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Ten Canoes (2006)

Starring: David Gulpilil; Crusoe Kurddal; Jamie Dayindi Gulpilil Dalaithngu; Richard Birrinbirrin; Peter Minygululu; Frances Djulibing; Sonia Djarrabarlminym; Cassandra Malangarri Baker; Philip Gudthaykudthay; Jamie Gulpilil Director: Rolf de Heer Rating: Unrated Format: DVD

4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Actors: David Gulpilil; Crusoe Kurddal; Jamie Dayindi Gulpilil Dalaithngu; Richard Birrinbirrin; Peter Minygululu; Frances Djulibing; Sonia Djarrabarlminym; Cassandra Malangarri Baker; Philip Gudthaykudthay; Jamie Gulpilil
Directors: Rolf de Heer
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 1
Rating: Unrated
Studio: Palm Pictures
DVD Release Date: September 25, 2007
Run Time: 92 minutes

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

ASIN: B000S8CLSS
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #35,077 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
An art-house film filled with more humor and skilled acting than most Hollywood blockbusters, Ten Canoes is a wry story within a story. The tone of the film is set when narrator David Gulpilil (Crocodile Dundee) says, "Once upon a time in a land far, far away...." He stops himself with a warm, hearty chuckle and adds, "I'm only joking." Director Rolf de Heer does a fine job with his cast of novice actors, who depict a life most moviegoers are unfamiliar with. Set in Australia's far northern Arnhem Land, the film--which won the Special Jury Prize at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival--tells the tale of friendship, deception, and forbidden love. Ten tribesmen venture on a trip where they will build canoes, gather food, and gossip about their sexual prowess and their wives. During the trip, Minygululu (Peter Minygululu) regales his younger brother Dayindi (played by David Gulpilil's son, Jamie Gulpilil) with stories of a man who lusts after his older sibling's wife. It is giving nothing away to reveal that Dayindi has a crush on Minygululu's youngest bride. Handled differently, the film could've been saddled with the ick factor of siblings chasing after the same young woman. But the way de Heer presents it, it is a parable that distinguishes between right and wrong, in an entertaining and non-judgmental way. Cinematographer Ian Jones is to be commended for his amazing work. He frames the shots in a superb fashion and showcases the raw beauty of the land--and the people--that time has forgotten. --Jae-Ha Kim

Product Description
Bonus Features:
Balanda and the Bark Canoes: The Making of Ten Canoes (12min)
Aerial Map of Arnhem Land
Interview with Peter Djigirr
Interview with Director Rolf de Heer
Photo Gallery: Thomson Photographs Revisited
US Theatrical Trailer
Study Guide (DVD-Rom)

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.0 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ancient Culture Becomes Transcendent Through Modern Cinema., October 1, 2007

By	mirasreviews (McLean, VA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER) (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

"Ten Canoes" unusual story-within-a-story structure allows a glimpse of one Indigenous Australian culture while it offers a timeless fable with enough drama to satisfy both Western and Yolngu tastes. The film was conceived by writer/director Rolf de Heer as a project for and about the native people of Arnhem Land in Northern Australia, from whence his friend actor David Gulpilil, who narrates the film, hails. The film's style and narrative structure were inspired by the photographs of anthropologist Dr. Donald Thomson, who took over 4,000 pictures of the Yolngu people in the 1930s while their ancient traditions were still widely practiced, including an iconic photo of ten canoeists on a goose egg hunt.

As the film opens on the beautiful blue and green of Arnhem Land, a Storyteller (David Gulpilil) introduces us to a story of his people, of the young man Dayindi (Jamie Gulpilil) who covets the youngest wife of his older brother Minygululu (Peter Minygululu). While Dayindi experiences his first goose egg gathering expedition with the men in Arafura Swamp, his brother tells him a tale of their ancient ancestors to guide him: Among the ancients, there was a young man, Yeeralparil, who also fancied the youngest of his warrior brother Ridjimiraril's (Crusoe Kurddal) wives. One day, a Stranger (Michael Dawu) appeared in camp to trade objects of sorcery. He was sent on his way with food and good wishes, but a cloud of misfortune and ill will remained behind.

"Ten Canoes" offers drama, humor, and a striking visual exploration of a traditional culture and the lands that shaped it for millennia. The goose egg hunt sequences are in black-and-white, placing them in "Thomson Time", as they recall and dramatize the photographs that captured that annual ritual. It seems strange at first to see a sun-drenched swamp in black-and-white, but the heavily highlighted foliage lends the scenes an appropriate mythical quality. Working with mostly non-professional actors who speak limited English, in keeping with their tribal laws, presented some hurdles which were surmounted in part due to the efforts of actor Peter Djigirr, whom Rolf de Heer credits as co-director. There is nothing remarkable about the story told in "Ten Canoes" but the telling itself is hypnotic and transcendent. In English and Ganalbingu with optional English subtitles.

