South Seas Cinema Genre

ON AN ISLAND WITH YOU last meeting

Upena haku — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 06:23:00 GMT

On Feb. 22nd the Society met on O'ahu. At the meeting we first shown a great short, a "60 Minute" segment on James Michener with Diane Sawyer. The segment has Sawyer taking Michener back to the actual islands where Michener was inspired to write the book "Tales of the South Pacific" which lead to the famous play and movie. It was at times an emotional documentary especially when Michener shows Diane the now ruins of the old plantation featured in the movie or when they both met the real Bloody Mary who in her late nineties was still alive. Great documentary. This TV segment was found on one of the special issued box sets of Rodgers & Hammerstein works like "Oklahoma" and "South Pacific". These sets included a book, soundtrack CD, special DVD of featurettes on the films and of course the DVD of the film itself. This "60 Minute" segment can also be found on the "Collector's Edition" of "South Pacific" DVD which can be bought in the SHOP page of southseascinema.org. The book, "The South Pacific Companion" can also be bought sparately at the same SHOP page under South Seas Cinema Books section (go to page 8 of that section).
The main feature "On an Island with You" is a fun movie which is about a South Seas Movie filming a South Seas Movie. Although not filmed in Hawaii (some exteriors filmed in Florida) it was set in Hawaii where a movie company is filming what looks like a cheesy South Seas flick. Some of the main actors playing actors in the film Ester Williams, Cyd Charisse and Ricardo Montalban have a mixed up love mess when the Naval adviser of the film played by Peter Lawford, kidnaps the star and girlfriend of Ricardo (Ester) and later Peter and Ester fall in real love. Today that would be stocking and Lawford would need a Psychiatrist to get over his obsession of Ester. Also stars Xavier Cugat with his chihuahua dressed in a hula outfit and Jimmy Durante. What was funny about the movie was not the usual fake Hawaii on stage but the even worst art direction of the South Seas movie within the movie with sandy blonde, brown painted native wahines (Ester and Cyd) and a awful music number with mixed Polynesian and South American Mayan cultures. Like an old Universal South Seas film. "On an Island", being a MGM movie, I wonder if this was a putdown of one of their rival studios?

Big Island of Hawaii South Seas Cinema meeting

Upena haku — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:11:00 GMT

This last Friday, Dec. 19th, 2008 we were treated to a great meeting, in a marvelous theater on a beautiful bay of the Big Island of Hawaii. Our host and South Seas Cinema Society's Big Island Branch President (and only member there) Roger Meeker introduced us to his new home theater with a curved "10-foot wide (132" diagonal) cinemascope (2.35:1) screen, DreamVision projector with anamorphic lens, and assorted killer electronics and speakers". Even though we viewed a non-Blu-ray version of THE BOUNTY with 5, yes 5 future and present Academy Award winners on DVD the movie looked spectacular on the super wide screen because of the Blu-ray/DVD player's upscaling. Thank you, President Meeker, for a memorable evening. Be prepared because now a few of us members will want to make a pilgrimage to your branch annually. Be prepared, Roger, with extra blankets and pillows!

I would ask who are the 5 Academy Award winners in the movie, THE BOUNTY (1984) ORION but you web cheaters would just go to IMBD.com or the southseascinema.org to get the answers, so here they are: Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Daniel Day-Lewis and Liam Neeson. Wow what a cast not to mention the hordes of beautiful "barely clad" tahines and idyllic island locations.

Summary Last Meeting: Sept. 21, 2008

Upena haku — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:48:00 GMT

Sorry, been gone for a while and I did not write a heads up for distant members on which film that we would be viewing for further online discussions.

Here is a summary:
First, Hawaii President Dan Long bought a new shack and wed a native wahine Tura. Dan's new house is the Society's unofficial world HQ whether he knows it or not or likes it or not. His new hale (home) feature a big 10 foot dia. screen and a blu-ray player which up scales regular DVDs to a higher resolution. Also a handful of big wall mounted LCD screens were found everywhere showing our feature film. Ample seating for everyone and displays of his prized South Seas 3-sheet posters and other South Seas original props, wardrobe and other posters are handsomely displayed around the main show room. Dan owns "Long's Audio Video" which supplies and installs AV gear for home theaters and furnishes the equipment for our viewing so I need to give his company a shout out.

