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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
 Posted - 09/14/2010 : 3:31:06 PM
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Good review Wanda...
We saw it on Maui last time out and I would agree with your review. I had no significant problem with the Peruvian Lady playing the title role. Trying to find a reasonable look-alike who is also a Hawaiian native and also a semi-decent actress must have been daunting. After all Ka'iulani was half Scottish and that made a significant difference in her appearance. Not only Kalakaua but Lili`uokalani got somewhat of a "short-shrift" in the movie ("I will not stand for this Constitution" was about all she got), but like you said, the focus was mostly on Ka'iulani's personal life.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 09/14/2010 3:32:25 PM |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2010 : 06:28:40 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Lawrence
Trying to find a reasonable look-alike who is also a Hawaiian native and also a semi-decent actress must have been daunting.
I have a casting-director friend on O`ahu who would strongly disagree; she says she could have found dozens easily.
Having said that, I've no problem with the actress they did choose; she put in a fine performance. But you sure could tell who were and who were not native speakers of `olelo Hawai`i. It would be like hearing a conversation between no`eau and myself (if I could converse comfortably in the language) - you'd be able to spot my "training" in a heartbeat. |
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2010 : 08:07:50 AM
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The focus of the movie was on Ka`iulani's personal life in England, but what I've read said very little about her personal life at that stage. I'm not sure any of the romantic stuff in the movie can be documented as fact. More reading is in order, as the time constraints of a movie can't be sufficient to tell the whole story.
Unko Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
Edited by - rendesvous1840 on 09/15/2010 08:09:20 AM |
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Hookani
Lokahi
232 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2010 : 09:31:40 AM
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| Although I have not seen the movie yet, we must remember is that it is a movie and not a documentary. Just like how Titanic was a movie and not a documentary so you'd expect some creative embellishments but I think a documentary was included with the DVD if I'm not mistaken. That I'd like to see. |
Ke Kani Nahe
YouTube
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2010 : 09:39:09 AM
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Not really much of a documentary in the DVD, but interviews with the folks who starred in the movie (including that clip of Ocean where he was wiping tears from his eyes - and made me cry too); a little bit about the history of the overthrow.
It did have the point of view that a) Ka`iulani had much more grace and nobility and humility than the high makamkaka folks she was living with in Scotland. b) She was very mature for her age, with a wisdom and eloquence that was beyond her chronological years. c) She had Hawai`i in her blood and nothing was going to keep her from fulfilling her kuleana (except her death, aue.)
I am going to watch it again to catch stuff I missed first time around.
Derek does bring up a good point to remind me that it is a work of fiction based on some actual facts, as well. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2010 : 09:41:27 AM
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And what Retro said about telling who was native speaker and who was not...for realz.
I cannot tell you how many different ways people said Ka`iulani, both during the movie as well as in the interviews with cast members -- even Ka`iulani herself. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Hookani
Lokahi
232 Posts |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 09/16/2010 : 01:13:53 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Hookani
so it didn't have this documentary in the DVD? On the Princess Kaiulani facebook page it says it was supposed to come with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bClKEtldB9c
Well....
When the movie was pau, Paul thought the heading for the documentary was to watch the film again, and we didn't watch it. He skipped over that. So we watched it last night. That part was very good. It did give a pretty good history of her life and focused quite a bit on the overthrow. The best part of that was that they talked story quite a bit with Puakea Nogelmeier. He made it VERY plain that the Annexation Treaty was not a treaty. A treaty was an agreement between two nations and this annexation action was merely a resolution in Congress. Kinda like Clinton's Apology. It really has no legal weight. Hawai`i did not agree to the annexation. Puakea made it plain to anyone watching this film that Hawai`i is a sovereign nation.
For that documentary part on the DVD... I applaud them. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
Edited by - wcerto on 09/16/2010 01:14:52 AM |
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islandboo
Lokahi
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - 09/16/2010 : 12:06:45 PM
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| I wonder if part of the reason that they went with Q'orianka Kilcher as opposed to a Hawaiian actress was because she was someone with at least some name recognition among the general public, and particularly with historical drama fans. |
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The film: Princess Kaiulani
