once Were Warriors is not easy to watch; Tamahori makes few compromises for the sake of entertainment in this bold, sometimes joyless, but finally exhilarating tale of overcoming poverty and social backwardness. The rough, raw footage is especially impressive considering that, a mere year later, Tamahori came to Hollywood and directed the slick, engaging, and persuasively American neo-noir thriller Mulholland Falls.