Back to the meeting itself, We had to move up the meeting a week because one of SSCS founders and current California Branch President Ed Rampell and his wife Alma made a last minute trip to Hawaii and they were our honored guests. A few members RSVP'd that they were traveling (Cal, Marshall Is., and the arctic tundra-thank God for the Internet and emails) so we thought the turnout would be few but there was a lot of new faces and a crowded meeting. The theme for the meeting was HAWAII FIVE-O and "Women in the South Seas". FIVE-O which an episode was our opening short because the day before (Sept 20th) was the 40th anniversary of the popular TV shows premiere. Our main feature was SOUTH SEAS WOMEN one of three South Seas movies that Burt Lancaster did in 1953. This film also starred Virginia Mayo and Chuck Connors. Burt's other two movies that year: FROM HERE TO ETERNITY with an Oscar nomination and HIS MAJESTY O'KEEFE. Anyway Ed was to bring the movie with him from Cali so as a back up (in case he forgot to bring SOUTH SEAS WOMEN) I brought a rare and not yet released in the US film called RIVER QUEEN (2005) Silverscreen (NZ/UK), a story of a young Irish woman who immigrated to Aotearoa (NZ) in the middle of the Maori/English wars. She is caught in the middle with a father fighting for the British army and having fallen in love with a Maori teen and mothering a half cast son out of wedlock. Stars Samantha Morton, Rawiri Pene, Cliff Curtis, Temuera Morrison, Wi Kuki Kaa, Kiefer Sutherland and Stephen Rea. Rea is an Oscar nominee (CRYING GAME) and Curtis, Morrison and Kaa are all Maori's from our "Beach of Fame" page in our main southseascinema.org website. When I research this film on the web I knew this was a "must have" because of the cast alone. I found and bought (all on the web) the French version (which like most discs are English base so all one has to do is turn off the French sub titles and you got an English film) It was a legal but an international released film-not regional code so we were lucky. Rampell agreed this was a "must see" and insisted that we see it since no one in the room has seen it.

Turn out to be a good move and a great film. Long running but highly recommended. The script seemed true to history as far as back ground but the main theme of war, allegiance and stressful individual conflict is universal. The room was silent through the whole viewing until the end with huge applause. But of the discussion afterwards there was a theory that this film hasn't been distributed in the US because the US industry feels it is about a past war in a distant location and most centric American would not be interested. But judging by the crowd of over 80% American born members there was a very negative reaction to this probably true theory because "all these Americans" loved the movie. Typical of the bad decision making by the heads of Hollywood. The Irish river queen fit with the night's theme as well a tiny tribute to Dan's new wife Tura for letting Dan continue in his South Seas Cinema ways and letting us in and letting Dan put up his posters. In her honor and in keeping with the "Women in the South Seas" theme we were going to show a clip of our genre Queen Dorothy Lamour as jungle goddess, Tura in HER JUNGLE LOVE (1938) PARAMOUNT with Ray Milland. I thought I had the movie but I didn't so we will show it next time. Tura Long is now the member of our Society whether she wants to be or not with the highest membership category, GODDESS. Finally Ed did a report on the "Tiki Luau Nights" at the Egyptian Theatre in L.A. last July. The event shows a lot of South Seas movies for two days and nights. Ed went with California Vice President Luis Reyes. A hui ho (until we meet or write again)!

Mahalo Nui (Thank you much) hollywoodhula.wordpress.com for featuring our website-check it out!

