October 31, 2014
Producer defends Dead Land’s violence
One of the producers of The Dead Lands says it was designed to be an action film, and violence is part of the genre.
The film has been slammed by Waikato University academic Leonie Pihama as violent, stereotypical and not an authentic Maori movie.
Tainui Stephens says the Maori dimension is an important part of the film, but it doesn’t pretend to be an authentic recreation of pre-European Maori life.
"And it is just a tale. It’s very much boys and their killing toys, like so many action films are. When we made this film we wanted to make it for a particular market, we wanted it to be successful for those fans of the genre," he says.
Tainui Stephen says Dr Pihama’s definition of a Maori film is something with Maori writers, directors and producers has passed its use by date, and Maori don’t want to be stuck in a box.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH TAINUI STEPHENS CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjM2MDg=
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