Ten Canoes - film reviewed in 'thelondonpaper'

[Jodie]

Has anyone seen or even heard of this film?

Ten Canoes - four stars, reviewed by Stuart McGurk
"Anthropology and Hollywood - together at last! To say that Rolf de Heer's Ten Canoes
is not your average film is an understatement. Set more than 1,000 years ago in
Northern Australia and notable for being the first film to be shot entirely in Aboriginal
languages, it manages to mix European and Yolngu expectations of narrative."

"A tale within a tale, Ten Canoes begins with a goose-egg hunt (shot in a black and
white reminiscent of the famous Arnhem Land photographs by anthropologist Donald
Thomson) where an elder tells his younger brother a tale of jealousy."

"not a lot happens (very slowly)"

"Ten Canoes is a witty, warm parable that's part-morality play, part campfire tale.
Highly recommended."

Film's website:
http://www.tencanoes.com.au/tencanoes/info.htm

The press kit contains a 22 page synopsis!
http://www.tencanoes.com.au/tencanoes/pdf/Background.pdf

 

[jojo]

I was just reading the review in The big Issue: .....ten canoes is terrifc stuff. I do'nt know much about Aboriginal traditions, but the digressive, conversational, back and forth structure of Ten Canoes has the genuine ring of a tale told around a camp fire.... a work that follow ancient oral narrative practices .. great natural grace, the film is a thing of beauty, with deep roots.
It sounds like a good film worth seeing.

 

[Jodie]

I was wondering if there was electricity at the moot and if anyone had ever brought along
a laptop and projector. Obviously I appreciate that it's not quite the spirit of the thing to
sit down and watch telly but there's nothing like seeing a good film outdoors. That one
sounds like it might fit the bill.

Saw the Wicker Man (for free) at the London amphitheatre last year and it was just
amazing. Also the Night of the Hunter outside at Somerset House. Am a huge fan of
outdoor movies.

I might have to inaugurate a film festival

 

[pibbleb]

I saw a very small review on Friday or Sat on Sky news I think. The cinimatography looked stunning.

Pib

 

[Tengu]

I have a projector but if I bring it along we must use it to view things `I` like...

 

[swagman]

My girlfriend and i saw 10 canoes at the state cinema in Hobart and we rearly
enjoyed it .
It was humurous in places and the story keept our attention throughout the film.

I would definately recommend it.

 

[Jodie]

I have just seen this and it is wonderful. Gorgeous scenery - Arnhem Land really is
lovely with huge expansive landscapes and glorious pools of water through which
the characters canoe (or 'pole', using a... pole) to hunt for goose eggs, while telling
a story. It was unbelievably relaxing to watch - as if it was floating away in front
of you, and although the cinema was sparsely populated most of us stayed to watch
the end credits and listen to the backing track. Wonderful.

You lot would love it - much canoeing, creation of canoes from scratch - ripping
bark off, soaking it to soften it, plonking the bark on a fire to soften it further and
presumably dry it then shaping it and stitching it. Because of the crocs, when
out hunting and far from land the group built a platform in the trees.

And yes, there were ten of them

Fortunately, YouTube's bounty contains some trailers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7yMsWRzBzs
and here's what some of the locals thought of the film at its premiere:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzmALWVcgGk

 

[Marts]

Looks like it's also out on DVD from 24th September

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ten-Canoes-...2-6274235?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1186129391&sr=1-2

 

[Jodie]

Good spot
Thanks!