Upena haku — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:41:00 GMT

HOLLYWOOD HULA ::: Pacific Islander Film Hui Great Blog about Pacific Islander filmmaking. Thank you KW who is the webmaster of the site and who is originally from Aotearoa (NZ) with a native Cook Islander father. Although a native filmmaker herself she can relate and truely understands our mission of the South Seas Cinema Society. HOLLYWOOD HULA is more a gathering place on the net for Pacific filmmakers to get the latest news and announcements. The site is focused on all the smaller island produced films and documentaries that we can't imagine to keep track of. SSC focuses on the more widely distributed "Hollywood" productions and how the world views native Islanders thur "Hollywood's" eyes. Hollywood Hula (you can see the word "Pollywood"-love it throughout the site) is centered on Native Island filmmakers and getting their real views out to the world. Great compliment to SSC.org. Everyone check it out! Good links also. We just added links on the bottom of our HOME Page which of course includes a link to hollywoodhula.wordpress.com

Next Meeting and Film

Upena haku — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:30:00 GMT

Next South Seas Cinema meeting is later this month, Sunday April 20th. For those members on the Island of O'ahu the usual hang out at Dan's Shack 5:30pm - remember it's pot-luck. For all the other members who reside outside of the Hawaiian Island of O'ahu and any non-member (you are invited to join in) we will be viewing the critically acclaimed movie from Japan titled HULA GIRLS. Those of you who can rent, borrow or buy it, please do so because we will try for the first time a discussion on the movie on this Blog on the following weekend, April 26 and 27th. This in a sense will be the Society's first world-wide meeting, so you distant members please log in on the Blog. We will also discuss other news from the meeting if any.

Upena haku

Summary and comments on HULA GIRLS from the last April 20th meeting: A enthusiastic shaka sign (Hawaiian thumbs up) from the membership that was there for the screening. Confusing at first for South Seas Cinema (Polynesian or Pacific Island movie and TV) fans because it was set in a small gloomy coal mining town in 60s Japan and not set in Oceania. The confusion and impatience wore during the meat of the movie when the average viewer, figures out what the town is doing to salvage their fragile economy when the whole coal mining operation shuts down, that is, to build a Hawaiian visitor's center to attract the tourist dollar. The audience as well as most citizens of this town were confused and impatient about the mining company's obscure proposal to save the town. Eventually a few families let their teen daughters try to learn the Hula and it was still a little hard to shallow for the parents and the audience. First it was a foreign film with subtitles then the characters where trying to learn something very foreign to them - Hawaiian and Tahitian dance. But as the girls gained experience, the better they preformed and the reality that this crazy ideal struck the audience as well as the township, that this, just might work. At the end it did work. The Hawaiian center opened to a full house and the girls were ready to preform admirably.

It was also a bonus to learn that this was a true story and the Hawaiian center is still open successfully today, saving the now former mining town. The important thing to some of the SSC membership at the meeting (especially the Hawaiian members) was that at the end they preformed the Hula well enough to be proud of the movie and that their culture is so loved on another parts of the planet. It is as though, if the dances were bad the movie would be bad for the Hawaiian members. The average viewer in the world would not know the difference between a good hula performance and a bad one (see case in point below) but it shows that the producers of the movie wanted to please the Hawaiian audience as well by drilling their own actresses to do it right and that attention to detail is what makes the movie enjoyable to watch and highly recommended. Good acting as well.

CASE IN POINT: In the 1987 Miss America Pageant where supposingly the talent portion of the contest was worth 51% of one's total score, Miss Minnesota did the worst Tahitian dance number ever witnessed, insulting not only to Tahitians but to all of Polynesia and laughable to all the general citizenship of all their islands. Well Miss Minnesota won the competition and was crowned Miss America. Ironically that same year the Miss Hawaii Pageant organizers decided that because the State of Hawaii has sent many beautiful women to the Pageant who had danced the hula beautifully but was never recognized for it , that they coach that year's beautiful Hawaiian hula dancer to sing instead. Hawaiian Miss Hawaii sung and lost, anglo Miss Minnesota danced Tahitian badly and won. Another irony, in the year 2000 a Miss Hawaii won the Miss American Pageant and she nervously danced the hula for her talent but she wasn't of Hawaiian ancestry. POINT OF INTEREST: What was the song that the 1987 Miss Hawaii sung in the Miss America Pageant? South Seas Sadie of all things and she wore a sultry, glittered and sequined Hollywood South Seas dress to match.