The DVD (Palm 2007): There are 5 bonus features. "The Batandu and the Bark Canoes" (51 min) is a documentary narrated by Rolf de Heer about making the film, from its inspiration, to casting, the obstacles of traditional kinship laws, working with the actors, etc. It's an interesting and well-produced sort of director's journal. "Aerial Map of Arnhem Land" (3 min) is an attractive aerial survey of the area that zooms in and out on its own. "Thomson's Photographs" (3 min) is a slideshow of some of Donald Thomson's photos compared to the film, which attempts to recreate them. "An Interview with Director Rolf de Neer" (4 min) talks about the evolution of the idea for the film. "An Interview with Peter Djigirr" (4 min) discusses the meaning of the film to Yolngu culture.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Aboriginal adventure downunder, December 21, 2007

By	Enrique Torres "Rico" (San Diegotitlan, Califas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

As art house films go, this movie is very good, maybe even exceptional. On the other hand, if you like Hollywood type movies, than you might want to pass. However, even if you are not inclined to the type of movies that don't get the publicity or distribution and are stacked thirty deep at your local movie rental conglomerate four months later, you still might enjoy this movie. Remember the Australian classics The Last Wave - Criterion Collection, Walkabout - Criterion Collection? Well, this will probably someday be considered alongside those movies as great movies from Australia. Coincidently , David Gulpili, who starred in the aforementioned movies, narrates , often times tongue in cheek, and as he says ,that is another story. The storytelling is superb, a story within a story, an adventure for the ages and a moral tale that doesn't club you upside the head. The humor is great, it is funny stuff that transcends the cultural differences.The scenery is spectacular, especialy on your giant screen with surround sound. You will feel as if you are walking with the aborigines. The mixture of mystical shamans beliefs and otherworldly scenery, shifting from black and white to color is hallucinatory and adds an extra dimension to an already multi-layered on many levels movie. The ages old lust-for-your-brother's wife is the vehicle for the narration as you join in the adventure two fold(two different time periods)in creating ten canoes from scratch(pulling the bark)as the men embark on a journey that reveals the past in the present. One of the features to not be missed is the making of the movie extra that is included. The directors, Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr, take you through the scenes and you see just how difficult it was to get the aboriginal "actors" to act so naturally. It is amazing because they come across so natural in their roles, but it did require alot of coaching. The directors, did a marvelous job and the result was a superb movie. If you are in the mood for some National Geographicesque tribal scenes (some nudity), exotic landscapes and an adventure back in time, then check out this Australian flick that is soon to be a classic.

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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ten stars for Ten Canoes, February 9, 2007

By	prawnhead (wollongong nsw) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ten Canoes [Region 2] (DVD)

I am very surprised at the first review that has been posted. If the story didn't capture your imagination, then I cannot comprehend how the cinematography didn't - visually, it is amazing and beautiful!

If you want un-subtle hollywood-type action, then this film is definitely not for you - you will not be spoon-fed. It is humourous (not in an overt, shove-it-in-your-face way), and the characters well developed (also unheard of in most mainstream h-films). The shifting time structures also emphasise the way that the oral tradition is used within the film. For those with time to allow their imagination to go beyond the horizon, then I would definitely recommmend this film for you!

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Aboriginal Magic
"Ten Canoes" is an extraordinary movie about the indigenous Aboriginal natives from the Arnhem region of Australia. Read more

Published 1 month ago by R. Crane

2.0 out of 5 stars unique setting can't overcome dull storytelling
**1/2

Despite its exquisitely photographed and exotic locale, "Ten Canoes" is strictly for those who still need a bedtime story to help them fall asleep. Read more

Published 12 months ago by Roland E. Zwick

2.0 out of 5 stars Cute, politically correct daycare production.
Kids MIGHT like it - this ' yet another ' visit to the underpriveleged (??) circles so overused today.

Cute, but no cigar ! Read more

Published 15 months ago by Wayne Beaupre

5.0 out of 5 stars Yolngu Ethnographic Record
Illustrating their culture through oral story-telling, using narration in the original ancient language, fusing archival still photographs throughout the film, accentuating the... Read more

Published 15 months ago by RHC

5.0 out of 5 stars Visual Experieince
This is a very interesting film. It is not an action movie and does not have much of a story line. Nothing much happens, but you are part of a fantasic visual experience. Read more

Published 17 months ago by C. Travis

5.0 out of 5 stars Ten Canoes to yous
Ten canoes is a charming, delightful in depth look into the aborigines of Australia. The film captures the beauty of Australia's Northern Territory as it opens upon the green... Read more

Published 20 months ago by J. Connor

4.0 out of 5 stars A Rewarding Cinematic Glimpse into the Aboriginal Culture
The best film I've seen about the aboriginal culture of Australia.

After watching this film for 10-15 minutes, the viewer either will be intrigued by the story,... Read more

Published 21 months ago by D. Hupp

4.0 out of 5 stars something from-outer-space
Nothing originates in vacuum and "Ten Canoes" is a distinct mark of Rolf de Heer's creative development very much signified with Bad Boy Bubby explicitly. Read more

Published 24 months ago by Michael Kerjman

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Adventure to an Unknown Land
This is a wonderful film based on an ancient Aboriginal tale that is interwoven with a story from a 1000 years ago. Read more

Published on April 24, 2007 by DCLO

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Film - hope it becomes more widely available
I just saw this excellent film at a local College's International Film Program and I'd like to thank them for making it available - Thanks, Eckerd College! Read more

Published on April 23, 2007 by Joshu Jones

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