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Director Vincent Ward and the River Queen

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

While not necessarily a household name like those of Steven Spielberg, Jerry Bruckheimer or even J. J. Abrams, Vincent Ward has managed to garner quite a decent following with his exciting repertoire of deeply thrilling and engaging masterpieces from Alien 3 to The Last Samurai and more recently a little film set in and around historical New Zealand titled River Queen.

While receiving only a limited theatrical release in the US, River Queen was a commercial success in the New Zealand and England box offices proving that you don’t have to be a native to make a film about another culture but it certainly helps. Born in Greytown, New Zealand, Vincent weaves a historical tapestry that is both emotional and personal and the narrative is made even more visceral by his own personal connection to it.

If you have not seen River Queen yet, and you appreciate films filled with believable characters then you need to get your hands on a copy of this film. Some theatres in the United States in places like Boston, Massachusetts show films like this on occasion but those of you who can’t make it to the theatres will have better luck firing up your Directv Massachusetts service or the like, or purchasing a copy online – either way, it’s worth it

Director Vincent Ward’s Award Winning Films

admin — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Vincent Ward was born in Greytown, New Zealand. He started out with his first film, Vigil in 1984. He is most famous for his art-house films, however he won two Oscar Nominations for the film, What Dreams May Come starring Robin Williams.

Alien 3

Called the “Greatest Sci-Fi movie ever made” by the London Times Online, Alien 3 is a science fiction horror film made by Vincent Ward in 1992. This movie is about an alien who is born in the prison of a starship and begins a killing spree.

River Queen

River Queen was made by Vincent Ward in 2005.I was looking for more information and found it here. River Queen is a film set in the year of 1868 during the war between Maori and the South Taranaki region in New Zealand. This film is about a young Irish lady who is caught in between both sides of the war.

Rain of the Children

Rain of the Children was a re-make of a documentary made by Vincent Ward in college when he was 21 years old. This movie is about an 80 year old woman who lived with her son who suffered from Schizophrenia. Rain of the Children is part documentary and part follow up film of the earlier version called In Spring One Plants Alone. The old woman got married, had 14 children and believed she was cursed after enduring so many tragedies.

Samantha Morton in Her Most Diverse Role

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Samantha Morton’s most diverse role was when she played Sarah O’Brien, a surgeon’s daughter who he personally trained in his technique and skill, in the 2005 movie River Queen in which she played an Irish woman who had fallen in love with a Mori man, Tommy Boy, and bore his son named Boy. Her son was stolen from her when he was but six tears old by his uncle Wiremu. She spends the next few years searching for her son as she travels with the Army, and committed friend Sgt. Doyle, ordered to clear the lands of the Mori.

She plays the pivotal role of woman torn between the love of her son, and a woman who wants to stop the fighting and killing between the tribe and the Army. She flip flops many times between doing what is right, and doing what she feels in just by helping to heal both sides wounded. In the end she falls in love with Wiremu, and now with the Army on her tail, she makes the decision to turn on all she knows in order to keep her son and the man she loves. The role was both pivoting and powerful role that not just any woman would have been able to pull off, with the exception of Samantha Morton.Still bored? Click to continue: The 9 O’Clock News – Wed 12 Mar

River Queen, New Zealand’s Award Winning Film

admin — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

River Queen is a 2005 New Zealand film by Vincent Ward, starring Samantha Morton and Kiefer Sutherland. The story is set is New Zealand in 1868 during Titokowaru’s War between the Mori and New Zealand colonial forces. Samantha Morton plays Sarah O’Brien, a New Zealand woman whose half Mori son has been kidnapped by his grandfather. She eventually finds her son in the village of his father’s tribe. Their attachment to each other grows. As well as her attachment to the village when she nurses the chief back to health and falls in love with a villager.I found some more information here. Her happiness is disturbed when the chief declares war on her colony and her son wants to fight. Sarah is left torn between the home she has grown to love and the home that’s always been there for her.

River Queen tells a tale of love and loyalty which has captured the hearts of many. Vincent Ward delivers an authentic story that gains the approval of critics and the locals of New Zealand. It has topped the box office in its first week of release. And, has gone on to win several awards for its successful production. This film is now a must see for any movie lover!

River Queen, Quite Possibly New Zealand’s Best Movie

admin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

River Queen, released in 2005, had some mixed reviews upon it’s released, but nevertheless performed extremely well at teh box office. It offers up some outstanding underrated performances, by Samantha Morton, Kiefer Sutherland and Cliff Curtis. River Queen is a brilliant historical drama set in the 1860′s. The film takes place in New Zealand. The brilliantly and effortlessly focuses on the Whanganui River Valley and an Irish settlers, seven year tireless search to find her son. Her son was kidnapped by his Maori Grandfather.Didn’t catch that? This explains it. While the mother is embarking on a journey to find her kidnapped son, the colonials and Maroi’s are engaged in guerrilla warfare. Vincent Ward, directed this brilliant fill in an extraordinary fashion. This film most probably is the best most thought provoking film with a Maori theme ever made. If nothing else, the setting and photography, and beautiful scenery, are worth the film experience alone. Many of the cultural references made throughout the film are extremely relevant today. Woven into the film are native ‘hakas’ or better known as war dances, that have been adapted today by many West Coast College Football teams. The Maori language is spoken throughout the film but is translated to other languages.