Want to know more about the SOUTH SEAS CINEMA SOCIETY?

Upena haku — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:16:00 GMT

South Seas Cinema Society is a casual organization with professional members who have something to do with filming in the South Seas either directly or indirectly. While in the past those members that were on the Island of O'ahu at the time of a meeting would enjoy good food, South Seas news and announcements, share South Seas Cinema stories (a few actors are members), share research and share recent purchased South Seas Cinema memorabilia and most importantly view than review South Seas Cinema shorts, TV shows and features. Today, core members who are on the Hawaiian Island of O'ahu still meet at least quarterly but with so many members residing outside of O'ahu, mass email has lately been included with the meetings to get other members updated.

Now with finally getting the website out along with this blog we can reach out to everyone world wide with access to the internet. There has never been forms to fill out nor fees to pay out to be a member. There is just three requirements: One, a genuine interest in the subject of South Seas Cinema; two, the realization or recognition that South Seas Cinema as a film and TV genre; and three, the desire to do something about it. Number one is the most important and to be a member you need some kind of proof of this love or interest in this genre. Proof is easy and and we do not need verification, your word is sufficient.

Here are some examples of this interest that will make the membership panel accept you as a member. But first a warning. This is not a generic film club or fan club. Eventhough we maybe laxed in organization we are still a serious society with some members devoting hours in study and research on this subject. Just the love of movies will not make the cut. Although we do not expect a new member to devote hours of study we just want people who like South Seas Movies in particular not in general. Back to example statements that makes us feel you are one of us:
*When I was young I saw the movie Donovan's Reef and the images of that movie has stayed on my mind ever since.
*I have a hula bobber on my dash and I wear aloha shirts all the time, does this qualify me!!!
*I love movies and I love the islands of the South Pacific and Hawaii and I thought would be a great combination.
*I have Polynesian blood but I know little of my roots, eventhough I recognize these Hollywood versions of the islands are not truely authentic, I think it would be a good start.
*My grandfather served in the Pacific theater in WWII and I loved his stories of the islands because I know he loved them and it was an important part of his life.
*When I was little I wanted a hula skirt and I loved to dance the hula around the house, of course if there was a movie on with someone dancing the hula I would be glued to the TV to watch the show intently.
*I always wanted to go to Hawaii, I read and watch everything about it.
*I really haven't thought about it much until I ran across your website and my is it FASCINATING!!!! And so true! When you think about it there are alot of South Seas films and TV shows.
*I really hadn't thought about the movies but I'm into tikis and this new wave Polynesian Pop thing. There was a Polynesian theme motel in our little town and I want the owners to fix it up and I'll volunteer to help. I think these movies go right along with that.
THE MOST OBVIOUS AND DRAMATIC STATEMENT WOULD BE:
*Wow I thought I was the only one who likes Pacfic Island movies, I have a whole collection of them and a few posters I buy on ebay. I think I found home!

The members we have so far could relate to one or more of these sample statements in some way or another. In any case we hope you get some kind of idea in what we look for in members.   Something inside of you that drive you in some small way. A small love or hobby or a desire to have these traits. A small drive to look on ebay for South Seas memorabilia or to stop and look around the abandon tiki bar in your town. This inter wanting of the soul is want the Hawaiians call Ha (the inter soul). They judge people on this and so do we. So if you got this small desire as part of your soul than let us know and your in. You will know you want to be a member if you read this website from Home page till the end and you can't wait to hear the latest in this Blog and you can't wait to contribute to other members.

Yes we know no one might respond right away because they don't feel they qualify and there may be only a couple of dozen people who have this love of South Seas Cinema or the desire to be a member or people that feel they belong with us but as the website get more and more noticed we may eventually find you two dozen South Seas Cinemaphiles and it will all be worth it.

If you feel you are a potenial member, add you comments or questions to this entry. If you want privatcy in doing so email the webmaster at webmaster@southseascinema.org .

What happens when you became a member? Good question. In this internet membership: one, you read this Blog to keep up with South Seas Cinema and South Seas Cinema Society news and announcements. As an example with this Blog we will announce movies that we will view and we encourage our web members to watch the same by rent, borrow or purchase. Then we can all comment on the same film world wide. Two, you register with your name and email for more specific Society communications. Three, you get a e-certificate indicating that you are a member of the Society (print it and bamboo frame it if you want).   Four as a member you will be part of our numbers (which means strength). For example we may write to a Producer that as a Society we fill that casting this indivisual is not only wrong for the part but insulting to the native people your film is trying to represent. You as a member will be a part of this little protest letter or other projects we will anounce before hand and we will announce our stand before hand and be subject to Blog discussions. Not all things we do is negative (in fact hardly) some times it is just a news article about us where we mention our world wide membership. This will be announced on the Blog and members will fill proud. The bottom line is to fulfill our Mission Statement (see the About S.S.C.S. Page) http://www.southseascinema.org/about.html to reseach, review and promote South Seas Cinema. Even if you feel you could not do anything long distance, just being a member, a number, makes us strong and we would gain respect so you would do your part just by joining. Later when and if we write more books or do a documentary you as a member will get a discount. But again it is not about the money nor ths savings - it's about a home for your hobby or passion and helping to get the word out, even if it's just your family or neighbors and you show a movie like Mutiny on the Bounty while serving refreshments out of plastic tiki cups, or write a letter to an entertainment magazine that left out South Seas Cinema in an article on movie genres.  These little things will add up in telling the world this genre exsists so give it some respect and recognition, world!

Upena hoku

Questions about a SHOW or DVD title? Can't find one? or you know where to find one and would like to share it, than comment here.

Upena haku — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:42:00 GMT

Any video title imput or correction is much appreciated here or we will try to help you with a South Seas Cinema title.

Want to add comments, more information or corrections to our SHOWS list or anything else with the South Seas Cinema website? Then comment here.

Upena haku — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:12:00 GMT

Reading thoughly southseascine.org ? See an error or if you have more information on a title in the SHOWS page or on any subject covered on the site? Comment here in this category. Also state your resource [I'm his wife, I was there, or I read it on this book (list book) or on that other website (list website, etc..] We will appreciate any help we can get. Mahalo.

Passing of Tahitian actor Ben Chapman

Upena haku — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:46:00 GMT

Today was the service for our Benny Chapman, Tahitian performer, actor, great South Seas Cinema Society member and known world-wide as the Creature of the Black Lagoon. Since that infamous role was played with a mask (and body suit) he wasn't recognized as the Creature by many until the last few years. Lately being high demand at sci-fi conventions and the many Monster websites.

I'll never forget seeing a rare 16mm reel of young, tall, skinny Ben dancing a Tahitian number. I thought the tall skinny brown guy (6ft. 6) would make the perfect creature. This film is own by a fellow South Seas Cinema member so I know it is in good hands.

This morning's service at the St. Augustine Church in Waikiki was short but very touching. Talk by popular actor, Waikiki beach boy, and fellow South Seas Cinema member, Don Stroud was great. Than Benny's ashes was taken out, off shore of Waikiki by outrigger canoe and spread among his favorite surf along with the many leis of well wishers. It was a beautiful Hawaiian day, we all had a clear view of Benny up in the heavens.

Aloha Benny

P.S. See a photo of Benny in "Beach of Fame" Page in southseascinema.org.

New Website southseascinema.org What do you think?

Upena haku — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 10:49:00 GMT

Just lanched the southseascinema.org website. Since it is new, need feedback, corrections, comments, complaints, compliments etc.. Even spelling. Let me know here or email webmaster@southseascinema.org.

Latest South Seas Cinema - FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL

Upena haku — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:46:00 GMT

Universal Pictures will release FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL ON April 18, 2008. Check out offical site www.forgettingsarahmarshall.com. Funny movie about guy bummed about breaking up with girlfriend, gets away from it all and heads to a remote Hawaiian resort only to find there his ex with new beau.